Welcome to TalentWorks, the online resource that helps employers and human resources (HR) professionals make their eRecruiting technologies accessible to all job seekers—including those with disabilities.

Are your company's virtual doors open to everyone? They may not be. According to a 2015 survey of people with disabilities conducted by PEAT, 46 percent of respondents rated their last experience applying for a job online as "difficult to impossible." And that matters, because if your technology is limiting your pool of applicants, you could be missing out on top talent.

With most of today's employers using some form of web-based recruiting to evaluate and hire job applicants, it's more important than ever to understand why accessibility matters to eRecruiting, and how to ensure your talent acquisition tools are accessible. TalentWorks is designed to help you do just that.

Developed by PEAT, the following web pages synthesize ideas and solutions gathered from employers, advocacy organizations, job applicants, and technology providers. We've distilled those resources into what will be a continuously evolving online guide, all with the aim of helping employers improve the accessibility of the technology they use throughout the entire employment lifecycle.

Are your company's virtual doors open to everyone? 

The Employment Lifecycle

Most human resources (HR) practitioners cite six components of this lifecycle—the continuum that defines an employee's time with a particular company or organization. While their names can vary, the employment lifecycle typically includes the following, which are also presented in graphic form:

• Recruiting
• Hiring and Onboarding
• Work Immersion and Productivity
• Career Advancement
• Retention
• Post-Employment and Retirement

Information and communications technology (ICT) touches all phases and aspects of employment. In the eRecruiting phase, we are talking about online search tools, social media, job applications, pre-employment testing applications, and digital interviewing tools.

TalentWorks is currently focused on the Recruiting step of the lifecycle. In the coming months, we will continue to expand the eRecruiting resources and then begin adding resources related to the rest of the lifecycle. 

And where does technology fit into this continuum? Everywhere!

Information and communications technology (ICT) touches all phases and aspects of employment. So for employers concerned about effective talent management, it's important to consider the various technologies used in your workplace and how they impact your workers at different stages of their career. In the eRecruiting phase, we are talking about online search tools, social media, job applications, pre-employment testing applications, and digital interviewing tools. A sample list of ICT tools for each stage of the employment lifecycle is available in this infographic.

Get Involved

Want to learn more? Check out the individual sections and topics most relevant to you or visit the Resource Library to see the full array of documents and videos. We also want you to join the conversation and share your ideas, stories, and leading practices so we can continue to add new tools and resources based on your feedback. Thank you for visiting TalentWorks!