Is Workplace Accessibility Making Real Progress? A Decade of Changes (2015–2025)

Andy Porter
Apr 9
4 min read

Workplace accessibility has gone from being a nice-to-have to something most companies now realise they can’t afford to ignore. But has the past decade actually brought about meaningful improvements—or are we just getting better at talking about it?

Let’s take a closer look at what the numbers and trends reveal.

The Global Picture: Mixed Progress

The global journey toward accessible workspaces has been... well, uneven. On paper, things seem to be moving forward. The UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities has played a big role in pushing disability inclusion to the forefront. It’s showing up more often in strategic planning and corporate communications. There’s more talk of accommodation frameworks and inclusive hiring practices.

But the reality? A significant employment gap still exists between people with and without disabilities. The International Labour Organization has noted that despite increased awareness, real obstacles remain—from inaccessible office spaces to outdated mindsets.

Tech Advances: Opening New Doors (Sometimes)

Technology has been one of the most promising areas of change. From voice control to AI-powered captioning and sign language tools, it’s opened doors—literally and figuratively—for many with disabilities. Tools like automation and AI assistants have also made flexible working far more achievable.

That said, it’s far from perfect. A surprising number of websites and digital tools still don’t meet basic accessibility standards. Sometimes it's due to oversight, other times it’s the misconception that accessibility is too complex or expensive. Either way, we’re not quite there yet.

The Numbers Tell a Story: US Employment Trends

According to the US Department of Labor, the numbers speak volumes:

As of 2024, only 22.7% of people with disabilities were employed, compared to 65.5% of those without disabilities.
Labor force participation for people with disabilities hit a record 24.5%, but that still lags behind the 68% participation rate of non-disabled peers.
The unemployment rate for disabled workers sits at 7.5%, nearly double that of others (3.8%).
Back in 2015, the employment-to-population ratio for people with disabilities was 27%—not a huge difference.

Interestingly, remote work seems to have made a real difference. From early 2020 to 2024, employment among working-age disabled people rose by six percentage points, versus just one point for those without disabilities. It’s a sign that flexible work arrangements might be breaking down some long-standing barriers.

Corporate America: More Talk, Some Action

The Disability Equality Index suggests that companies are at least becoming more aware:

In 2015, 80 companies participated. By 2024, that number jumped to 542.
93% now have disability-focused employee resource groups—up 25% in nine years.
60% of businesses make sure candidates know accessible interview options are available.
90%+ mention disability-related info during onboarding.
45% now include disability data in diversity reports—twice the figure from just two years ago.
And in the UK, 71% of companies require digital products to be accessible.

It’s encouraging, but gaps still exist between what's on paper and what happens on the ground.

Across the Pond: UK Makes Modest Gains

In the UK, government figures show a slow but steady rise in employment for disabled individuals:

As of Q2 2024, 5.5 million disabled people had jobs—310,000 more than the year before.
The employment rate for disabled people stood at 53%, compared to 81.6% for non-disabled workers.
That’s a gap of nearly 29 percentage points.
Back in 2015, the rate was just 46.5%, so there has been progress.
The pandemic did cause a dip, though—the rate fell to 49.1% in 2020.

You can dig deeper into the stats via the UK Government’s reports.

What's Driving Progress?

There’s no single fix, but several factors have helped move things forward:

Stronger legal frameworks like the ADA in the US and the Equality Act in the UK.
Tech innovation, from assistive tools to better digital design standards.
A shift in business culture—more leaders now understand the value of inclusion.
Ongoing efforts from advocacy groups that keep pressure on institutions to change.

Persistent Challenges We Can’t Ignore

Even with all the progress, serious hurdles remain:

Outdated attitudes and stigma still create exclusion, even in physically accessible workplaces.
Accessibility standards aren’t being applied consistently across industries or regions.
Many digital platforms still fall short.
Not all employers are proactive in offering accommodations—or know how.
There are big differences in accessibility resources between developed and developing countries.
We still don’t have enough comprehensive data to track long-term progress.

Where Do We Go From Here?

If we want to truly close the gap, the following steps are essential:

Enforce the laws that already exist more strictly.
Make universal design a starting point, not an afterthought.
Roll out widespread awareness campaigns to challenge stigma.
Simplify accommodation processes so they’re actually usable.
Invest in new tech that prioritises accessibility from the ground up.

The Bottom Line

So—has workplace accessibility improved in the last ten years? Yes. But not as much as it should have.

There’s clear movement when it comes to awareness and policy, but when we look at actual employment figures, the disparities are still huge. And that means the job’s far from finished.

For businesses, the message is simple: accessibility isn’t just a legal box to tick. It’s a smart strategy that unlocks innovation, broadens your talent pool, and builds trust with consumers. As we move deeper into the 2020s, the companies that lead on accessibility may find themselves leading in more ways than one.