Emerging trends affecting future employment opportunities for people with intellectual disability: The case of a large retail organisation

Background Despite existing literature identifying the organisational drivers and constraints of employing people with disability, little research has explored how organisations embed disability inclusive recruitment practices to facilitate ongoing employment opportunities for people with ID. Method An embedded case study methodology and qualitative analysis of semi-structured interviews was used to explore how supervisors and co-workers within a large Australian retail organisation legitimise disability recruitment practices for people with ID and how different internal operating environments can influence the facilitation of ongoing employment opportunities. Findings Future employment opportunities for people with ID were limited by the centralised recruitment process, the availability of suitable roles, and productivity and efficiency demands of the local operating environment, despite the presence of organisational diversity strategies supporting disability employment. Conclusions The future employability of people with ID is influenced by technological changes to work environments and an increasing focus on efficiency. Future research should address innovative task modifications to enhance employment opportunities for people with ID.