Labor inclusion of individuals with disabilities: Managers' conceptions as a contributing factor

This study aims to analyze the managers' conceptions involved in the process of labor inclusion in 18 supermarkets with 5,000 employees, 300 of whom with disabilities.

A group of 90 managers working with people with disability completed a Conceptions of Disability Inventory (CDI) about their conceptions of people with disabilities. Their responses were categorized as follows: (a) disability as a spiritual manifestation; b) disability as a deviation from normality; (c) disability based on assumptions of inclusion; (d) disability assessed from performance criteria; (e) disability assessed from the connection established with the work organization; (f) disability conceived by contracting benefits, and (g) disability based on the perception of the need for training.

Based on the outcomes of the Pearson Correlation Matrix, significant linear correlations were found in seven managers' conceptions of disability. The results also indicate that the managers' conceptions contributed to differentiated inclusionist actions based on their perceptions related to people with disabilities.

This study data contributes to identifying the best practices in labor inclusion. The outcomes of the present study could lead to development of a public policy aimed towards humanizing job alternatives for people with disability.