Too often, workplace inclusion stories end at entry. A person with disability is hired, the company celebrates, and the box is ticked. But true inclusion is not about entry—it is about growth. Do employees with disabilities get chances to take on larger roles, move into leadership, and build careers that reflect their potential?
Deepa’s career answers this. She grew because her managers expected her to contribute, pushed her boundaries, gave feedback, and created an environment where she could find solutions despite her physical challenges. Without that support, nothing would have happened. Her story shows that growth is as much about the ecosystem as it is about the individual.
India has made strides in opening entry-level opportunities for PwDs. Yet too many remain locked in repetitive roles, with few advancing to leadership. Not because talent is scarce—but because systems were never set up for their progress. Leaders also need to build their IncludAbility Quotient ©—the competency to spot systemic barriers and unlock value. From inaccessible software to analog phones in hospitality, policies and procurement often overlook inclusion. Leaders with high IncludAbility Quotient prevent such barriers from shutting doors.
Being solution-oriented is key. A manager once sought a fix for his blind employee’s formatting errors. With the right tools, she went on to thrive in her role. In an F&B company, a manager kept stretching the capabilities of a young woman with intellectual disability. From an entry role, she became duty manager during COVID and today thrives in a large hospitality company. For employees with neurodiversity, buddy systems and mentors have enabled careers that would otherwise have stalled.
The lesson is clear: performance reviews and career tracks must focus on contribution, not assumptions. With mentorship, leadership programs, and fair evaluation, PwDs can rise on merit. And when they do, organizations gain resilience, innovation, and stronger business outcomes.
If India wants to be a global hub and an equitable society, inclusion cannot stop at the door. It must extend to leadership—because true inclusion is when PwDs grow, lead, and shape the future alongside everyone else.
Source – https://www.bwpeople.in/article/pwds-go-beyond-entry-level-576455