Treating Employees With Dignity, Respect, and Fairness: The Impact on the Quality of Life of People With Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities

This study examined the impact of human service providers treating their employees with dignity, respect, and fairness on the quality of life of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD). We analyzed Personal Outcome Measures (n = 3,898 people with IDD) and Basic Assurances (n = 387 providers) data using multilevel logistic regressions. When providers treated their employees with dignity and respect, people with IDD were more likely to have the following outcomes present: health; continuity and security; realize goals; free from abuse and neglect; respect; decide when to share information; housing choice; fair treatment; rights; and choose services. How organizations treat their employees not only affects those employees, but also impacts the quality of life of people with IDD.