In cultivating a culture of inclusivity, corporations have the onus to create an environment that is safe, supportive, and welcoming in a way that allows all workers to bring their whole selves to work.

Employee resource groups can be an invaluable resource for employees to not only feel accepted by their coworkers but also seen and heard. Another way employers can encourage more employees to self-identify is by having senior leaders set an example for disclosure by speaking openly about their own disabilities, which should underscore the fact that disabilities are not a hindrance to success or advancement, redirecting the focus on what can be accomplished by employees who have disabilities.

If conversations about our differences take place on both the peer and senior level, then the notion of having differences can become the new normal. And once self-identification and disclosure become more widespread, advocacy and innovations can take place that ultimately benefit the workforce at large.