HR leader urges practical steps leaders and travelers can take today

California, US, 25th October 2025, ZEX PR WIRE, People and systems grow stronger when everyone can participate. That is the message from HR leader and organizational design consultant Drew Soule, who today called for concrete action on two fronts that touch millions of lives each year: accessible air travel and inclusive workplace design.

“Accessibility is not charity. It is smart design,” Soule said. “You cannot scale a company if you cannot scale trust. That starts with building systems where everyone can contribute fully.”

Soule’s advocacy is grounded in lived experience and a 15-year career guiding organizations through IPO readiness, M&A integration, labor relations, and large-scale org design. He grew up with Spinal Muscular Atrophy and began public advocacy as a youth ambassador for the Muscular Dystrophy Association. “Resilience is not just pushing through,” he said. “It is redesigning the barriers that should not be there in the first place.”

Why this matters now

The scale of the need is large. More than 1 in 4 U.S. adults report having a disability, which is over 70 million people, according to the CDC’s latest data release based on the 2022 BRFSS.

Air travel remains a pain point. U.S. airlines mishandled 11,527 wheelchairs and scooters in 2023, an 11.5% increase from 2022, according to the U.S. Department of Transportation. Proposed rules aim to strengthen training and require prompt repairs and returns, while future regulations may allow passengers to remain in their own wheelchairs during flight. The DOT has also issued and updated rules clarifying airline obligations to travelers using wheelchairs and is continuing analysis required by the FAA Reauthorization Act of 2024.

There is a strong business case too. Research from Accenture finds that companies leading in disability inclusion outperform peers on revenue and profit growth.

“Leaders ask me how to make inclusion real,” Soule said. “Start where people feel friction. Remove one barrier this quarter, then the next. Momentum builds trust.”

What leaders can do today

Soule shared a simple, do-it-yourself checklist that organizations of any size can use without waiting on new budgets or policies.

1. Run a one-hour “path of travel” audit
   Walk the route a wheelchair user or cane user would take from parking or transit to reception to meeting rooms and restrooms. Document doors, thresholds, signage, and furniture placement. Fix what you can this week. “Small changes compound,” Soule said. “Clear the hallway. Add lever handles. Label the quiet room.”
2. Make meetings accessible by default
   Turn on live captions in video calls. Share agendas and materials 24 hours ahead. Record key sessions and provide notes. “Accessibility features help everyone, not just people who ask,” he said.
3. Publish a plain-language accommodations guide
   Explain how to request assistive tech, ergonomic setups, flexible scheduling, or interpreters. Name a real contact person. “Clarity reduces fear. Fear kills performance,” Soule said.
4. Measure what matters
   Add inclusion signals to your people dashboard: time-to-accommodate, caption usage, accessible document compliance, and promotion parity. “You manage what you measure,” he noted.

What travelers and families can do on their own

Soule emphasized steps individuals can take right now to reduce risk and increase accountability when flying.

• Document your device before you travel. Photograph your wheelchair or scooter and note model and settings.
• Use the airline’s wheelchair handling tag and attach printed handling instructions to the device.
• Request gate-check and aisle chair assistance early and confirm again at the gate.
• If damage occurs, file a report immediately with the carrier and keep copies. DOT tracking and proposed rules focus on prompt repair or replacement and better training.
• Submit complaints to DOT if issues are not resolved. Monthly reporting on mishandled wheelchairs is public, which increases transparency.

“I want people to feel prepared, not powerless,” Soule said. “Bring a checklist. Bring your voice. Your documentation creates data, and data drives change.”

A practical roadmap for inclusive growth

Soule ties accessibility to performance and culture. “Every CEO says people are their greatest asset. Act like it,” he said. He recommends three near-term actions tied to business outcomes:

• Design reviews with accessibility gates to avoid costly retrofits and reputational risk.
• Annual training for people-facing roles on respectful assistance, assistive tech, and emergency procedures.
• Public progress updates twice a year on accessibility fixes and accommodation timelines to build trust with employees and customers.

“Inclusion is not a memo. It is what people do when no one is watching,” Soule said. “When systems work for the edges, they work better for everyone.”

Soule encouraged leaders, employees, and travelers to take one step this week:

• Leaders: run the one-hour path of travel audit and publish a three-item fix list.
• Team members: add captions, share agendas early, and convert your most-viewed doc to an accessible template.
• Travelers and families: print a handling card for your wheelchair or scooter and photograph the device before your next trip.

“Do not wait for a perfect plan,” Soule said. “Change begins with one barrier removed and one person included.”

About Drew Soule

Drew Soule is a Lead HR Business Partner and Organizational Design Consultant who has supported teams in aerospace, Big Tech, healthcare, and fintech. His work focuses on aligning people practices with business goals through inclusion by design, transparent performance systems, and leader coaching.