{"id":5759,"date":"2024-08-15T13:53:50","date_gmt":"2024-08-15T13:53:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.brightmine.com\/us\/?post_type=resources&p=5759"},"modified":"2026-01-30T06:23:20","modified_gmt":"2026-01-30T11:23:20","slug":"5-stages-of-adjustment-to-disability","status":"publish","type":"resources","link":"https:\/\/www.brightmine.com\/us\/resources\/hr-strategy\/inclusion-belonging\/5-stages-of-adjustment-to-disability\/","title":{"rendered":"Supporting employees in the 5 stages of adjustment to disability"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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by Natasha K. A. Wiebusch<\/strong>, JD<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

People with disabilities make up a large portion of the US workforce. And in many cases, they’re more common than employers even realize. According to the Boston Consulting group, 25% of employees have a disability or a medical condition that limits a major life activity. However, employers estimate only 4% to 7% of their workforce has a disability.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Employers may not only underestimate how many employees have disabilities. They may also not realize how many employees develop a disability during their career. Serious injuries, illnesses and autoimmune diseases can all rise to the level of a disability, creating difficult new obstacles for employees.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To help support employees going through these changes it’s important to understand their journey. In this article, you’ll learn about the five stages of adjustment to disability and how you can support adjusting employees.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Understanding the 5 stages of adjustment to disability<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Adjusting to a disability is, in many ways, a grieving process. Employees must navigate the grief and loss of their life before they had the disability. Because of the similarities, many frame the five stages of adjustment to disability within Elisabeth K\u00fcbler-Ross’s model for grief. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Under this model, the five stages of grief are denial, anger, bargaining, depression and acceptance. Though individuals often experience these stages in that order, that’s not always the case. They may experience them in a different order and they may experience a few stages at once, according to K\u00fcbler-Ross.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Applying this model, employees who have acquired a disability are likely to experience the following:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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1. Denial<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The first stage of adjustment for an employee is denial. When an employee first becomes aware that they have a disability, they’re likely to be in a state of disbelief and shock. They may not accept that they have a disability, and instead decide to focus on an alternate, better reality.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

People in the first stage of adjustment may not express a lot of emotions as a result of their diagnosis. This is because, initially, they may feel numb to the diagnosis. They haven’t had enough time to process the changes they’re experiencing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

2. Anger<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The second stage of adjustment to disability is anger. This stage occurs once an employee accepts that they can no longer remain in denial. They’re likely to feel upset and frustrated by the changes the disability is causing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

During this stage, an employee may experience new difficulties at work. Because the disability is new, they likely won’t have the tools or resources to manage these new challenges. They may not even know which questions to ask, much less what support they can receive.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

3. Bargaining<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The third stage of adjustment is bargaining. At this stage, an employee has had time to consider their new disability and its impact on their life. However, they may believe that the disability is not permanent and have hopes that they will recover. They may also begin drawing comparisons or devaluing their loss to cope.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Depending on the form of disability, an employee may have a good prognosis for recovery. For example, an employee may suffer a spinal cord injury that impacts their ability to walk for a long period of time. However, depending on the severity, they may be able to recover. Employees in the bargaining stage may focus on this potential recovery.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

4. Depression<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The third stage of adjusting to a new disability is depression and withdrawal. An employee at this stage has come to understand that acquiring a disability means long-term, if not permanent, change to their life. Not being able to continue their life as they have before can cause a deep sadness.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At this stage, an employee may find it difficult to motivate themselves to come to work or complete tasks. They may also withdraw from social situations at work or feel less inclined to participate in meetings. Feelings of depression can lead to disengagement, and in some cases, attrition.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

5. Acceptance<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Disability acceptance is the final stage of adjusting to a new disability. When an employee accepts their disability, they’ve come to accept their new reality. Some struggle to reach acceptance more than others. Their support system and coping strategies will influence their journey to this stage.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

An employee with a good support system is more likely to reach acceptance. With the right support, an employee can begin integrating their disability into how they work. They can also explore accommodations and other resources to help them manage their work and daily life.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Supporting employees with a new disability<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The unemployment rate among people with disabilities is still about twice as high as the rate for those without a disability. The reasons for this vary. Often, employees with disabilities feel unsupported or don’t have the resources they need. They may also experience discrimination, and their co-workers and managers may misunderstand their disability.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Beyond unemployment, the struggles employees with disabilities experience at work often impact their careers. These struggles can be even more pronounced when employees are adjusting to a new disability. To support these employees and prevent attrition, consider the following tips:<\/p>\n\n\n\n