Work Identity among Differently Abled Employees

Journal: GLIMS Journal of Management Review and Transformation

Abstract: Disability Inclusion is increasingly becoming popular among many companies, both in small-scale and large MNCs, as a strategy for competitive advantage in recent years. However, researchers previously identified a need for more attention to this area in the field of research. Consequently, with the phenomenon not being explored extensively, companies trying to form disability inclusion initiatives have been observed to lack sensitivity to the phenomenon on various levels. To bridge this gap, the present study attempts to understand the concept of disability identity, ableism, and its influence on the perceived inclusion of a differently abled employee within an organization under different circumstances. Three propositions have been arrived at in this conceptual paper, which indicates the complexity associated with the concept of disability identity, which is eventually supposed to drive disability inclusion initiatives for a given organization. The argument made through this conceptual paper emphasizes the multiple dimensions of disability having a varied impact on the perceived inclusion of a disabled employee within an organization when coupled with the discriminatory phenomenon of ableism within an organization. Implications and future directions indicate the need for more quantitative studies in the area to provide data evidence as empirical support.