Staffing Firms: Introduction to Web Accessibility (DEIA)
We all know that diversity, equity and inclusion have become a much more major part of our businesses as well as that of our clients, but Accessibility has now been added to the community. In today’s digital landscape, it is important that staffing firms view web accessibility standards as a priority in the construction of their website. Therefore, your staffing firm is able to reach everyone – making it a positive experience for all visitors.
In addition, the internet allows people of all abilities to connect on a personal level without barriers. The web removes barriers in communication that many people face in the physical world. Non- accessible websites, apps, and technologies prevent all users from viewing the jobs/content on your website.
What is Web Accessibility in Web Development
Web accessibility refers to the use of websites, tools, and tech that are created for the purpose of assisting people with sensory limitations.
Web accessibility best practices gives an equal playing field for those in the disability community, as well as: people using smartphones, smartwatches, smart TVs, and other devices with small screens, limited input modes, and a variety of different screen sizes. Some examples include:
- Elderly people may need help adapting to new technology
- Those who perform with a temporary injury, like a broken finger or dislocated arm.
- People who are sensitive to light or are unable to separate surrounding sound from important audio
When you are creating your staffing firm website, you want to make sure you are reaching everyone. DEIA includes everyone, so make sure you have the right tools to do so.
How to Make your Website Accessible?
Here are different concepts to consider when making your site accessible to everyone.
Some of the important factors are:
- Color contrast and color combinations
- Contrast ratio and its importance
- Font size and font styles
- Larger images and alternative text
- Cultural differences and their impact on design
- International style guides
- Designing for all abilities
- Designing for all abilities from a development perspective
Website Accessibility Plugins
We also compiled a list of web accessibility software you can implement rather quickly with little to no knowledge of how to set it up.
UserWay is a comprehensive Digital Accessibility Solution. One of the many products it offers is its AI-Powered UserWay Accessibility Widget which exceeds WCAG 2.1 AA requirements and provides a wide range of inclusive UX-related benefits.
A world-class automated web accessibility solution that helps businesses comply with ADA and WCAG standards. Equally AI provides automated scans, compliance monitoring, and a customizable accessibility interface to ensure your website is always compliant.
InclusiveDocs is a digital publishing platform that converts all of your content into an accessible format. They’ve streamlined the process so that it’s more cost-efficient than manual remediation.
AccessiBe Web accessibility software is designed to make web accessibility easier for everyone. It is fully accessible and can read text to you, describe images, and give audible feedback on interactive elements.
Implementing Web Accessibility Best Practices
Before becoming accessible, it’s important to get to know the meaning of web accessibility and its legal requirements. This allows you to focus your efforts on carrying them out accordingly.
Having the awareness. The foundations of an inclusive design process are aware of the barriers. Many developers are aware to a broad degree of these barriers, but still do not see the level of hardship faced by those with different abilities.
Policies and Procedures. Make web accessibility a part of your culture and core values. One approach for any staffing firm is to implement an internal accessibility policy.
Establishing tech support and training. Most decision-makers would ask “what can we add to our website to make it more accessible?” Adding an access code that is typically lighter and less likely to restrict loading speed and improve the overall efficiency of the website.
To provide accessibility for more people, some development time and cost are required. However, the benefits of making something accessible will almost always be worth it in the long run.
It takes just a few days to learn about web accessibility, but you’ll need months to internalize the mindset and techniques. WebAIM provides free accessibility-related articles, tools, and resources for website developers and administrators. These include
- tutorials
- webinars on the latest accessibility topics
- email discussion list
- monthly newsletter with updates on new content
Principles of Web Accessible Design
Web Accessibility is the degree to which a product, such as a website, is available for use by people with disabilities. Therefore it’s often measured in terms of the number of features that have been implemented to make it easier for these people to use.
A person with visual impairment may use screen reader software and/or braille display, while someone who is deaf or hard of hearing may use closed captioning and/or sign language interpretation.
Dispense alternative text. When someone is blind and uses a screen reader to have the web content read to them, it can be helpful for there to be an alternative text version of the site.
Create a coherent document structure. Headings and lists can be used to better organize your web page. They can reduce the amount of scrolling you do while browsing and make navigating through the page much easier.
Help users convert on actions taken. Every element needs a label that is recognizable by the program. This label acts as a reminder of what the element is and where you can use it. It also helps with filling out the form in case something went wrong. The user is able to submit the form without any problems and if anything went wrong, this label would highlight where on the page it can be found.
How to Evaluate Accessibility?
The following are some guidelines that staffing firms can follow when evaluating web accessibility:
Identify any accessibility issues faced by users with different abilities
Check if there are any features that you can implement to make it easier for these users
- Evaluate the usability of features
- Putting together a web accessibility checklist
- Text to Speech is available
- Ability to zoom in and out on the map
- Keyboard shortcuts for zooming and navigating
- Can swipe right to go back a page
- Multimedia Alternatives
- Blinking content
Looking at the Legal Landscape
The United States is applicable to several laws that include
- The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)
- Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (Sections 504 and 508).
Many international laws also address accessibility.
The WCAG provides an international set of guidelines that are overseen by the W3C. These web accessibility guidelines, the basis of most web accessibility laws, ensure a more accessible Web for everyone.
Perceivable: The website’s content can be accessed by the senses (vision and hearing primarily) by either viewing it through your browser or through assistive technology.
Operable: Users can interact with all the interface controls using either the mouse, keyboard, or even a joystick.
Understandable: Content is clean, and easy to read and there’s less of a chance for confusion or gray area.
Robust: There’s a wide range of devices that can access the content, so you’re not behind in any environment
Conclusion To Web Accessibility
Did you enjoy the brief overview of what web accessibility is and how you can implement it? Most think that leveraging web accessibility training is a daunting task but in reality, it is quite simple. If you want to learn more about making your staffing firm website more accessible for all abilities, contact S.J. Hemley Marketing for more information.
About S.J.Hemley Marketing
S.J.Hemley Marketing is a marketing and sales consulting firm focused on driving tangible results for professional services firms. Brand matters, but not without ROI. With over 20 years of sales and marketing experience within staffing and recruiting, we have helped to drive successful branding, sales training, lead generation activities as well as defining marketing strategy for top organizations. www.sjhemleymarketing.com.