Chapter 10: Human Resource Management Challenge to Innovate to Support Employees With Disability and Mental Health Challenges

Workers with a disability are under-represented in the workforce and, those with lived experiences of mental health are often under-supported by organisations, managers and colleagues. This chapter argues that disability and mental health are an increasingly important aspect for Human Resource Management (HRM) departments and managers to consider as central to workplace diversity and inclusion. This chapter is organised in two sections. The first section discusses the inclusion of workers with disabilities within the workplace and HRM and management approaches towards these workers. The second section focusses on mental health, and we draw our observations from research findings in the mental health sector of the workforce in terms of employing people in designated lived experience roles and developing the lived experience workforce. Our overarching goal for this chapter is to provide insights into current HRM innovations and suggest further innovative work that needs to be undertaken to more effectively support workers with disability and mental health challenges and create safe and inclusive workplaces.