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Build a Disability Hiring Program That Actually Lasts

The Launch Isn’t the Finish Line

You’ve launched. You’ve scaled. Now comes the hard part—making it last. 

Too often, disability hiring start with real energy and purpose, only to lose traction once the spotlight dims. Maybe the champion behind it moved on. Maybe leadership attention shifted. Maybe the systems weren’t built to hold the weight of what you started. 

The result? A program that once inspired people becomes a line item no one’s accountable for. 

But it doesn’t have to be that way. 

Here is what you need to do to actually sustain disability hiring—not in theory, but in practice.

1. Build disability hiring into the business, not beside it.

Hiring that rely on individual champions or separate processes are vulnerable. The first step to sustainability is operational integration. 

Here’s what that looks like: 
  • Job requisitions are already written accessibly—no edits needed.
  • Your ATS is configured to identify, track, and support candidates with accommodation requests.
  • Interviewers are trained on how to interview autistic, neurodivergent and disabled as part of standard onboarding—not just as a special initiative.
  • Employee support services (like onboarding peers or mentors) are offered to anyone who may request it, not ad hoc. 
Pro Tip: If someone on your disability hiring team left tomorrow, would the hiring still function? If not, it's time to hardwire it.

2. Tie success to metrics that matter.

If success is measured only by “Did we hire someone?” it’s not built to last. Sustainable hiring looks beyond headcount and measure quality, experience, and longevity. 

Metrics that drive sustainability: 
  • Retention rates for employees hired through the disability sourcing efforts
  • Advancement and internal mobility tracking
  • Team engagement and productivity impact
  • Manager readiness and feedback on support tools
  • Accommodation request volume and resolution time 
When these metrics are tracked and reported like any other business unit, the hiring becomes more than a feel-good story. It earns its place as a strategic function.

3. Don’t rely on passion. Build in sustainable infrastructure.

Passion starts programs. Infrastructure sustains them. 

Yes, you need champions—but you also need policies, repeatable workflows, and clear ownership. Without these, your program becomes a revolving door of reinvention. 

Infrastructure essentials:
  • Documented onboarding workflows for employees with access needs
  • A living knowledge base for managers
  • Clear internal pathways for employees to self-identify and request support
  • Calendarized trainings, not one-offs
  • Dedicated program owners with cross-functional collaboration built in
  • Think of it like any other strategic effort—you wouldn’t run finance without process. Why run disability talent strategy without it? 

4. Normalize the disability conversation internally

Programs fail quietly when people don’t talk about them. Sustainability depends on visibility without novelty—making disability hiring part of the culture, not a special occasion.

Tactics to keep it visible, not performative:
  • Share regular program updates in internal newsletters or town hall
  • Celebrate work anniversaries and promotions of program participants
  • Recognize teams who model strong support and retention
  • Highlight program outcomes alongside other business wins 
When people see this as “how we do business,” not “an initiative,” the foundation gets stronger.

 

5. Have a contingency plan for transitions.

What happens when the program owner leaves? When budgets tighten? When leadership changes? 

Sustainable programs have contingency baked in. They document processes. They spread knowledge. They plan for fluctuation without disruption. 

Future-proofing questions to ask: 

  • Who else knows how this works?

  • Is this built into annual planning and budgeting cycles?

  • Can a new leader pick this up and understand their role?

  • Do we have a way to evaluate and improve the program regularly?

  • If the answer is “we’re not sure,” the program isn’t ready for the long haul yet—but it can be.

Final Thoughts: Sustainability is a strategic choice.

You’ve already done the work to start. Now it’s time to make sure what you build lasts. 

Making disability hiring sustainable requires a solid structure that keeps it moving forward, through the many ups and downs associated with hiring talent. This is what transforms good intentions into real business results—and ultimately builds a workforce that reflects the world around us…and meets/exceeds performance expectations. 

Click here contact@sourceabled.com to connect with a Rangam SourceAbled team member to discuss how our TalentArbor technology can help you fill those gaps, and build a stronger lasting foundation.