Designing inclusive remote and hybrid working to support disabled workers

This project will identify how working from home and hybrid working can be designed to best support disabled workers.  

In the UK, one fifth of working age people are classified as disabled by the Equality Act 2010, only 52.7% of whom were in employment in 2021. Before the pandemic, many employers were reluctant to allow working from home and hybrid working, despite the Equality Act requiring employers to make reasonable adjustments for disabled workers. During the pandemic, companies introduced compulsory home-working for most desk-based workers. Disabled workers reported having greater flexibility and autonomy to schedule work tasks around fatigue, pain, and medical appointments. Disabled workers also reported improved access to training and networking opportunities.  Hybrid working can offer similar benefits while still allowing for face-to-face interactions.

The flexibility and autonomy provided by remote or hybrid working may help to narrow the disability employment gap. However, remote or hybrid working needs to be appropriately managed to avoid creating further employment and health inequalities.

This mixed-methods study will build on the project team’s previous research on disabled workers’ experiences of remote and hybrid working. The project aims to shape change in government and organisational policy to make remote and hybrid working more inclusive, and to promote disabled workers’ recruitment, job retention and progression.

The study will draw on Job Demands-Resources theory. ‘Job demands’ require physical or mental effort and can negatively affect health and well-being. ‘Job resources’ support the achievement of work goals and reduce pressures. Job demands related to remote working might include feeling isolated from colleagues, not having an appropriate workspace, or not having the right equipment. Job resources might include being able to choose where you work. The project will test whether this theory can suitably explain and understand disabled workers’ experiences of remote and hybrid working through an intersectional lens.

The research will include:

1. A UK-wide survey of disabled employees about their experiences of remote or hybrid working and follow-up interviews with a sample of survey respondents.  
2. Interviews with employers and organisational case studies about the challenges involved in implementing remote or hybrid working in the context of workforce diversity.
3. Online focus groups with policymakers from the Department for Work and Pensions, Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, The Government Equalities Office, and the devolved administrations.

The research will be used to develop a Good Practice Guide for disabled workers and employers to ensure working arrangements are inclusive. The guide will be launched at a public event on inclusive remote and hybrid working.