Conceptualizing the Marginalization Experiences of People with Disabilities in Organizations Using an Ableism Lens

Existing literature on disability inclusion in the workplace has done little to confront the structural inequalities facing people with disabilities and has instead focused on ideas of assimilation strategies. As a result, in HRD there is a conflation between disability research and research that is “critical.” The purpose of this conceptual article is to examine the persisting influence of ableism on the marginalization experiences of people with disabilities in organizations. Specifically, the present article conceptualizes the effects of ableism on the hiring, retention, and promotion of people with disabilities in organizations. The critical analysis of everyday work experiences of people with disabilities in ableist organizations as offered in this article calls for organizations to fundamentally rethink how they can better support this world’s largest minority group. Implications for HRD research and practice will be discussed.