Think of a person with a disability. You’re probably imagining someone using a wheelchair, a cane, or perhaps an assistive device like a hearing aid. But not every disability is so visually apparent.
A significant portion of people living with disabilities do not show outward signs of their challenges. These invisible disabilities can be just as impairing as those with visible symptoms, yet they often go overlooked and unaccommodated in the workplace.
As an HR leader, there is much you can do to raise awareness of invisible disabilities in your workplace and reach out to employees who may be struggling in silence. By helping erase the stigma around invisible disabilities, you can help all your employees feel valued and appreciated for all they are.
Related: 5 Science-Based Learning Styles for Reaching More Employees During Open Enrollment. Read it here →
What Are Invisible Disabilities?
The Invisible Disabilities Association defines invisible disability as “a physical, mental or neurological condition that is not visible from the outside, yet can limit or challenge a person’s movements, senses, or activities.”
People with invisible disabilities may live with debilitating conditions such as chronic pain, extreme fatigue, cognitive challenges, depression, dizziness, disordered sleep, and other issues that can make work and daily life challenging. Yet, from an outside perspective, they appear in good health.
Invisible disabilities may be connected to diagnoses ranging from ADHD to fibromyalgia to ulcerative colitis to migraines—and, in many cases, their roots may be complex or unknown. Yet, all the members of this large and diverse group share one trait; none are easily recognizable to untrained observers.
How Common Are Invisible Disabilities?
Due to their hidden nature, exact figures on invisible disabilities are hard to ascertain. According to one frequently cited estimate, 10% of Americans have a medical condition that could be considered an invisible disability. But this percentage is likely much higher.
Nearly one in two Americans have a chronic health condition, and 96% of these people live with invisible (although not necessarily disabling) conditions.
What Is It Like to Live With an Invisible Disability?
There’s no single experience that encapsulates life with an invisible disability.
Some people have good days where their symptoms are manageable and bad days where pain, fatigue, or brain fog severely limits their function. Other people constantly “push through” their disabling issues and manage to work full time, participate in family life, socialize, and even exercise without external indications of their inner distress.
Some people are open about their conditions, but many, many others choose to keep them hidden—often because they think they won’t be taken seriously. Unfortunately, there’s some factual basis for this belief.
Author and clinical psychologist Andrew Solomon, who has depression and anxiety, writes that “social insensitivity is endemic to the lives of people with permanent but invisible disabilities that affect their daily functioning.”
“People with invisible disabilities who are young or who look healthy are often accused of faking their condition or milking the system, and must fight to have their challenges acknowledged. Some women report being told that they are ‘too pretty or attractive to have a disability.’”
Invisible Disabilities in the Workplace
Under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), all workers are entitled to reasonable accommodations to perform their job functions. But many people with invisible disabilities (88%, researchers say) hesitate to ask for accommodations for fear of being labeled, misunderstood, or discriminated against.
Moreover, managers and colleagues do not always respond positively when people with invisible disabilities ask for or receive reasonable accommodations.
For example, someone with extreme morning fatigue due to the side effects of their depression medication might worry that asking to come in and leave an hour later would paint them as lazy. If such a schedule adjustment were granted, coworkers might resent their teammate.
A team of academic experts followed 58 professionals with invisible disabilities across Europe, the U.S., and multiple industries. Reporting their findings for the Harvard Business Review in April 2023, the team wrote:
“Our study confirmed that people with invisible disabilities often feel excluded at work, and are likely to receive fewer benefits or access to training and advancement. This can lead to physical and psychological distress, putting them at risk of social exclusion, poor well-being, and decreased job performance. We also found that employers lack awareness about the needs of people with invisible disabilities and are often ill-prepared to provide the necessary support and accommodations.”
Creating an Inclusive Environment for People with Invisible Disabilities at Your Workplace
Your workplace community undoubtedly includes several employees with invisible disabilities. By nurturing an environment where these employees feel free to come forward with their challenges without fear of stigma or reprisal, you can help them feel and perform their best, while promoting understanding throughout the entire community.
Over the past several years, workplaces worldwide have migrated to flexible schedules, remote work, and other non-traditional arrangements designed to promote work-life balance and support employees with diverse needs.
These arrangements can help people with invisible disabilities find the time and space to manage their conditions while maintaining their productivity at work.
Beyond flexible schedules, the authors of the study referenced above offered five tips for creating a more inclusive workplace:
1. Don’t Generalize and Don’t Make Assumptions
Everyone’s experience of an invisible disability is different. Be careful not to lump people with similar conditions together or expect accommodations that help one person to necessarily help another. (For example, migraines can be triggered by wildly different things.)
If an employee describes their experience to you, “Don’t debate them on this point,” the study’s authors write. Your job as a leader is to listen, approaching sensitive conversations with empathy and curiosity.
2. Treat Each Employee as an Individual
The researchers recommend a personalized approach over umbrella disability policies. Such policies may make employees with invisible disabilities feel stigmatized for not falling into predetermined categories.
Managers should connect the conversation to the employees’ individual success when discussing accommodations: “How can I support you to perform your best.”
It’s also important to respect an employee’s desire for privacy. Never push them to divulge their disability, and never discuss their disability with others without their permission.
3. Become an Advocate for Inclusivity
People with invisible disabilities often feel that no one has their back in the workplace. As an HR manager, you are well positioned to lend your voice to this voiceless group of employees.
From your post in HR, you can advocate for policies and practices that help people with invisible disabilities perform and feel comfortable, such as flexible hours, employee resource groups (ERGs), and closed captioning for meetings and calls.
To strengthen your case, highlight that inclusivity isn’t just the right thing to do; it’s good for business. According to the researchers, companies that adopted inclusive practices saw a 26% bump in productivity.
4. Do Not Focus Activities on Food
Food can create significant anxiety among people with invisible disabilities. Many maintain special diets to avoid triggers and manage their symptoms. Others have food allergies and must be extremely careful about what they eat.
Unfortunately, food is also the centerpiece of countless work events. Imagine feeling pressure to “just have one” cupcake during a colleague’s birthday celebration when you know the sugar will trigger a migraine. You don’t want your coworker to feel bad, but you also know that a few bites will put you out of commission for the rest of the workday.
People with food sensitivities, allergies, and special diets shouldn’t be put on the spot during work events. Plan workplace get-togethers around fun, non-edible activities, like games or karaoke. If the event must include food, plan an inclusive menu that provides plenty of healthy options unlikely to trigger allergies—and, if someone chooses not to eat, don’t draw attention to them.
5. Establish Support Networks
According to the study’s authors, 90% of people with disabilities “did not feel a sense of belonging at work.” You can reverse that trend at your workplace by helping to establish support networks and safe spaces for people with invisible disabilities to connect, discuss their challenges, and encourage each other.
This can be done through formal employee resource groups, informal chat channels, or after-hours gatherings. The important thing is to protect your employees’ privacy so that they feel comfortable opening up.
Invisible No Longer
People with invisible disabilities are essential contributors to a diverse workplace. But living and working with an invisible disability can be isolating and stressful.
By adopting a personalized approach to employee success, rethinking workplace practices and policies, and advocating for inclusivity, HR leaders can foster an environment where employees with invisible disabilities feel valued, understood, and empowered to thrive.