Handi-Diag: a self-assessment tool for disability inclusion

Despite recent progress in digital inclusion levels throughout Europe, further efforts are needed to improve the lives of people with disabilities, including the equal right to work. The European Disability Rights Strategy (2021-2030) represents a step in the right direction, but also highlights urgent disparities between EU citizens. 

In the field of employment in particular, the contrast is stark: just over half of people with disabilities in Europe are employed, compared to 75% of European citizens. In Luxembourg, 'work and employment' is a key priority of the Luxembourg national plan on the rights of people with disabilities, out of 8 total areas of focus. 

Nevertheless, barriers for people with disabilities to access and maintain employment remain. What is more, companies often lack information on the best strategies to evaluate and assess the extent to which their company or organisation is digitally inclusive towards those with different abilities, and therefore fail to tap into a key segment of the talent pool. 

Handi-Diag: measuring disability inclusion

The Handi-Diag digital tool is the result of a long-standing cooperation in the area of digital inclusion for people with disabilities and can provide solutions to companies looking to boost their digital inclusion level. 

To break down stereotypes, raise awareness among employers and facilitate access for this target group to the regular job market, IMS Luxembourg has been working on the inclusion of disability in companies since 2015, in collaboration with companies and in partnership with the Ministry of Family, Integration and the Greater Region, the Ministry of Labour, Employment and the Social and Solidarity Economy, and the European Social Fund. 

Handi-Diag was developed with the goal of facilitating labour market inclusion for people with disabilities. It enables employers to evaluate their approaches to disability inclusion within their organisations. Through about 50 questions, the tool assesses 6 fundamental aspects to determine the maturity index of work areas such as: 

• Recruitment and career
• Legal framework
• Accessibility of the working environment
• Employability
• Management
• Performance

The tool is free of charge, available to all employers in Luxembourg. It is available in French and English and it is recommended to repeat the assessment once per year. 

To access the tool, you need to register and create an account. This can be done in less than 2 minutes, quickly and easily. A person from the organisation fills in the various questions after having worked out the answers collectively with the parties concerned (HR, communication, facilities, etc.). The project also measures and evaluates the impact of the actions implemented by the organisations by surveying employees' perception of digital inclusion for people with disabilities. 

The recommended process

1. Download the questionnaire in PDF from the platform
2. Work on the questionnaire with the parties concerned (HR, communication, facilities, etc.)
3. Record the answers online to have access to the results and the action proposals
4. Find out the maturity index, the strengths and areas for improvement of the organisation
5. Build the action plan from the suggestions adapted to the organisation’s profile