The 2025 National Inclusion Week theme is ‘Now is the Time’. This week-long campaign aims to remind organisations that creating an inclusive workplace is not something to put on a future to-do list – now is the time to act.
This year’s theme emphasises the importance of taking prompt action in organisations to implement practical steps in embedding a sustainable and inclusive workplace culture. One key area where companies can make a meaningful change for their current and future employees is through digital accessibility.
Putting accessibility at the heart of an organisation ensures that all colleagues can access the digital tools, documents, platforms and systems they need to succeed within their roles. It’s about removing barriers, opening doors, and creating a culture where every individual is empowered to thrive.
Why ‘Now is the Time’ to focus on digital accessibility
In today’s digital, tech-driven world, where new ways of working are here to stay, accessibility is no longer an option; it is a necessity.
Accessibility goes beyond compliance or meeting legal requirements in an organisation. It is about caring about your workforce and creating an environment where everyone feels valued, included, supported, and able to perform to the best of their ability. In turn, you will improve job satisfaction and performance, while reducing turnover rates. On top, you will signal to prospective talent that you foster a diverse workplace, where everyone belongs.
The stats back this up, research shows that:
- Diverse teams make better decisions 87% of the time
- 94% of Gen Z consumers expect brands to support social causes
- 91% of employees seek employment that prioritises learning and development
When accessibility is prioritised, the benefits ripple across a business, creating stronger teams, more innovation, and attracting a wider talent pool of highly motivated and skilled individuals.
How an organisation can embed digital accessibility into their workplace
Becoming an accessible organisation does not happen overnight, but it does not have to be an overwhelming journey. Like anything in business, it just takes the right processes to be put in place, active communication within the workforce, and the most crucial aspect – having a collaborative approach.
Leadership teams and Equality, Inclusion & Diversity professionals play a critical role in navigating these priorities and challenges. However, it also needs to filter down through individual teams to truly achieve an equal and inclusive culture. Below, we provide a few practical steps that organisations can begin to take to achieve this.
‘Now is the Time’ to:
- Set out a clear vision and strategy to provide direction and momentum.
- Raise awareness across teams to help change mindsets and make digital accessibility a part of everyday conversations. In time, this will ensure that inclusive practices are not an afterthought.
- Build a network of accessibility champions to promote good practice.
- Integrate inclusive policies and guidance to better assist the workforce.
- Invest in training to better assist colleagues. Upskilling in-house teams, such as web developers, communications specialists, and Human Resources professionals, can help remove communication barriers both internally and externally.
- Audit your digital platforms. Test to check how accessible and usable your intranet, e-learning platform, and external website are for your users. This will help you to identify barriers and areas where you can improve. We offer a free test to assist with this.
- Reach out and create an open dialogue with your workforce. Gaining feedback on individual experiences will provide invaluable insights that data alone cannot.
- Ensure employees have access to any additional devices or software they may require to perform their jobs more efficiently, such as screen readers or magnifiers.
- Celebrate your progress. Share and promote inclusive steps forward, letting current and future employees know that accessibility and individuals are a priority.
National Inclusion Week is the ideal opportunity to start implementing these steps. Each small step makes a significant difference and enables you to build a workplace where everyone can succeed.
Do you need support on your inclusive journey?
A good starting point is taking a free accessibility test to assess the usability of your online platforms. Our accessibility experts provide robust audit testing of digital sites and cross-departmental training to help organisations to embed inclusive practices.
If you are ready to create a working environment where everyone thrives, ‘Now is the Time’ to take action, and we are here to help you along your journey.
