Why IT leaders must prioritize hybrid work accessibility
As companies push return-to-office policies, IT leaders must ensure disabled employees aren't left behind. Explore how AI enables hybrid work accessibility.
As organizations plan return-to-office initiatives and weigh hybrid work strategies, they must not overlook the needs of disabled employees who benefited from the communication capabilities enabled by remote work during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The rise of remote work created significantly more job opportunities for people with disabilities. But as companies push return-to-office polices, there is a risk that remote job options will disappear.
"People living with disabilities have literally been on the outside looking in when it comes to participating in meetings and events," said Gary LaSasso, senior director of global IT at Amicus Therapeutics.
In his work at Amicus Therapeutics, a biopharmaceutical company focused on rare diseases, LaSasso said he has seen the positive effect on people's lives by being intentional about inclusive design and inclusive meetings.
People living with disabilities have literally been on the outside looking in when it comes to participating in meetings and events.
Gary LaSassoSenior director of global IT at Amicus Therapeutics.
LaSasso and business leaders spoke at Enterprise Connect's first hybrid panel session, where two panelists joined over Zoom, about the ongoing need to support accessibility through digital communication tools.
Anthony DeVergillo, a communications professional and disability advocate with Amicus Therapeutics, expressed his concern that support for remote work is being phased out.
DeVergillo lives with Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy, a progressive, muscle-weakening disorder, and has difficulties leaving his home due to his disability.
"If you're looking for years for a job and you can't find it because you have to go there in person, and then you find that job that allows you to work from home, you're honestly going to work two or three times harder because you really fought for that job," he said.
Supporting accessibility benefits everyone in an organization, as it improves UX, supports inclusive hiring practices and expands geographic reach for talent acquisition.
AI meeting features support accessibility
Adopting AI meeting features isn't just a productivity benefit; they also improve accessibility for employees. Automated captions, noise cancellation and translation, in particular, were named as key enabling features for accessibility and inclusivity.
"It's really amazing to be able to go to any meeting now with captions," said DeVergillo. "I don't have hearing issues, but I use captions because my ventilator is loud."
Noise-cancelling technology was also a game-changer for DeVergillo, who worried that the sound of his ventilator would disrupt meetings. Even though noise cancellation wasn't developed with ventilators in mind, it's had a positive effect on his meeting experience," he said.
"The thing that I like is the way [AI] can allow anyone at any place at any time to interface with a meeting or a conference," said Greg Hannah, director of the Office for Access and Disability Services at Villanova University.
But even with AI advancements, meeting technology still has room for improvement to support inclusivity and accessibility. Automated captions still struggle with the accuracy of fast speakers or with different speech patterns, so further enhancements would be beneficial, Hannah said.
Another area Hannah said he'd like to see some advancement in is sign language interpretation. Current meeting platforms require third-party interpreters, but there could be an opportunity for AI-powered sign language interpretation. However, that would require a balance between automation and the preservation of interpreter careers, he said.
DeVergillo said he would like to see more support for augmentative and alternative communication features, which enable people with speech disabilities to communicate through text or other non-verbal mediums. These features are also helpful for users in loud environments or where verbal communication isn't possible.
Strategies to support workplace accessibility
IT leaders can't assume that supporting accessibility is as simple as rolling out new communication features. They must be intentional about inclusive design and engage with employees with disabilities in technology decisions.
Hannah said part of the reason why he's so successful with his job is that students are willing to tell him what works and what doesn't. Students have introduced him to technology and tools to support accessibility goals, like Otter.ai and Dragon.
"I like the bottom-up approach because here the students are the heart of our institution of higher education, so we want to work with them versus constantly sending things from the top down," Hannah said.
Organizations must also plan for the future workforce. The next generation of global workers is growing up with these technologies, he said. They will expect accessible digital workplaces as the standard.
Katherine Finnell is senior site editor for TechTarget's unified communications site. She writes and edits articles on a variety of business communications technology topics, including unified communications as a service, video conferencing and collaboration.
