Taking Inclusion to the Skies: SHRM Foundation Drives Awareness of Air Travel Challenges for Workers with Disabilities
SHRM and the SHRM Foundation, in collaboration with Microsoft, released a report today on the concerning lack of accessibility with airline travel, actively impacting talent development and employee productivity.
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – In recognition of National Disability Employment Awareness Month, SHRM and the SHRM Foundation, in collaboration with Microsoft, released a report today on the concerning lack of accessibility with airline travel, actively impacting talent development and employee productivity. It’s vital for HR stakeholders to be more cognizant of their employees who utilize wheelchairs and the impact it could have on their personal well-being, productivity and professional development.
The CDC reports 61 million people in the U.S. live with a disability, including 5.5 million who use wheelchairs for mobility. Despite their growing participation in the workforce, accessibility issues in air travel remain a persistent barrier and concern for professionals with disabilities. The 2022 Air Travel Consumer Report revealed the 10 largest U.S. airlines lost, damaged, or destroyed approximately 1,008 wheelchairs each month, limiting the ability of workers with disabilities to participate fully in business travel.
"People with disabilities contribute invaluable talent and perspectives to the workplace. It’s vital we remove the barriers preventing them from fully participating in all aspects of work, including business travel,” said Wendi Safstrom, President of the SHRM Foundation. “When we fail to address these challenges, we risk not only stalling the careers of professionals with disabilities but also missing out on their contributions to driving business growth and innovation."
Business Travel and Barriers for Professionals with Disabilities
Business travel remains an essential component of career development, including leadership advancement and interaction with C-suite executives. Research has shown a majority of travelers with disabilities avoided airline travel in previous years due to accessibility concerns. Damage to mobility equipment not only represents harm to personal dignity and independence but also results in costly delays, travel rebooking, and in some cases, prevents workers with disabilities from fully participating in key business functions.
Industry Response and the Path Forward
Some progress has been made in the aviation industry to address these accessibility issues. Delta Flight Products (DFP), a subsidiary of Delta Airlines, is actively exploring designs that allow customers to remain in their own wheelchairs while flying and is introducing more accessible lavatories. The SHRM Foundation encourages these advancements to be implemented industry-wide to drive meaningful change in air travel accessibility.
In collaboration with SHRM, the SHRM Foundation is focused on shining a light on the business case to improve accessibility for professionals with disabilities. The damage of mobility devices also disproportionately impacts small and mid-sized businesses, which often lack the resources to absorb unexpected travel costs. This, in turn, exacerbates productivity loss and career development opportunities for employees with disabilities, especially in leadership roles.
“Addressing accessibility challenges needs to be a priority for the travel industry and we are working with the SHRM and SHRM Foundation to create awareness of this ongoing issue,” said Jessica Rafuse, director of accessibility partnerships at Microsoft. “At Microsoft, our employees are among the many thousands who everyday risk safety and wellbeing simply trying to travel for their jobs. We will continue to advocate for policy change to ensure everyone can travel safely for work, for education, and for fun.”
About the SHRM Foundation
SHRM Foundation empowers Human Resources as a force for social good. As the nonprofit arm of SHRM, the world's largest HR professional society, the Foundation believes that HR holds a unique position to lead change in the face of complex challenges within the world of work. The organization mobilizes and equips HR to ensure the prosperity and thriving of talent and workplaces. The Foundation works by widening pathways to work for more skills-first candidates and more kinds of talent; tackling societal challenges, with a current focus on workplace mental health and wellness; and strengthening the HR field with even more diversity, growth, and readiness to address these needs. SHRM Foundation works with SHRM, courageous partners, and bold investors to generate awareness, action, and impact to build a world of work that works for all. Discover more at SHRMFoundation.org.
About SHRM
SHRM is a member-driven catalyst for creating better workplaces where people and businesses thrive together. As the trusted authority on all things work, SHRM is the foremost expert, researcher, advocate, and thought leader on issues and innovations impacting today’s evolving workplaces. With nearly 340,000 members in 180 countries, SHRM touches the lives of more than 362 million workers and their families globally. Discover more at SHRM.org.
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