1.3 The business case for the accessibility of job portals

Organizations need to develop a better understanding of why building a business case for the accessibility of online job application platforms can help create a more diverse workforce that includes persons with disabilities. A business case is a tool often used by organizations to justify dedicating resources (such as money, time or effort) to supporting a specific policy or strategy or pursuing a goal. Building a powerful business case for digital accessibility requires the authors to highlight the tangible and intangible benefits that digital accessibility will bring to the organization. Indicators such as direct return on investment, while important, may not be helpful in measuring the benefits of accessibility; other factors, such as the cost and risk of not taking action to improve accessibility, may be more useful in building a strong business case.

In summary, the ultimate goal of this guide is to raise awareness among United Nations staff of the importance of making online job application processes accessible to and usable by candidates with disabilities, and to describe some of the most common accessibility and usability challenges faced by persons with disabilities when interacting with online job application processes. The guide also provides some recommendations to help organizations improve the accessibility and usability of online job application platforms.