Accessibility in HR Technology

Inclusive Design for Human Resources Systems

Digital accessibility in human resources technology is the practice of ensuring every digital tool used across the employee lifecycle can be operated effectively by individuals with disabilities. This includes candidates and employees who may use assistive technologies such as screen readers, rely on keyboard navigation, or require captioning for audio and video content. When these systems are not designed with inclusivity in mind, they create barriers that can prevent people from applying for jobs, completing essential training, or managing their own benefits and payroll.

Inaccessible tools can block people from even applying for jobs, completing onboarding, or managing required HR tasks.

The scope of impact is vast, covering recruitment, onboarding, internal training, time and attendance, payroll, leave, and self-service portals. Each of these touchpoints presents a potential point of exclusion if accessibility is not a core consideration from the start.

Common Barriers in Current HR Technology

Many organizations unknowingly use systems that present significant hurdles. Identifying these common problems is the first step toward remediation.

• Job Portals and Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS): Incompatibility with screen readers is a frequent issue. Problems include poor logical tab order for keyboard-only users, unlabeled form fields that a screen reader cannot interpret, and inaccessible CAPTCHA challenges that stop candidates from submitting applications.
• Video Interviewing Platforms: Tools may lack accurate, real-time closed captioning or provide interfaces that are not navigable or interpretable by assistive technology. This puts candidates with hearing or visual impairments at an immediate disadvantage.
• Core HR and Self-Service Systems: Platforms for timekeeping, payroll, benefits enrollment, and leave requests often feature complex tables, unannounced dynamic content updates, or poor color contrast. These design flaws make them unusable for employees who rely on assistive tech, effectively excluding them from mandatory administrative processes.

The Strategic Advantages of Accessible HR Tech

Prioritizing accessibility in HR technology is not merely a compliance exercise; it delivers tangible business and workforce benefits.

• Expands Your Talent Pool: By removing digital barriers at the application stage, you access a wider, more diverse range of candidates. This is critically important in competitive labor markets and for roles reliant on remote or hybrid work models.
• Increases Productivity and Accuracy: Technological accessibility supports equal access to tools and resources for all employees. When systems are intuitive and work with various assistive technologies, employees can perform tasks more efficiently and with fewer errors.
• Mitigates Legal and Reputational Risk: Employers are increasingly expected to treat digital accessibility as part of their legal and ethical responsibilities. Proactive adherence demonstrates a commitment to equity and reduces the risk of discrimination complaints.
• Improves the Experience for All: Features like clear navigation, captioned videos, and well-structured content benefit everyone, including employees working in noisy environments, those with temporary injuries, or non-native language speakers.

Standards and Compliance Foundations

To build defensible and effective accessible systems, adhere to established technical standards.

Leading guidance recommends that HR technology products conform to WCAG 2.2 Level AA and EN 301 549. Conformance should be validated not just through automated scans, but through rigorous usability testing with actual assistive technologies and people with disabilities. When evaluating vendors, treat these standards as a baseline requirement, not an aspirational goal.

Practical Implementation Framework

Moving from principle to practice requires a structured approach. The following steps provide a roadmap for HR and IT teams.

1. Audit Your Existing HR Technology Stack

Begin by understanding your current state. Evaluate every system in your HR stack—ATS, HRIS, LMS, payroll, intranet—for critical accessibility issues.

• Action: Engage your internal IT accessibility team or hire an external specialist to conduct a formal audit. Focus on key user journeys like applying for a job, enrolling in benefits, and completing mandatory training.

2. Integrate Accessibility into Procurement and Vendor Management

Prevent new barriers from entering your ecosystem. Make accessibility a non-negotiable component of your requests for proposal (RFPs) and contract negotiations.

• Action: Require vendors to provide a Voluntary Product Accessibility Template (VPAT) or similar documentation that details conformance with WCAG 2.2 AA. Ask for evidence of testing with users with disabilities.

3. Involve Users with Disabilities in Design and Testing

Real-world feedback is irreplaceable. Systems that pass automated checks can still be unusable in practice.

• Action: Include people with disabilities in design and testing phases for any new HR technology implementation or major update. Their insights will identify practical barriers that engineers and designers might overlook.

4. Build Internal Knowledge and Capacity

HR professionals, recruiters, and managers must understand how to use technology inclusively.

• Action: Provide training on digital accessibility fundamentals. Topics should include how to handle accommodation requests, the importance of providing materials in accessible formats (like tagged PDFs), and how to properly use features like live captioning in video interviews.

5. Establish Governance and Accountability

Sustainable change requires clear ownership and ongoing processes.

• Action: Assign leadership accountability for digital accessibility. Develop a clear policy and establish a continuous improvement process with regular check-ins on the accessibility of HR systems.

Checklist for HR Teams: Getting Started Today

Use this list to initiate immediate, concrete actions.

• $render`✓` Identify one critical HR process (e.g., job application) and test it using only a keyboard (no mouse).
• $render`✓` Contact your primary HR tech vendors to request their current accessibility conformance reports (VPAT).
• $render`✓` Schedule a basic accessibility awareness training for your recruitment team.
• $render`✓` Review the next job posting you create: Does it include a clear statement on how to request accommodations, and is the posting itself in an accessible format?
• $render`✓` Ensure all internally produced training videos have accurate, synchronized captions.
• $render`✓` Appoint an "accessibility champion" within the HR department to track progress and serve as a point of contact.

Examples of Accessibility-Focused Solutions

The market is evolving with tools designed for inclusivity. Seek out vendors who prioritize these features:

• Recruiting Platforms: Some ATS providers now offer accessibility checks on job postings and are designed with semantic HTML from the ground up. Others integrate AI tools built specifically to reduce bias in screening.
• Interviewing Tools: Look for platforms that offer built-in closed captioning and screen-reader compatibility as standard features, not as expensive add-ons.
• Specialized Talent Networks: Consider platforms that specialize in connecting employers with candidates with disabilities, often incorporating tools to help match job requirements with potential workplace accommodations.

Implementing accessibility in HR technology is an ongoing commitment to inclusion. It ensures that every individual has the independent ability to engage with the systems that define their career, from first application to retirement. Start by assessing your biggest point of friction, secure a leadership mandate, and build from there, always keeping the lived experience of users with disabilities at the center of your strategy.