Diversity, Inclusive, Equal Opportunity – All words that today are a part of organization policies. I honestly don’t think there is any organization out there today that doesn’t stand for these values. The question is whether the technologies that they use, are those inclusive. Today, Human Resource Management (HRM) platforms are the norm. Every organization is implementing them! But are the HRM platforms accessible?
Why HRMs Solutions?
Human Resource Management (aka Human Capital Management) is focused on the strategic approach to effective management of people in an organization to gain a competitive advantage.
HRM platforms are an essential part of an employee’s day, especially considering the remote working practices in place currently. Work from Home seems like it is here to stay and that means an average employee would use their HRM platform about 5-6 times a day, from signing in & out to payroll, benefits and learning. Therefore, it is more important than ever to ensure the complete accessibility of your platforms. Allowing all users of your platform to completely access all the information available to them is essential from a Legal, Inclusionary and Business standpoint
3 Key benefits of making your HRM platform accessible
1. Legal:
The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) prohibits discrimination against people with disabilities in all areas of life, especially Electronic and Information Technology. This is applicable to all businesses, non-profits & governmental agencies and would see fines upon violations. Section 508 requires accessible Technology and Information but specifically for Federal Organizations.
Making your HRM platform accessible would help avoid these legal challenges and allow you to work with Governmental Organizations and organizations with Federal funding.
Ensure your HRMS product conforms to Web Content Accessibility Guideline (WCAG) 2.1 – Level AA.
2. Inclusionary:
Having a completely accessible HRM platform would allow employees to access all the information that they would need to work productively. This would enable people with disabilities to be better equipped to deal with the work expected of them and help them be better motivated to work by not causing them unnecessary difficulties.
Did you know that the 15% of the world population experiences some form of disability! A significant customer base that you shouldn’t ignore.
3. Business:
Having more inclusionary practices in place by making your platform accessible would also improve business for you as a platform. Executives would be more likely to invest in your platform for their organization if it meets accessibility requirements for their employees. Making your platform accessible would also be beneficial in terms of improving customer satisfaction for your current users and would lead to improved brand loyalty.
According to an Accenture Study – “Getting to Equal: The Disability Inclusion Advantage”, companies that have worked on improving inclusionary practices are twice as likely as peers to have increased shareholder returns. Having an accessible platform would benefit your brand by cultivating a brand image as an organization that is focused on diversity and inclusion and being honest about where you stand is an essential first step in this endeavour.
Do you have a Voluntary Product Accessibility Template (VPAT) for sharing the accessibility of your platform?
So if you have an HRM platform, it makes business sense to work on accessibility. Some HRMS platforms like Workday and Ultimate Software are now working on the accessibility of their solutions. Don’t wait to lose business to start working on Accessibility of your HRMs platform!
If you need any support to get your HRMS tested for accessibility, drop us a line at sales@barriebreak.com and we will be happy to connect.