Job matching for Persons with Disabilities: An Exploratory Study

The prominent role of job matching in enhancing workplace inclusion and integration of persons with disabilities has drawn scholarly and practitioner attention. Matching the abilities of persons with disabilities to suitable jobs is crucial for sustainable employment and capacity development. However, an integrated view of the job matching process for persons with disabilities, especially in the context of emerging economies like India, remains elusive. The present study aims to explore how the process of matching persons with disabilities to suitable jobs unfolds in contemporary organizations in India. Participants for this study included management representatives of seventeen organizations that employ persons with disabilities. Thematic analysis of interview transcripts highlighted the following: the job matching process (a) consists of three overarching phases (pre-matching, matching, and post-matching) that encompassed five stages (job analysis, ability profiling, gap analysis, gap resolution and evaluation) (b) is continuous and ongoing, requiring employers’ conscious and voluntary efforts with dynamic strategies (c) entails strategies that span across organization, group and individual levels (d) involves adjustment to various dimensions of the job such as process, duration, schedule, task, resources, location and equipment and (e) can be executed in a formal or informal manner. The findings serve to highlight the inherent complexities in the job matching process that require an individual-centric approach for optimal results. We present implications for theory and practice.