In 2001, a seemingly innocuous game of touch football turned life-altering for Dane Cross, leaving him with severe spinal cord damage and quadriplegia. Faced with the choice of isolation or reinvention, Dane chose the latter, embracing life with a renewed purpose. Rather than retreating, he dedicated himself to transforming the lives of others with disabilities, ensuring they too could live fully and confidently.

Before becoming Chief Operating Officer (COO) at Sporting Wheelies, an organisation dedicated to providing recreational opportunities and sports for individuals of all abilities, Dane was a Senior Advisor for Access and Advocacy at Spinal Life Australia. 

There, he leveraged his personal journey to guide organisations in better supporting individuals with spinal cord injuries and other physical disabilities. His role allowed him to blend personal experience with professional advocacy, providing invaluable insights into creating inclusive environments.

Now, as COO at Sporting Wheelies, Dane continues to champion accessibility and inclusion, ensuring that people with disabilities can partake in activities that bring them joy and fulfilment. His journey from overcoming personal challenges to leading an organisation committed to inclusivity is both inspiring and instructive.

In an exclusive interview with People Matters, Dane Cross shares his perspectives on the prevalent accessibility issues in Australia and offers practical strategies for enhancing workplace inclusivity. 

He explores the pivotal role of leadership in driving cultural changes and fostering environments where individuals with physical impairments can thrive. Dane’s insights challenge conventional thinking and provide actionable lessons for leaders committed to redefining ability and creating truly inclusive workplaces.

Excerpts from the interview: 

As a leader, what motivates you to focus on improving workplace accessibility? Are there personal or professional experiences that drive your commitment?

In 2001, my life took an unexpected turn. After a sporting accident which fractured my C5 vertebrae resulted in me living with quadriplegia, I suddenly found myself navigating a world that was not designed with my needs in mind.

While devastating at the time, as everything I had worked towards suddenly appeared out of reach, I have been able to change my trajectory and change the path of others who may follow me, by advocating for accessibility in the workplace throughout my career, particularly now as a Chief Operating Officer.

Previously working as a Senior Advisor for Access and Advocacy at Spinal Life Australia, a charity providing advocacy, specialist therapy and support for people with spinal cord injuries or other physical disabilities, I was provided a platform to use my personal experience to advise organisations, including our own, on how to support people in the ways that matter most to the individuals.

Since being appointed Chief Operating Officer (COO) at Sporting Wheelies, who provide opportunities for people of all abilities to enjoy recreational activities and sports, I’ve been able to continue to advocate for more inclusive communities and ensure people living with disability are not held back from activities that give them joy.

What are the most common accessibility issues you observe within organisations in Australia? How do these challenges impact employees with disabilities?

For many people living with disability, everything and every day can be a little bit harder. Sometimes a lot harder. One of the most significant challenges I have faced in multiple workplaces throughout my career is the lack of physical accessibility.

Not all buildings are equipped with ramps or elevators, and even when buildings are technically accessible, they may not be designed with the needs of wheelchair users in mind.

Narrow doorways, high counters, inaccessible bathrooms, even inaccessible office furniture are just a few examples of the physical barriers that wheelchair users face on a regular basis, making it difficult to access certain areas.

But it isn’t always about physical accessibility. Sometimes, the biggest barrier to employment for someone with disability are simply attitudinal barriers. By that I mean, the stigmas relating to disability still exist. Employers and other staff too often look at a person with disability and immediately make judgement or an assumption that they are not capable of doing that job (whatever it may be). 

These challenges – be they physical or attitudinal – are discriminatory and can be harmful to a person looking to enter or progress within the workforce. They can be career limiting, sadly, through no fault of their own.

What specific strategies have you implemented to enhance workplace accessibility in your organisation? How successful have these strategies been?

