- Lee and Newman found that 72% of accommodated disabled employees in the study were ranked has having average or above average productivity.
- Kaletta et al found that across 31 different distribution locations, most of the locations has statistically insignificant differences in productivity for disabled and non-disabled workers. Even with said differences, the locations saw those with disabilities having higher productivity.
- Hernandez and McDonald found no differences in performance or need for supervision between the two groups.

Evidence Against Assumed Productivity of Workers with Disabilities (Performance Concern #1)

Absenteeism and lateness are emphasized employer concerns, but research also shows no significant differences and fairly equal attendance between both groups in terms of these two characteristics. Furthermore, workers with disabilities have displayed lower turnover rates than their non-disabled counterparts.

Additional Evidence Against Employer Concerns (Performance Concern #1)

Organizations look to success stories of businesses with employees with disabilities to promote an inclusive workforce. Companies have also shown to approach the hiring process not with charitable intentions but mainly for business reasons, and hence emphasize the importance of employees fulfilling essential tasks associated with their roles. As such, employee resource centers could be an appealing options for organizations, including small businesses, looking to address issues and concerns regarding low productivity and performance difficulties. Such a solution can be accommodations.

Implications of Performance Concern #1

Research needs to be done in fully exploring the role of employment resource centers and in which situations they can be most useful. 

Research Directions of Performance Concern #1

The main presumption of employers is that workers with disabilities are "problem employees" to the extent that they show less productivity in the workplace and overall other workplace issues, rooted in negative stereotypes. Instead, the hiring of employees has then been seen as a “charitable act that runs counter to organizational success or stakeholder value" (Bonnacio, 2019).

University of Notre Dame

The performance management stage involves three major categories of employer concerns: the job performance of workers with disabilities, occupational health and safety behaviors of workers with disabilities, and disciplinary action and termination of workers with disabilities.

Performance Management

Bonaccio, S., Connelly, C. E., Gellatly, I. R., Jetha, A., &amp; Martin Ginis, K. A. (2019). The participation of people with disabilities in the workplace across the employment cycle: Employer concerns and research evidence. Journal of Business and Psychology, 35(2), 135–158. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10869-018-9602-5 

The Participation of People with Disabilities in the Workplace Across the Employment Cycle: Employer Concerns and Research Evidence

Performance Concern #1: The Job Performance of Workers with Disabilities

Managers and employers have concerns that workers with disabilities increase the risk of accidents to the work place. Empirical evidence has dispelled these misconceptions, with workers with disabilities experiencing roughly the same if not better safety awareness and even a lower chance of serious injury.

Performance Concern #2

Employers have concerns about handling disciplinary actions toward and dismissal of workers with disabilities for fear of mistakes with subsequent legal repercussions. Proper accommodations and feedback are necessary in these situations of low performance regardless of disability status. Termination due to such productivity outcomes can be considered discriminatory given the lack of proper accommodations. Overall there is a need for employers and such employees to work together on accommodations to prevent such miscommunications from arising.

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