Employer practices supporting sustainable employment of people with disabilities across the employment lifecycle: a scoping review of reviews.

PURPOSE: Although many studies have examined factors influencing employment outcomes for persons with disabilities (PWD), existing evidence remains fragmented and seldom integrates findings across the full employment lifecycle. This scoping review of reviews synthesizes barriers and facilitators to sustainable employment, identifying factors that inform inclusive workplace design and employer practices.

METHODS

Scopus was searched up to April 30, 2026. Two reviewers independently assessed titles, abstracts, full texts, and quality. Evidence was organized along five stages of the employment lifecycle-from strategy and recruitment to retention and exit-and mapped to themes.

RESULTS

Sixty-two reviews of moderate-to-good quality were included. Evidence more frequently addressed interpersonal and operational factors such as workplace climate, supervisor support, and job accommodations than structural dimensions such as policies or financial incentives. Supervisor and coworker support and tailored accommodations were among the factors most frequently associated with positive outcomes (e.g. participation, performance, retention, and well-being), whereas stigma, limited knowledge, and generic accommodations were commonly reported as barriers. Larger organizations more often implemented formal inclusion strategies, while smaller firms relied on value-driven team practices.

CONCLUSIONS

Sustainable employment of PWD requires integrating structural and interpersonal approaches across the employment lifecycle and linking organizational strategies with vocational rehabilitation.IMPLICATIONS FOR REHABILITATIONSustainable employment of people with disabilities depends on both structural measures (policies, accommodations, financial incentives) and interpersonal factors (leadership, supervisor support, workplace culture).Rehabilitation outcomes improve when accommodations are customized, embedded in everyday work routines, and supported by supervisors and coworkers rather than applied generically.Gradual return-to-work, early supervisor engagement, and clear communication channels are consistently reported as facilitators and can be implemented even in resource-constrained organizations.Integrated strategies focused on the employment lifecycle that connect organizational policies with vocational rehabilitation are necessary, though there has been limited evaluation of such approaches.