Enablers and inhibitors of the co-production of disability-inclusive employment: perspectives from people with visual impairment

Despite decades of disability rights advocacy, people with disabilities continue to be excluded from meaningfully participating in the labour force. This article examines the enabling and inhibiting factors to the co-production of disability-inclusive employment. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 17 people with visual impairment working in a social enterprise in Hong Kong. Thematic analyses revealed four enablers of co-production (operationalising an asset-based employment paradigm, devolution of power and control structures, normalisation of work-based performance appraisal and co-production of an inclusive organisational culture) and three inhibitors (internalised devaluation, organisational resource constraints and absence of a supportive employment ecosystem). This article demonstrates that co-production is a useful framework to inform inclusive workplace processes. The findings advance co-production and disability scholarship by revealing the complex interactions between people with disabilities and their work environment. This article argues that the co-production of disability-inclusive employment requires conscientious and active involvement from both employers and employees. Creating an inclusive workplace environment safeguards the rights of people with disabilities to participate meaningfully in society.We found that an inclusive workplace environment can be achieved when organisations employ people with disabilities based on their strengths and talents (rather than emphasising their impairments), provide channels for people with disabilities to participate in decision-making processes (rather than requiring staff to simply follow orders), evaluate work performance based on work quality (rather than shying away to do so because of one's impairment), and create an open culture for mutual learning and accommodation.Barriers to create an inclusive workplace environment include self-doubt, resource constraints, and the lack of supportive employment measures.Creating an inclusive workplace environment requires conscientious, continuous, and active participation of people with disabilities, employers, and colleagues.People with disabilities have the agency to shape the creation of an inclusive work environment.