Published online: 30 June 2026 · Journal: Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities · Topic: inclusive leadership, autonomy at work and workplace inclusion
This article looks at how inclusive leadership can shape workplace attitudes toward hiring workers with intellectual disability. The central idea is practical: when leaders create conditions where workers with intellectual disability have more autonomy, coworkers tend to develop more positive attitudes toward inclusion and hiring.
In plain language, inclusive leadership is not only about being supportive in principle. It is shown through everyday behaviours such as availability, accessibility, openness, listening, encouraging participation and respecting contributions. These behaviours can help people experience more choice, independence, voice and meaningful participation at work.
Key findings
- Inclusive leadership is connected with more positive coworker attitudes toward hiring workers with intellectual disability.
- Autonomy at work helps explain this relationship: people respond more positively when workers are supported to participate with genuine choice, voice and independence.
- Workplace inclusion depends not only on hiring decisions, but also on daily leadership behaviours and the conditions created around people’s contribution.
Plain-language summary
Workers with intellectual disability are more likely to be included meaningfully when leadership practices support autonomy rather than only providing formal access to employment. When coworkers see people being supported to contribute, participate and have a voice, attitudes toward hiring and inclusion can become more positive.
Visual summary
Inclusive leadership supports autonomy at work. Autonomy helps workers with intellectual disability participate more meaningfully. This, in turn, can support more positive hiring attitudes among coworkers.
Practical takeaway
When workers with intellectual disability are supported through inclusive leadership and given genuine autonomy, coworkers develop more positive attitudes toward workplace inclusion.
Citation
Plavsic, A., Estreder, Y., Fajardo Castro, L. V., Moliner, C., & Martínez-Tur, V. (2026). Inclusive leadership and attitudes toward hiring workers with intellectual disability: The mediating role of autonomy. Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities. Published online 30 June 2026. https://doi.org/10.1080/19349491.2026.2682767