Raising disability awareness at work is not just about running a workshop once a year. It means helping every employee better understand what their colleagues experience, change a few habits and know who to turn to. This article explains why the subject deserves a real approach, then gives eight action ideas to adapt to your organisation.
Contents
Why raise disability awareness at work
Most situations of disability cannot be seen. According to Agefiph, the French fund for the employment of disabled people, around 80% of disabilities are invisible. Source: Agefiph. Some employees do not talk about it, for fear of how others will react. Without awareness, misconceptions stay in place, and people hesitate to ask for an adjustment that could change their daily working life.
The scale is not marginal. The World Health Organization estimates that 1.3 billion people, or 16% of the world's population, experience a significant disability. Source: WHO, "Disability". In the UK, nearly one in four working-age people are classed as disabled. Source: GOV.UK, "The employment of disabled people 2025".
An awareness approach therefore serves three goals. It changes perceptions. It gives managers and colleagues simple reference points. And it makes the organisation's resources visible, such as the disability or inclusion lead.
To separate misconceptions from reality, also read our article on disability in the workplace: myths and realities.
8 ideas for disability awareness actions
1. A quiz on common misconceptions
A quiz is the simplest way to open the subject. It invites everyone to question their assumptions without putting anyone on the spot, and it works as well in the office as remotely. Around ten questions is enough, for example on the share of invisible disabilities or on what counts as a disability under the Equality Act 2010. Under that Act, a person is disabled if they have a physical or mental impairment that has a substantial and long-term negative effect on their ability to do normal daily activities. Source: GOV.UK, "Definition of disability under the Equality Act 2010".
2. Short content, shared over time
Rather than one long document, share short pieces over several weeks: an article, a testimonial, a practical sheet. Everyone moves at their own pace, and the subject stays present for longer than a single day.
3. An internal or external testimonial
Nothing replaces lived experience. An employee who agrees to share their journey, or an outside speaker, makes the subject concrete. Always leave the choice to the people concerned: giving a testimonial must never be an obligation.
4. A meeting with a disability sport athlete
A meeting or webinar with athletes from disability sport, such as Paralympic or adaptive sport athletes, opens the discussion simply, starting from a concrete journey.
5. A team challenge in the app
A challenge in an app brings together all sites and all teams, including those on shift patterns or working remotely. Employees earn points together by moving, answering quizzes or reading content, and the subject becomes a shared project rather than a constraint.
6. A workshop for managers
Managers are often the first point of contact for a disabled employee. A short workshop on good habits has a direct effect on daily working life: how to react to a request, which questions to avoid, who to point people to. Acas advises managers to listen and follow the employee's lead on what to share, to avoid assumptions about capabilities and to ask before offering help. Source: Acas, "Supporting disabled people at work".
7. A work-shadowing day, such as DuoDay
During European Disability Employment Week, DuoDay, a scheme born in Ireland in 2008 and now run in France, Belgium and other European countries (ADEM), invites an organisation to welcome a disabled person for one day, in a pair with a volunteer employee. In 2026 it takes place on Thursday 19 November. Source: DuoDay. Outside these countries, you can organise the same kind of work-shadowing day with a local partner. In the UK, the Disability Confident scheme offers a framework to go further on recruitment and retention. Source: GOV.UK, "Disability Confident".
8. Clear communication on resources
End every action by reminding people who to contact and how to request an adjustment. A poster, an intranet message or a dedicated page is enough. In the UK, you can also point to Access to Work, a government grant for support at work. Source: GOV.UK, "Access to Work". This is often the most useful action, and the most forgotten.
Summary table: which action for which goal?
| Action | Goal | For whom |
|---|---|---|
| Quiz on misconceptions | Open the subject | All teams |
| Short content over time | Keep the subject present | All teams, including remote |
| Testimonial | Make the subject concrete | All teams |
| Disability sport meeting | Spark interest | All teams |
| Connected collective challenge | Mobilise together | Multi-site companies, field teams |
| Manager workshop | Change habits | Managers |
| Work-shadowing day (DuoDay) | Create a real meeting | Volunteer teams |
| Communication on resources | Provide a follow-up | The whole organisation |
When to raise awareness: during the week and all year
European Disability Employment Week (SEEPH) is the most natural moment to start. In 2026 it runs from 16 to 22 November. Source: Agefiph. Our articles on European Disability Employment Week 2026 and SEEPH workplace activities help you prepare it.
Awareness works best, however, when it does not stop after one week. One short session each quarter keeps the subject alive and shows that the organisation's commitment is lasting.
FAQ
How do you raise disability awareness at work without a budget?
Start with a quiz, an internal testimonial and clear communication on the resources available. These actions mostly take preparation time, not budget.
How do you reach teams across several sites?
Choose formats that work remotely: a quiz, short content, a webinar or a challenge in an app. Everyone takes part at the same time, wherever they work.
Should you talk about invisible disabilities?
Yes. It is the central subject, since most disabilities cannot be seen. Our article on invisible disabilities at work gives concrete reference points.
Do employers have to make adjustments for disabled employees?
In the UK, yes. The Equality Act 2010 requires employers to take reasonable steps to remove the disadvantages disabled people face, including adjusting practices, removing physical barriers and providing auxiliary aids. Source: legislation.gov.uk, Equality Act 2010, section 20. Rules differ from one country to another, so check them with your legal adviser for each country where you operate.
Take it further
To mobilise all your teams during the week, discover the H-Games 2026, the inter-company competition organised with the Fédération Française Handisport, the French disability sport federation. Employees earn points in the United Heroes app, and those points unlock a donation to the federation. It is a way to launch your approach with a key moment, before extending it through the rest of the year.
Product Marketing Manager at United Heroes