Work, Identity, and Belonging: Advancing Intersectional Inclusion in Employment 

In an office setting, there are three people working. One person is working on their own in front of a computer screen and they are wearing a blue collared shirt and has black hair. Two co-workers are collaborating together. One person identifies as a woman of colour, has long dark hair and is wearing a light green collared shirt. Another person identifies as a Black man, uses a wheelchair, and is wearing a light orange blazer.

National AccessAbility Week is a time to celebrate the contributions of Canadians who have disabilities and reflect on the barriers that still exist in workplaces and communities. 

While progress has been made, many people who have a disability continue to experience exclusion in employment. These experiences are not shaped by disability alone. Race, gender, age, sexual orientation, and socioeconomic status all influence how people experience accessibility, opportunity, and belonging at work. 

Understanding these overlapping identities, often referred to as intersectionality, is essential to building workplaces that are not only accessible, but truly inclusive. 

Barriers to Inclusion: Intersecting Identities 

Many people who have a disability, especially those who also hold other marginalized identities, experience multiple barriers to employment at the same time. Poverty, unequal access to education, limited transportation, and discrimination can all affect a person’s ability to find and maintain work. 

In Canada, 27% of adults aged 15 and older have a disability1. More than half (56%) of people who have a disability between the ages of 25 and 64 have completed some form of post-secondary education2, highlighting significant skills, education, and potential. Yet many skilled and qualified people remain underrepresented in the workforce or concentrated in unstable or insecure employment. 

Employment outcomes can vary significantly based on intersecting factors such as gender, race, age, and disability type. While the employment rate for Canadians who have a disability aged 25–54 was 73.4% in 2023. This percentage varies depending on a person’s intersecting identities3. 

For example, a racialized person who has a disability may experience both racism and ableism throughout the hiring process, from resume screening to interviews to workplace integration. People who have a disability who are women or gender-diverse may also face additional barriers, including wage gaps, underemployment, and fewer opportunities for advancement, even when they have comparable qualifications. 

Without intentional efforts to address these intersecting barriers, employment systems risk reinforcing exclusion instead of creating inclusion. 

Employment as a Pathway to Belonging 

Employment offers more than income. Meaningful work can create opportunities for connection, confidence, growth, and purpose. It can support a person’s sense of belonging within their workplace and community. 

However, many people who have a disability continue to encounter barriers throughout their employment journey, from inaccessible recruitment processes to workplace stigma, inflexible structures, and inconsistent access to accommodations. 

Barriers often appear before someone has even entered the workplace. Approximately 67% of people who have a disability experienced at least one type of barrier in the labour market4. Research also suggests that many small and medium-sized businesses are still in the early stages of implementing accessibility practices and may not yet have formal accessibility policies or procedures in place. 

For people who experience multiple forms of marginalization, these barriers can become even more significant. Limited access to inclusive workplaces reduces opportunities to build professional networks, access mentorship, and grow within a career. Over time, this can reinforce cycles of exclusion and limit both individual and organizational potential. 

The Opportunity of Inclusive Employment 

The data highlights ongoing barriers, but it also shows the value of inclusive employment. Workplaces that invest in disability inclusion experience measurable benefits. Employees who have disabilities are 1.5 times more likely to stay with organizations that provide accessibility supports5. Many Canadians also say they are more likely to support businesses that demonstrate inclusive hiring practices. 

The business case is equally compelling. Organizations that prioritize inclusion experience 72 percent higher productivity, 28 percent higher revenue, and 30 percent higher profit margins6. These outcomes reflect the value of diverse perspectives, stronger workplace culture, and environments where employees feel supported to contribute fully. 

Beyond business outcomes, inclusive employment helps strengthen communities. When people have equitable access to meaningful work, they are better positioned to build social connections, contribute economically, and participate fully in community life. 

Moving from Awareness to Action 

Advancing intersectional inclusion in employment requires intentional and ongoing action from employers, employment service providers, community leaders, and policy makers. Here are five ways workplaces can strengthen inclusion: 

1. Make hiring equitable: Design recruitment and hiring processes that consider disability alongside other identity factors. 

2. Ensure workplaces are accessible: Accessibility should be embedded across physical, digital, and workplace environments. 

3. Offer mentorship and career support: Create opportunities for networking, skill development, and career growth. Mentorship can play an important role in reducing isolation and supporting long-term success. 

4. Strengthen understanding of intersectionality: Provide learning opportunities that help all employees, including leadership, understand how overlapping identities can shape workplace experiences. 

5. Include people with lived experience: People who have a disability should be involved in shaping workplace policies, practices, and accessibility efforts. Their perspectives are essential to meaningful change. 

A Shared Responsibility 

As we recognize National AccessAbility Week, it is important to remember that disability inclusion is an ongoing responsibility, not a once-a-year conversation. Creating accessible and inclusive workplaces requires intentional action from employers, Employment Service Providers, policy leaders, and communities. 

When workplaces are designed to reflect the diversity of people’s experiences and identities, more people have the opportunity to contribute, grow, and belong. By continuing to reduce barriers and strengthen inclusion, we can build workplaces and communities that benefit everyone. 

References: 

  1. Statistics Canada. (2023). Canadian Survey on Disability, 2022. https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/daily-quotidien/231201/dq231201b-eng.htm  
  1. Employment and Social Development Canada. (2023). Evaluation of the Supports for Student Learning Program. Government of Canada. https://www.canada.ca/en/employment-social-development/corporate/reports/evaluations/2023-supports-student-learning.html 
  1. Government of Canada, S. C. (2024, June 13). Labour market characteristics of persons with and without disabilities, 2023. Www150.Statcan.gc.ca. https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/pub/71-222-x/71-222-x2024002-eng.htm ‌ 
  1. Statistics Canada. (2025). Labour market-related barriers to accessibility among persons with disabilities or long-term conditions aged 15 to 64 years, Canada, 2024. https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/t1/tbl1/en/tv.action?pid=1310093401  
  1. Ontario Disability Employment Network, Moving Past Compliance: 7 Ways to Go Above and Beyond in Disability Inclusion. 
  1. Ontario Disability Employment Network. (n.d.). Business benefits. Business Benefits – Ontario Disability Employment Network