Sarah arrives at work at 8:30 a.m. By 9:00, she already feels exhausted.
Her day started with uncertainty about whether the accessible parking spot would be available. When she arrived, she found that the team meeting had been moved to a different room without notice. The new room was crowded and noisy, making it difficult to focus. During the meeting, the presenter spoke quickly and shared information verbally without providing written notes afterward. Sarah spent most of the meeting trying to keep up instead of contributing her ideas.
Later that morning, she considered asking for support but decided against it. She had already explained her accessibility needs several times and worried about being seen as difficult. By lunchtime, Sarah had spent a significant amount of energy simply trying to participate in the workplace.
For many employees, experiences like Sarah’s are not unusual.
People with disabilities, chronic illnesses, neurodivergence, mental health concerns, and other accessibility needs often spend significant time and energy navigating barriers that others may never notice. Some people describe this extra effort as the “energy tax” of inaccessibility.
What Is the Energy Tax?
The energy tax refers to the additional physical, mental, and emotional effort required to participate in environments that are not fully accessible.
Many workplace systems are designed with the assumption that everyone has the same energy levels, communication styles, sensory needs, mobility, and capacity every day. In reality, that is rarely the case.
A noisy workspace may require someone to spend hours managing sensory overload. An unclear email may create anxiety about expectations. A meeting without captions may require intense concentration just to follow the conversation. Repeatedly advocating for accommodations can become emotionally exhausting over time.
These challenges are often invisible to others. Coworkers may only see someone appearing tired, distracted, quiet, or disengaged without realizing how much effort is being spent simply trying to participate.
The Connection Between Accessibility and Psychological Safety
This is where psychological safety becomes important.
Psychological safety is the belief that people can speak up, ask questions, share concerns, and make mistakes without fear of embarrassment, punishment, or negative consequences.
When employees feel psychologically safe, they are more likely to tell their employer when something is not working. They are more comfortable requesting accommodations, discussing accessibility needs, and sharing ideas for improving workplace systems.
Without psychological safety, employees may remain silent. They may continue struggling through inaccessible processes because they worry about being judged, misunderstood, or seen as difficult.
Unfortunately, when employees are expected to constantly “push through” barriers, organizations can mistake resilience for success. The reality is that many employees are spending valuable energy adapting to the workplace instead of contributing their skills, creativity, and expertise.
Reducing the Energy Tax
Accessibility is not just about getting people through the door. It is about removing unnecessary barriers that consume energy once employees are there.
Employers can help reduce the energy tax by:
- Providing clear communication and expectations
- Offering flexible work arrangements when possible
- Including captions in meetings and virtual events
- Creating quiet spaces or sensory-friendly options
- Making accommodation processes simple and respectful
- Regularly asking employees what support they need
- Building a workplace culture where accessibility conversations are welcomed
Many of these changes benefit everyone, not just employees with disabilities. Clearer systems reduce confusion. Flexible approaches support work-life balance. Respectful communication strengthens teamwork and trust.
A Better Question to Ask
Accessibility is not about providing special treatment. It is about recognizing that some employees are carrying invisible workloads that others never have to think about.
Instead of asking, “Can this employee keep pushing through?” employers could ask, “What barriers are making employees spend so much energy just trying to participate?”
When employers focus on reducing barriers and creating psychologically safe workplaces, employees gain something incredibly valuable: capacity. Capacity to contribute their strengths, collaborate with colleagues, and focus on the work they were hired to do.
And that benefits everyone.
Learn More
Creating a workplace where employees feel safe to communicate their needs is an important part of reducing accessibility barriers. Psychological safety helps employees feel comfortable asking questions, requesting accommodations, sharing concerns, and contributing their ideas without fear of judgment or negative consequences.
Want to build a workplace where employees can thrive instead of simply getting through the day? Take our free, on-demand Building a Mentally Healthy and Psychologically Safe Workplace training; it explores practical strategies for building trust, improving communication, supporting employee well-being, and creating an environment where everyone feels safe to participate fully.