Case Study / Good Practice
Submitted by: Bill Curtis-Davidson, IBM Human Ability & Accessibility Center
(wacurtis@us.ibm.com)
Case Study Name: IBM Accessible Workplace Connection™
i. background of the selected case/good practice;
In 2011, IBM was ranked by Diversity Inc. as the #1 employer of persons with disabilities1, and the 100-year old company has a heritage of innovation in this area2. IBM’s inclusive attitude toward employees with disabilities extends to the senior-most levels of
the company. What sets IBM apart is that its efforts aren’t just about bringing in people
with disabilities but are also focused on creating global opportunities for advancement.
One component to IBM’s strategy for inclusion is the development and implementation
of an integrated, holistic workplace accommodation management process and mechanism to support it: IBM Accessible Workplace Connection™. The IBM Accessible Workplace Connection™ application is a one-stop resource (web application) for employees
with disabilities, their managers, and others who have a role in managing workplace accommodations. The application enables accommodations to be delivered, changed,
supported and maintained effectively and efficiently – it uses an automated workflow
and generates emails with links to accommodation requests to help ensure accommodations are provided according to company policy. The application has the capability to
help employees manage all of their accommodations over time, and their accommodation profiles can be carried with them as they progress in their career. Accommodation
specialists can manage catalogs of official accommodations, ranging from assistive technologies (AT), building or work space adjustments, accessibility services (e.g. sign language interpreting), job restructuring, alternative travel arrangements, and work schedule adjustments.
IBM is currently piloting this application with customers, and plans to commercialize the
solution.
1 Diversity, Inc. “The DiversityInc Top 10 Companies for People With Disabilities”, March 2011. URL:
http://diversityinc.com/diversity-management/the-diversityinc-top-10-companies-for-people-with-disabilities2/
2 IBM Centennial Website (IBM100) – Icons of Progress: The Accessible Workforce. March 2011. URL:
http://www.ibm.com/ibm100/us/en/icons/accessibleworkforce/
ii. overall objectives of the selected case/practices;
The objectives of IBM Accessible Workplace Connection™ are to:
1. Provide a simpler way to acquire and support workplace accommodations, and improve the quality of accommodations
2. Eliminate process confusion and support global consistency
3. Improve hiring and retention rate (reduced attrition) and advancement of employees
4. Improve employee/administrator productivity
5. Reduce the amount of government fines paid to state governments (based on improved employment targets for persons with disabilities)
6. Lower health insurance costs (because employees with short-term, long-term or
worker's injury impairments are better accommodated).
7. Provide the ability to securely gather data and reports while maintaining privacy (legal record of accommodations)
iii. process/strategy used to implement the selected case/practices
Below is the general process used to implement this practice:
1. A company/enterprise or organization (e.g. government, university system, etc.),
defines and implements an integrated, global, organization-wide workplace accommodation process. A key part of this process development is to account for any differences
in workplace accommodation, healthcare information, and privacy that may exist in different countries.
2. An organization (part-time/virtual or dedicated staff) is developed to support the
integrated process.
3. The IBM Accessible Workplace Connection™ application is configured to support the
organization's integrated workplace accommodation process.
4. The IBM Accessible Workplace Connection™ is rolled out across the organization,
and reporting functions are used to analyze usage and monitor progress.
iv. business model and sustainability
Like any process improvement or technology innovation, implementing IBM Accessible
Workplace Connection™ (and its integrated workplace accommodation process), requires some up front investment by implementing organizations. However, such cost
can be offset by the ROI/cost savings that can be realized (e.g. reduced re-training costs,
less time wasted, fewer government fines, potentially lower healthcare insurance costs).
By estimating the ROI potential, and creating a business case, the integrated process
and application can be effectively implemented and sustained in an organization.
v. what exact changes/progress was achieved and how results were monitored/evaluated;
IBM has been able to realize the following benefits through use of IBM Accessible
Workplace Connection™:
 (Primary benefit) Enabling employees with disabilities to be part of the work force
and competitively productive.
 Reduction of attrition / increase in retention rates for employees with disabilities,
resulting in less cost to re-hire and re-train new employees.
 Increased productivity rates of employees who require accommodations, their line
managers and the many other staff involved in accommodation.
 Increased ability to understand the total accommodation picture across the enterprise – needs for various accommodations, amount of accommodations provided,
etc.
Results from IBM's implementation of IBM Accessible Workplace Connection™ are being
monitored through an integrated reporting feature built into the tool, and through regular human resources business processes.
vi. factors facilitating and /or hindering the success of the practice (learning points);
Cross-functional executive sponsorship (in IBM this is between CIO, HR Diversity and Research/Human Ability & Accessibility Center), continued support from executive sponsors, funding for continuous improvements.
vii. ways in which the selected practices could have been improved?
None noted at this time.
viii. other general lessons learnt;
None noted at this time.
ix. references to relevant documents;
http://www.ibm.com/able/accessibility_research_projects/AWCsolution.html
x. contact details for further information/reference
Bill Curtis-Davidson, IBM Human Ability & Accessibility Center (wacurtis@us.ibm.com)