Disability as a Diversity Factor: Implications for Human Resource Practices

Abstract

Based on important findings from the four investigations in this special issue, this article discusses strategies that Human Resource Development (HRD) and Human Resource Management (HRM) personnel can use to minimize the unlawful termination of employees with disabilities and thereby preserve the diversity they bring to the workforce. HRD and HRM practitioners are constantly faced with the challenges of managing diversity given the rationale that a diverse workforce is more productive and more representative of the American population (Selden & Selden, 2001). Lack of awareness of the various forms of disability and of diversity management skills—key skills a good HRD practitioner ought to have—often results in conflict and mistrust, all of which can lead to failure to achieve individual, process, and organizational performance goals (Kochan et al., 2002). Diversity management, therefore, must take into consideration the various forms of disability—physical (mobility impairment and chronic illness), sensory (visual and hearing impairment), cognitive (mental retardation and learning disability), and emotional (depression and other psychological conditions)—as they interact with different (a) workplace demands and tasks; (b) attitudes and expectations of employers and coworkers; and (c) perceptions of people with disabilities themselves. To manage disability as a diversity issue, it is imperative that HRD and HRM practitioners, employees, management, and organizational leaders understand the meaning of disability as a diversity factor in the workplace and the potential impact of disability on critical HRM and HRD practices related to job retention and termination.