Co-Creating Inclusive Work Environments for People with Disabilities

Abstract

Workplace inclusion and the sustainable well-being of people with disabilities represent a critical social and technological challenge. This paper presents the exploratory insights of a study aimed at identifying both interaction needs for workplace technologies and socio-organizational conditions that support inclusive and sustainable employment. The study adopts a co-creation methodology based on the Design Thinking approach through the implementation of four co-creation events with workers with disabilities and key stakeholders. The findings reveal persistent barriers at structural, cultural, and operational levels, including the lack of dedicated support roles, limited awareness of disability diversity, and the persistence of non-accessible environments, tools, and work processes. From a technological perspective, the study identifies key interaction needs for inclusive workplace design across five dimensions: usability, accessibility, robustness, accuracy, and personalization. While these requirements manifest differently across disability types, several cross-cutting needs emerge, including accessible and comprehensible information, adaptive and customizable systems, reliable assistive technologies, and inclusive organizational practices. The results conceptualize workplace inclusion as a socio-technical ecosystem in which technological innovation, organizational arrangements, and accessibility culture co-evolve. The paper contributes to research and practice by providing empirically grounded design implications for developing inclusive workplace technologies that promote autonomy, participation, and long-term well-being.