Inclusive hiring: Harnessing digital interventions for disability inclusion

A major concern in today’s society is social inclusion and integrating marginalized individuals into the workforce. We designed a website based on three design principles informed by digital nudging and social capital concepts to encourage employers to recruit people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD). Our objective was to investigate how a digital intervention could impact employers’ willingness to hire individuals with IDD. Using a case study approach, we collected data from 18 employers through interviews and a survey. The results indicate that framing recruitment alternatives and redistribution initiatives and emphasizing human diversity and the common good can positively influence employers’ willingness to hire people with IDD. However, building trust appears to depend on previous interactions with social services and necessitates a more integrated approach. Overall, the digital intervention prompted employers to reflect on how their recruitment practices could contribute to social inclusion.