Institutional forces and disability: how external pressures shape workplace accommodation within organizations

Purpose Workplace accommodations are crucial for enhancing the overall work experience for individuals who require such support. The largest portion of the population requiring workplace accommodations is individuals living with disabilities, and this study aims to provide policymakers and human resource professionals with relevant insights to inform critical decisions surrounding these accommodations. Design/methodology/approach To add insight surrounding prior literature in the area, a conceptual theoretical framework is presented as part of the study’s approach. The detailed conceptual framework is based on institutional theory, particularly in the implementation of institutional theory principles, such as institutional pressures (coercive, normative or mimetic), which clearly impact workplace accommodations within organizations. Findings Based on the conceptual framework implemented, it was found that coercive pressures influence the adequacy of workplace accommodations most prominently. Moreover, it was also a proposition that leadership orientation characteristics, such as the age, gender and openness to change of top management personnel, have moderating effects on workplace accommodation adequacy. Originality/value By using a unique approach that incorporates literature from the areas of organizational theory and workplace disability, the study thereby adds to the knowledge of workplace accommodation adequacy for individuals with disabilities by examining the nuances from both streams of literature. The conceptual framework presented provides a balanced illustration of how institutional forces and power influence individuals living with disabilities. Bridging these two topic areas by presenting a conceptual framework is a novel approach that has yet to be explored.