Breaking out of the Glassbox: Employee Responses to Disability Inclusion in the Workforce in Thailand

Many organizations and enterprises have been dealing with diversity and inclusion in the workforce covering differences in culture, age, race, and disability among many others. This study will focus on the diversity brought about by disability, or difference in capabilities, in the workforce particularly exploring employee perspectives to disability inclusion in the workplace. A phenomenological analysis was conducted based on the qualitative data gathered through semi-structured interviews with employees who have experienced working with People With Disabilities (PWD). This research extracted themes surrounding employees’ perceptions formed from their experiences working with disabled colleagues, as well as link its possible effects to the formation of organizational culture and shared values among the employees in the enterprise. The findings show that employees working in a disability-inclusive environment had enhanced motivation to work harder and gained a sense of pride as influenced by their disabled colleagues. Furthermore, a culture of open-mindedness and equity sensitivity were also observed in the employees who have experienced working with disabled people. This study will be deemed useful in further understanding employee responses to disability inclusion and give insights into the management of diversity in organizations.