Embracing Creative Accommodations Makes Your Business Stronger

Value-based accommodations keep employees happy and help the bottom line.
By: | December 3, 2018

Failing to find a workplace accommodation for injured or disabled employees could leave you facing significant fines from the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, lawsuits, and a declining brand image after word gets out that your company doesn’t step up for its employees in need.

Scott Daniels, director of disability, NBCUniversal & Comcast Spectator

But compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act should be about much more than simply avoiding these consequences. It should be focused on creating an environment for injured or disabled workers that fosters productivity, engagement, inclusiveness and loyalty. At the end of the day, creative accommodations that serve both employee and employer can positively impact the company’s bottom line.

At yesterday’s general session “A Powerful Combination: Return-to-Work Strategy with Value-Based Accommodations,” Scott Daniels, the Director of Disability for NBCUniversal & Comcast Spectator, described how thinking outside the box can lead to the creation of accommodations that aren’t just done out of necessity but help to provide value to your company and drive it forward.

Where to start?

Daniels has said, “It is incumbent for benefit and HR professionals to have direct exposure to the different parts of their organization, experience the day-to-day environments of their workforce and learn firsthand about the evolving needs of their people and the business.”




Creative accommodations that serve both employee and employer can positively impact the company’s bottom line.

This helps to identify areas where extra support is needed and can be provided through an accommodation. “By prioritizing and solving for the employees’ need, you can simultaneously address a larger business need,” Daniels said.

Specific accommodations vary depending on industry, but culling feedback from a diverse group of peers can reveal new possible solutions for employees in any sector. Engaging multiple stakeholders — including both senior leaders and front-line employees — can not only lead to creative solutions, but will also drive interdepartmental collaboration to ensure awareness, cross-functional perspectives and a better relationship between HR and your business.

Katie Dwyer is a freelance editor and writer based out of Philadelphia. She can be reached at [email protected].

More from Risk & Insurance