A more inclusive workplace does not happen by accident. It takes people who understand access, participation, communication, and the many ways an environment can either support or limit someone’s success.

That is where occupational therapy can offer a powerful perspective.

Many people think of occupational therapy in connection with hospitals, rehabilitation, schools, or community-based care. Those settings are important. But occupational therapy also applies to the places where people work, lead, collaborate, and build careers. For adults with disabilities, the workplace can be one of the most meaningful places for independence, identity, financial stability, and connection. It can also be a place where barriers remain deeply rooted.

Disability inclusion asks employers and coworkers to look beyond good intentions. It requires practical knowledge, shared responsibility, and a willingness to examine how workplace systems affect participation. Occupational therapists help people participate more fully in daily life, and work is a major part of that life.

Seeing the Workplace Through an Occupational Therapy Lens

Occupational therapists are trained to look at the whole picture. They consider the person, the activity, the environment, and the supports or barriers that shape participation.

In a workplace, that might mean asking:

  • What makes a task harder than it needs to be?
  • How does the physical or digital environment affect access?
  • How do communication norms support or exclude people?
  • How can teams build systems that allow more people to contribute?

These questions are central to diversity and inclusion in the workplace. They move the conversation from “How can one person adapt?” to “How can the workplace become more accessible, equitable, and effective?”

When employers focus only on individual accommodation, they may miss the broader patterns that affect hiring, retention, advancement, and belonging. Occupational therapy brings a practical, human-centered way to examine those patterns and recommend change.

Turning Inclusion Into Practice

A recent study in the American Journal of Occupational Therapy offers a useful example of this work in action. Mass General Brigham University of Health Professions alum educators, Whitney McWherter Cranna, OTD, OTR/L piloted a 60-minute virtual workshop for employees at a large global corporation. The training was led by an occupational therapist and formed part of a broader curriculum called Everybody Works.

The session focused on disability-inclusive workplace practices. It also included accessibility supports such as closed captioning, an American Sign Language interpreter, flexible camera use, and multiple ways for participants to engage. An employee with a disability cofacilitated the workshop and shared personal and professional perspectives.

Disability inclusion should include the voices and expertise of disabled people. It should not be developed only about them or for them, but with them.

Participants in the workshop reported increased knowledge, skills, comfort, and attitudes related to inclusive employment strategies. They felt more prepared to understand and apply inclusive practices. They also reported greater comfort proposing those practices in their own work environments.

What Evidence-Based Practice Looks Like

This study, led by Cranna and supported by mentor and OT Chair Sarah McKinnon, OT, OTD, OTR, BCPR, MPA, FAOTA, FNAP, also helps explain evidence-based practice in a way that feels concrete.

In occupational therapy, evidence-based practice means using the best available research, clinical or professional expertise, and the needs and experiences of the people being served. It is about applying knowledge and research in ways that improve real situations.

In this case, the occupational therapist-led workshop used disability justice principles, occupational therapy frameworks, adult learning strategies, and participant feedback to address a real workplace need. That is evidence-based practice at work: a structured approach, grounded in research and professional reasoning, designed to improve participation.

Whether working with a patient after injury, a child in school, a community organization, or a corporate team, occupational therapists ask what gets in the way of meaningful participation and what can change.

Why This Matters for Future Occupational Therapists

Students considering a Doctor of Occupational Therapy (OTD) program often want a career that blends science, problem-solving, and purpose. Workplace disability inclusion shows how broad that career can be.

Occupational therapists can support individuals directly, but they can also influence systems. They can help organizations rethink environments, routines, expectations, and policies. They can educate leaders and teams. They can help people understand that access is not a special request. It is part of building spaces where more people can participate and succeed.

At the Mass General Brigham University of Health Professions, occupational therapy education emphasizes participation, access, and meaningful engagement across settings. Research like this shows how occupational therapy can extend beyond traditional healthcare roles and help address real-world challenges in communities and workplaces.

Researcher Dr. Whitney McWherter Cranna is a term lecturer in the OT Department and Doctor of Health Sciences program in the School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences. Dr. Sarah McKinnon is an associate professor and chair of the Department of Occupational Therapy. Their work highlights how occupational therapy education and research can support practical solutions for access, participation, and disability inclusion in the workplace.

Citation

Whitney McWherter Cranna, Sarah McKinnon; Piloting an Occupational Therapist–Led Disability-Inclusion Program for Business Professionals and Leaders. Am J Occup Ther May/June 2025, Vol. 79(3), 7903205170. doi: https://doi-org.treadwell.idm.oclc.org/10.5014/ajot.2025.050886