Workplace accessibility training: Transform your team and culture

As you would imagine, our team at Mobility Mojo is dedicated to inclusion and accessibility. Our focus is to build a world that’s open and welcoming to everyone.

Over the past two years our team has expanded considerably and so, rather than presume we all knew what inclusion and accessibility was all about, we decided to undertake a disability awareness training module for our entire team.

What surprised us most during our training wasn’t just what we learned about accessibility, but what we discovered about each other. About a third of our colleagues shared that they had close family members with accessibility needs — whether they were neurodiverse, hard of hearing or blind. That conversation might never have happened without the training.

The impact was immediate. That disability awareness training didn’t just tick a box. It opened doors to more chats about personal experiences, and people leaned in with more kindness, more curiosity, and a whole lot more confidence when it came to making things accessible.

The challenge: When good intentions meet uncertainty

Most people genuinely want to do the right thing when it comes to inclusion. But too often we have a fear of saying the wrong thing.

This hesitation can create missed opportunities — chances to welcome an array of untapped and diverse talent, support colleagues effectively, or serve customers with confidence. When people feel unsure, they may avoid conversations altogether, and that means colleagues or customers may not get the respect or support they need.

The good news is that these fears don’t come from bad intentions. They come from a lack of knowledge and experience. That’s where accessibility training makes a difference. It gives people the space to ask questions without judgment, to understand respectful language and to build practical workplace skills.

What accessibility training looks like today

Accessibility training comes in many forms, and the best programmes are designed to reflect the real-world needs of teams and organisations. Here are some key areas trainings can cover:

• Disability awareness training This is often the starting point, giving participants an overview of both visible and non-visible disabilities. It helps people understand respectful language, for example, avoiding terms like “wheelchair-bound”. It also covers respectful etiquette – such as speaking directly to people with disabilities rather than to those around them. Trainings may also cover topics like diversity within disability, legislation, reasonable accommodations and creating an inclusive culture.
• Neurodiversity awareness training Neurodiversity refers to the natural variation in how people’s brains work, and it is often used to describe autism, ADHD, and learning disabilities. Awareness training highlights the strengths that neurodivergent people bring to teams — like creativity, problem-solving and deep focus — while also showing managers how to make simple adjustments so everyone can thrive. This might mean adapting communication styles, offering flexibility in tasks, or rethinking open-plan working environments.
• Reasonable accommodation training This type of training focuses on the practical side of accessibility. Managers and HR professionals learn how to provide the supports that help people succeed, such as assistive technology, workspace modifications and flexible schedules.
• Customer-facing training For staff who work directly with the public, training in accessibility practices leads to improved customer interactions and increased staff confidence. Training can equip staff with a toolbox of simple solutions and problem-solving skills so they can provide good service without discomfort. For example, a hotel worker might learn to always have a pen and paper on the counter in case they encounter someone whose speech is difficult to understand. That way, rather than getting flustered, the staff member can offer a pen and paper as an option to clarify what the person is saying.
• Leadership and management training Inclusive workplace culture starts at the top. When leaders are equipped with the right training, they create space for honest, respectful conversations, especially around disability. Many people hesitate to speak up about their needs, but specialised training gives managers the tools to act, not just empathise. It helps normalise disability and reduce stigma across the organisation.
  
  Training can be delivered online or in person, in short sessions or programmes spread over several days. But in my view, the most effective training is delivered in person by people with lived experience with disability. This creates understanding and builds community among participants. When leaders lead with accessibility, the whole team steps up with them.

Giving staff the skills to “get it right,” without discomfort

When colleagues learn together, they begin to see disability through a different lens. Conversations that once felt awkward or intimidating start to feel natural. Stigma begins to fade, and people feel safer sharing their own experiences.

For employees, this shift is powerful. Training gives people the confidence to disclose their needs and to ask for support without fear of being judged. It builds morale and a sense of belonging, which are the foundations of any healthy workplace. It opens everyone’s eyes to the day-to-day experiences of people with disabilities, often creating more champions who advocate for accessibility improvements. As a wheelchair user myself, I appreciate when I am not the only one advocating for changes.

Customers feel the difference too. Staff who have been trained to handle accessibility with confidence and grace create warmer, more welcoming experiences, and that improves service and customer loyalty.

There is a strong business case as well. Research consistently shows that inclusive companies perform better than their peers. They are more innovative, they hold on to staff and they tap into a broader pool of talent. People with disabilities bring unique perspectives and problem-solving skills, but these strengths only emerge when workplaces make space for them to thrive.

And then there is compliance. Laws in Ireland, the UK, Europe, and the US increasingly require organisations to demonstrate how they are supporting inclusion. Training helps companies not just meet these obligations, but show that they are serious about building cultures of equity and respect. Far from being a box-ticking exercise, accessibility training becomes a statement of values — one that resonates with staff, customers and stakeholders alike.

Where to start

Organisations that are committed to inclusion don’t need to have all the answers. There are many skilled training providers that can offer assistance, such as Ability Focus in Ireland, AbilityNet in the UK, the ADA Training Network in the United States, and many more. I truly encourage everyone to consider drawing from these wells of insight and to invest some time in workplace accessibility training.

In my experience, making time to discuss these issues helps colleagues build the knowledge and empathy they need to better support each other. It lets people feel more comfortable being themselves, and it reminds us all that everyone has different needs at different times in their lives. When we bring accessibility into the mainstream of workplace culture, we create environments that work better for everyone.