New Skillsoft Survey Highlights Concerns About Intellectual Disability In Diversity, Equity And Inclusion Efforts

As a part of International Day of People with Disabilities, Skillsoft, a global leader in digital learning and talent management solutions, today highlighted a potential gap in workplace policies around Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI). Data from Skillsoft’s Intellectual Disabilities in Workplace DEI survey suggest that workplace DEI efforts may often fail to include people with intellectual disabilities. Data also indicated that support for creating truly inclusive workplaces is surging.

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Skillsoft launched this survey as part of its emerging partnership with Special Olympics, the global inclusion movement dedicated to empowering people with intellectual disabilities through sport. Since 2015, Special Olympics has worked with Skillsoft to develop trainings, career maps, and learning solutions to empower leaders with and without intellectual disabilities with the skills to create more inclusive communities and workplaces.

The more than 1000 survey participants were comprised of primarily professionals in the HR and learning space. The results provide insight into how HR leaders across industries think about inclusion of people with intellectual disabilities in the workplace. Three overarching themes were identified: low awareness surrounding intellectual disabilities in the workplace, support for intellectual disability inclusion, and a demand for company policies to be backed up by action.

Lack of Understanding

Survey results indicate that respondents do not understand how to make their workplace more accessible for people with intellectual disabilities and why doing so is important to achieving full inclusion. Though the vast majority (88 percent) of respondents work for companies with a diversity and inclusion policy, 55 percent were not confident their organization had any guidance related to intellectual disabilities.

“Many organizations lack the appropriate level of understanding and action on how to create a culture of ‘true inclusion,’” said Mark Onisk, chief content officer, Skillsoft. “Even though 87 percent of people who took this survey confirmed interest in being more inclusive, they are missing the essential step of ‘how.’ That’s where learning and development comes in.”

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Support for Inclusion

Although employees indicated that they are willing and ready to learn more about inclusion of people with intellectual disabilities, their efforts could fall behind without proper training. While 81 percent of respondents suggest their colleagues would be at least somewhat supportive in the inclusion of people with intellectual disabilities, there is still hesitation. The survey found 33 percent of respondents’ biggest concern is how people without an intellectual disability would engage with those who do have an intellectual disability.

Results also indicate there is demand for change. 93 percent of respondents believe that becoming an inclusive organization would help company culture. In fact, 76 percent of respondents report their management or leadership would be at least somewhat supportive of becoming more inclusive of people with intellectual disabilities.

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