Ableism and employment of persons with disabilities: organizational socialization of employees with blindness

Abstract

Despite rights-based conventions and legislative structures in place, PWDs face overwhelming challenges in obtaining a paid job. Those who succeed to get employed, face numerous issues, especially during their organizational socialization, arising due to prevalent ableist discourses, that often result in negative stereotypes, prejudices, and biases against newcomer PWDs and in turn promote PWDs’ differential treatment. Thus, an effective organizational socialization becomes extremely crucial for the adjustment of newcomer PWDs in organizations. However, despite its increased relevance, organizational socialization for PWDs remains underexplored. I contribute to the emerging yet nascent literature on the above topic by conducting a qualitative study following Constructive Grounded Theory approach, among employees with blindness (EBs) engaged in formal permanent employment in different industries at junior and middle management levels. I explored EBs’ lived experiences during organizational socialization. Study findings provide a nuanced understanding of socialization experiences of EBs in diverse organizations in terms of ableism perpetrated/countered. I report three archetypical systems, varying on the degree of ableism, and discuss PWDs’ corresponding proactive behaviour and adjustment during socialization. My study immensely contributes to the literature on organizational socialization, diversity and inclusion, and ableism in organizations. Additionally, I contribute to the literature on disability issues in organizations by highlighting how the EBs proactively adapt to diverse organizations. I discussed implications for theory and practice and outline future research directions based on findings.