September: Your DEAM Audit Window

Workplace Assessments Are Critical

September always carries a feeling of transition. The lazy days of summer have come to an end. The pace picks up, priorities sharpen, and leaders begin looking toward the final quarter of the year.

But for organizations committed to supporting employees with disabilities, September has a very specific purpose: it’s the month to audit your workplace before National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM) begins October 1.

Most companies wait until October to host an activity or event, but you need to be more strategic. By then, it’s too late. NDEAM isn’t a marketing moment, it’s a show me moment. And being able to demonstrate impact and results require preparation.

A September audit doesn’t need to be complicated. It needs to be honest, practical, and focused on the areas that most directly shape the employee experience.

Here are the four areas where leaders should start.

1. Stop Writing Job Descriptions for Your Dream Candidate: Job descriptions are often the first barrier encountered. Many still contain items that are “nice” to have not “need” to have. Focus on what is needed. Eliminate outdated physical requirements, vague expectations, or language that screens out qualified candidates. September is the ideal time to revisit them. Ask: Are we really describing what the role accurately includes?

2. Evaluate Your Accommodations Process More than half of accommodations cost nothing—and yet employees routinely report confusion, delays, or fear around requesting them. Examine whether the process is easy to find, easy to follow, and easy to trust. Look at response timelines, documentation practices, and manager responsibilities. If an employee needed an accommodation tomorrow, would they know exactly what to do? If not, September is the time to fix it.

3. Understand the Disabled Employee Experience Listen, listen and listen some more. Understand where the friction lies, what is working, what is not, how can you improve the process. A September listening tour will help you identify gaps before October arrives and provides you with clear action items you can talk about not just in October but in 2027.  

4. Prepare Managers—They Are Your Frontline Policies matter, but managers determine whether employees feel supported. A short, focused manager refresher on ADA basics, documentation, and how to respond to accommodation requests can transform the employee experience. When managers feel confident, employees feel safe.

NDEAM is an opportunity—but only if leaders are prepared. A thoughtful September audit ensures your organization enters October with clarity, confidence, and momentum. It signals that inclusion isn’t a once‑a‑year message; it’s a year‑round practice.

If you’re preparing for October and want support, I am offering open office hours throughout September for leaders who have questions or need guidance—no sales pitch, no charge, just support.

October is coming. September is when you prepare for results and impact.

#NDEAM #BetterWorkplaces #Inclusion