Multi-award-winning inclusion specialist and regular Naidex speaker Dr. Shani Dhanda shares her expert advice on how disabled job seekers can identify truly inclusive employers that understand their needs.

Finding a job in today’s market is hard. Finding an employer that genuinely understands accessibility and inclusion can feel even harder.

For disabled people, a job advert is only part of the picture. An organisation might have a glossy inclusion statement, a Disability Confident logo and a diversity page full of good intentions. But none of that tells you what it will actually be like to work there.

And there is a significant pool of disabled talent employers could be missing. Department for Work and Pensions figures show that more than 1 in 5 disabled people who are not currently working have expressed a desire to find a job.

So the question isn't simply whether disabled people want to work. It’s whether employers are creating accessible routes into work and workplaces where disabled people can thrive.

How can you tell whether an employer is genuinely inclusive before you join?

Here are some things to look for.

Look beyond the job advert

Start by looking at how the organisation talks about accessibility and inclusion. Is accessibility mentioned as part of its wider culture, or is it confined to a single diversity page, if at all?

Look at the company’s website and social media pages, including LinkedIn. Are disabled people visible in its workforce and leadership? Is the website and digital content accessible? Can you navigate the website using assistive technology? Is accessibility considered in the way it communicates, recruits and shares information? Does it talk about accessibility throughout the year, or only around awareness days?

Look for trust signals too. One place to start is Evenbreak, a specialist job site for disabled people. Employers advertising there are actively looking to attract disabled talent, which can be a useful indication that they are thinking about inclusion in their recruitment.

You can also look for evidence of action. Has the organisation invested in accessible technology, workplace adjustments, inclusive recruitment or employee networks? Does it share specific examples rather than simply making broad claims?

The difference between saying “we value diversity” and being able to explain what that looks like in practice is significant.

Pay attention to the recruitment process

The recruitment process can tell you a lot about an employer.

A genuinely inclusive employer should make it straightforward to request reasonable adjustments. You shouldn't have to justify your health condition or impairment or repeatedly explain what you need.

Look at the application form. Is there an obvious way to request adjustments? Does the employer proactively explain how to do this? When you ask for something, how do they respond?

Their response can be more revealing than their policies.

If an employer is defensive, makes you feel difficult for asking for an adjustment, or treats accessibility as an inconvenience before you've even joined, that's useful information.

On the other hand, if they respond positively, ask what would help and work with you to find a solution, that's a much stronger indicator of an inclusive culture.

Ask questions at interview

An interview isn't just an opportunity for an employer to assess you. It's also your opportunity to assess them.

Ask questions that reveal how the employer actually operates.

You could ask:

• “How do you support disabled employees and employees who become disabled during their career?”
• “How do you approach reasonable adjustments?”
• “How do employees raise accessibility issues?”
• “Can you give me an example of an adjustment you've made for an employee?”
• “How does accessibility feature in your wider employee experience?”

Pay attention to how they respond.

Specific examples, clear processes and evidence of learning are encouraging. Vague answers about being a “family” or simply saying that “everyone is treated the same” are worth exploring further.

Treating everyone the same isn't necessarily inclusive. Sometimes people need different things to have an equitable opportunity to succeed.

Speak to people who already work there

One of the best ways to understand an organisation is to find out about the experiences of its employees.

If you know someone who works there, ask them about their experience. You can also look at employee reviews, professional networks and social media to get a sense of the culture.

Don't just look for whether the organisation employs disabled people. Look for whether disabled people feel able to progress, speak openly about accessibility and ask for support without being penalised for it.

Representation matters, but retention, progression and belonging matter too.

Remember that you are assessing them too

Disabled people are often expected to prove that they can fit into an organisation. But the relationship works both ways.

You are allowed to ask whether the organisation is going to work for you.

A genuinely inclusive employer won't necessarily get everything right. No organisation does. What matters is how it responds when something isn't accessible, whether it values the experiences of disabled employees and whether it is prepared to change.

Look for curiosity rather than defensiveness. Action rather than promises. And a willingness to make accessibility part of everyday working life rather than something that has to be fought for.

The right employer won't make you feel like your access needs are a problem to solve before you can contribute.

Inclusion isn't about finding an employer that says all the right things. It's about finding one whose actions make it possible for you to do your best work.