Improving employment outcomes for people with disability in small and medium enterprises: protocol for a scoping...

Improving the employment of people with disability (PWD) has emerged as a key priority for governments worldwide as a strategy for improving health outcomes through greater economic participation. However, a significant barrier remains the lack of understanding among businesses regarding the requirements for a disability-inclusive workplace. This challenge is particularly salient for small and medium enterprises (SMEs) that lack dedicated human resources to develop supportive organisational cultures. This scoping review will assist smaller businesses in enhancing their capacity to employ PWD by undertaking a synthesis of the factors that will enhance SME capacity to hire and retain PWDs.

This protocol uses the six-staged process for scoping reviews proposed by Arksey and O'Malley. This process begins with identifying the scoping review research question (Stage 1) and discussing how studies will be selected (Stage 2). The search will include all English-language articles within Web of Science, Scopus, PsycINFO, PubMed, Cochrane Library, Embase, Medline, EBSCO Global Health and CINAHL since inception. We will also include relevant secondary sources from the grey literature. Following the search process, we will present information on selecting studies for inclusion in the scoping review (Stage 3) and chart the data relating to the included studies (Stage 4). In conclusion, the scoping review protocol will synthesise and report the results (Stage 5) and provide information on consultation with relevant stakeholders during the initial protocol specifications (Stage 6).

Since the scoping review methodology aims at synthesising information from available publications, this study does not require ethical approval. We will submit an article reporting the results of the scoping review for publication in a scientific journal, present the findings at relevant conferences and disseminate them as part of future workshops with professionals in disability employment.