Being an inclusive employer isn’t rocket science, nor is it costly. So we have implemented a simplistic approach, fuelled by a genuine commitment to inclusion. Simply; our workplaces are accessible; our recruitment process is accessible; and, we value all of our employees regardless of whether or not they have disability. This approach has led to a genuinely diverse workplace, that thrives. Morale is high and our staff genuinely enjoy collaborating on projects, each sharing and valuing each other’s unique perspectives.

Dispelling the myth that employing someone with disability can be costly or difficult is important. Often, employees with disability don’t require workplace modifications. For those that do, there are funding avenues, like the Employment Assistance Fund, to fully-fund those modifications.

Having a curious and open mind about employing a person with disability helps to remove any perceived difficulty that might exist. By simply asking an applicant or employee what it is that they require to enable them to perform in their role is the easiest place to start.

How to encourage and foster a culture of inclusivity and accessibility within your organisation? What role does leadership play in driving these cultural changes?

We know that approximately one in five Australians live with disability – that’s 20% of our population1. If you’re a business owner and you’re not accessing this significant portion of the population, you’re missing out on an untapped recruitment pool for your business.

Making this shift isn’t always about physical accommodations; often, all that is required is a change in mindset and a commitment to inclusivity at all levels of an organisation. This is where the importance of leadership comes into play.

Employing someone with a disability and bringing them into your workforce adds such a great deal of benefit to the workplace that it far outweighs any difficulties that might be perceived by an employer. Diverse teams are generally more innovative and successful, with accelerated problem-solving perspectives, increased learning opportunities and enhanced morale all playing a role.

Meaningful change in the workplace ultimately comes from the top down. It is up to leaders within an organisation to ‘set the tone’ for inclusivity and to create a culture where people with disabilities are valued and respected.

How to ensure that all employees, including those without disabilities, are engaged and educated about accessibility issues and inclusive practices?

In order to truly create a more inclusive workplace, we must continue to advocate for change at all levels of society. This means not only addressing physical barriers but also challenging the attitudes and assumptions that perpetuate discrimination against people with disabilities. It means holding our leaders accountable and demanding that they prioritise accessibility and inclusion in their organisations.

It’s vital to put attitude shifts into action, and we encourage leaders and executives across Australia to partake in the annual CEO Wheelie Challenge where leaders spend a day in a wheelchair within their workplace.

This challenge seeks to spark a broader conversation on fostering more diverse, inclusive, and accessible workplace environments for people with disabilities. We’re calling upon CEOs, executives, and leaders nationwide to register for the CEO Wheelie Challenge which takes place on August 30 to experience the daily challenges faced by wheelchair users, gain a first-hand insight into what it may be like to have a disability and identify areas for improvement in their business.

How can emerging technologies be leveraged to improve workplace accessibility? Are there specific tools or innovations you are exploring or implementing?

Emerging technologies play a crucial role in improving workplace accessibility. For example, assistive technologies such as speech-to-text software, screen readers, and AI-powered tools allow people with disabilities to access information and communicate effectively.

We are also exploring innovations such as Cérge technology, which creates an inclusive experience for people with disabilities by helping businesses provide information about the accessibility of their workplaces, gather information about their staff, and offer tailored services based on individual needs. Additionally, we are looking into the potential of virtual and augmented reality for training and onboarding employees with disabilities in an accessible environment.

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How do you envision the role of accessibility evolving in the future workplace? What changes or advancements do you anticipate?

In the future, I envision accessibility becoming a non-negotiable part of workplace design and culture. As technology advances, we will see greater integration of AI-powered solutions, such as automated accessibility checks in software and platforms. The adoption of inclusive hiring practices will increase as organisations recognise the value of diversity and inclusion.

I anticipate a shift from reactive to proactive accessibility measures, where companies actively design their spaces, products, and services to accommodate everyone from the outset, rather than retrofitting solutions. Additionally, leaders will prioritise accessibility as an integral part of business success, with adaptive workspaces and digital tools playing key roles in ensuring that all employees can contribute meaningfully.