A nationwide survey conducted by Lancaster University explored disabled workers’ experiences of remote and hybrid working.
This study analyzed the experiences of 400 disabled workers. 70% of workers said that if their employer did not allow them to work remotely, it would negatively impact their physical or mental health.
Survey respondents highlighted clear benefits to working from home, including having more autonomy and control over when and how they work, which allowed them to better manage their health and well-being.
This benefits their organizations, too: 85% of disabled workers surveyed felt more productive working from home.
The survey is part of a £266,000 research award into ‘Designing inclusive remote and hybrid working to support disabled workers.’
Dr. Calum Carson is a Senior Research Associate for the project, based in the Centre for Health Inequalities Research at Lancaster University.
He said:
“The rationale for this research stems from ongoing discussions as to what the future shape of work might be for disabled workers. Disabled people have significantly lower employment rates than non-disabled people and remote working can support disabled workers’ job retention by enabling them to manage work around their health conditions/impairments.”
