Driving economic inclusion: Analyzing the participation of individuals with disabilities

The population with disabilities constitutes the largest minority group in the labour market, facing social and organizational barriers. The ambiguous nature of employment support provisions and the lack of unified vocational activation systems hinder their economic participation. This study reviews existing literature and examines the effectiveness of support programmes, and discusses the employment challenges faced by disabled individuals. The research emphasizes the need for coordinated national guidelines and highlights disparities across Central and Eastern European countries. The objective of this study was to analyze the economic activity of individuals with disabilities in micro, small, medium, and large enterprises in Poland. The study was conducted using the CAWI method (computer assisted web interview). The questionnaires were sent and completed online. The study found that individuals with severe disabilities may face greater challenges in accessing resources to support their own sole proprietorship (8.33%) in the labour market, compared to entrepreneurs with moderate (66.67%) and light (25%) disabilities. Furthermore, only 2.56% of individuals with physical disabilities are employed in micro-enterprises, with 32.08% being professionally inactive. This study identifies significant factors that contribute to the active participation of disabled individuals in the workforce, particularly in the Wielkopolska region, which was chosen as a case study. The results of the survey indicate a preference for enterprises without a high proportion of disabled employees. The factors influencing disabled individuals’ participation in the workforce include age, education, and professional activity. The improvement of the system should take into account company size, disability level, job assessment tools, and the use of job coaches. Incentives should not be based on disability status. The findings from this study have the capacity to inform about changes in SME job creation and enhance professional activity for people with disabilities.