Navigating Invisible Disability Disclosure and Workplace Inclusion: Employers’ Attitudes and Workplace Policies

Niki Markou and Doxa Papakonstantinou ()
Additional contact information
Niki Markou: Department of Educational and Social Policy, University of Macedonia, 156 Egnatia Str., 54636 Thessaloniki, Greece
Doxa Papakonstantinou: Department of Educational and Social Policy, University of Macedonia, 156 Egnatia Str., 54636 Thessaloniki, Greece

Disabilities, 2025, vol. 5, issue 2, 1-14

Abstract: This study explores employers’ attitudes and practices regarding disclosing and including individuals with invisible disabilities in Greek workplaces. Invisible disabilities present unique challenges regarding workplace inclusion and the disclosure of disability. Through a thematic analysis of structured interviews with 50 employers and human resource professionals from various industries, this research study identifies organizational policies, attitudes toward disability disclosure, the perceived impacts and benefits of hiring individuals with invisible disabilities, and recommendations for workplace inclusivity improvement. The findings reveal a range of employer practices. While many employers acknowledge the importance of fostering an inclusive workplace, there are gaps in formal training and structured policies. Employers have varied views on the necessity and timing of disability disclosure, with some supporting disclosure during hiring to ensure proper accommodations and others prioritizing employee comfort and autonomy. Important advantages of employing individuals with invisible disabilities include improved workplace diversity, increased innovation, and reinforced team unity. This study recommends diversity training, clear disclosure guidelines, and joint initiatives with external organizations to promote inclusivity in the workplace. These findings offer practical recommendations to close the inclusion gap and maximize the capabilities of employees with invisible disabilities.

Keywords: workplace inclusion; invisible disabilities; employers’ attitudes; inclusivity policies; disability disclosure (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
References: Add references at CitEc
Citations:

Downloads: (external link)
https://www.mdpi.com/2673-7272/5/2/37/pdf (application/pdf)
https://www.mdpi.com/2673-7272/5/2/37/ (text/html)

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:gam:jdisab:v:5:y:2025:i:2:p:37-:d:1629354

Access Statistics for this article

Disabilities is currently edited by Ms. Cici Zhou

More articles in Disabilities from MDPI
Bibliographic data for series maintained by MDPI Indexing Manager ().