One of the most rewarding experiences in any profession is when you set a system in motion, and it continues to thrive after you leave the scene. I encountered this firsthand when I was let go from my position, and some well-meaning colleagues expressed concern that the company’s commitment to accessibility would regress. In response, I surprised them by saying that I actually hoped it wouldn’t. If it didn’t, I would consider that a sign that I had done my job well.
The good news is, that’s exactly what happened. The app didn’t regress, and the accessibility work we had put in place continued to grow and evolve. I attribute this to the incredible team of people who remained passionate about creating high-quality, accessible products. These individuals were not just familiar with accessibility best practices but deeply committed to making them a core part of the company’s culture.
However, while I felt confident that the foundation we had built was in capable hands, it’s essential to remember that even the best habits and practices require constant attention. A company’s culture, no matter how well-established, can quickly become destabilized. So, while the good news is that strong habits have a lasting impact, there are lessons to be learned about how we protect and nurture those habits over time.
Building Strong Foundations for Sustainability
Good habits, once formed, are incredibly powerful. Whether it’s accessibility practices or any other form of organizational change, the key to sustainability lies in consistency. When I first joined the company, accessibility was something we had to prioritize and fight for. But over time, it became ingrained in the fabric of our work processes. It was no longer an afterthought or a compliance checkbox; it was part of how we developed products from the ground up.
The goal was always to create a system where accessibility didn’t rely on a single person or team. Instead, it became a collective responsibility shared across all departments, from design to engineering. The shift from seeing accessibility as a specific task to embedding it into the daily workflows of every team was key to its long-term success. Once these practices became a part of the company’s DNA, they were much more likely to endure—even in the face of organizational changes.
The Risk of Complacency
However, success doesn’t always guarantee that things will continue to run smoothly. Cultures are not static; they require ongoing care and nurturing to stay strong. One of the most dangerous traps is the assumption that once a positive change is in place, it will automatically maintain itself. The reality is that many factors—rapid hiring, layoffs, leadership changes, acquisitions, or shifts in company priorities—can all destabilize the cultural equilibrium you’ve worked so hard to create.
I’ve seen it happen before: A company grows too fast, hires without aligning with its core values, or experiences a leadership change that doesn’t fully understand the importance of the culture that has been built. In these moments, the things we take for granted—like accessibility—can be pushed aside, ignored, or even forgotten.
For instance, the speed at which a company grows can strain the systems that have been put in place. New hires might not have the same understanding or commitment to the company’s values, which can lead to inconsistencies in how accessibility is implemented. If new leaders or teams aren’t well-versed in the importance of accessibility, they may fail to prioritize it in future decisions.
Nurturing a Culture of Accessibility
To ensure that the gains you’ve made in accessibility don’t unravel, it’s critical to continue building and maintaining the culture of inclusion you’ve worked so hard to create. Here are a few ways to do that:
- Constant Education and Training: Accessibility is an evolving field. New tools, techniques, and regulations emerge regularly. The culture you’ve built won’t remain strong unless your team continues to stay informed and engaged. Whether it’s through workshops, regular training sessions, or bringing in experts, it’s important to keep accessibility at the forefront of everyone’s mind.
- Strong Advocacy at All Levels: Accessibility shouldn’t be the responsibility of just one team or department. It has to be championed at every level of the organization, from the CEO to the junior developer. By ensuring that key leaders remain advocates for accessibility, you protect the culture from being swept aside by shifts in leadership or priorities.
- Clear Documentation and Processes: A culture built on accessibility needs clear documentation that everyone can refer to. This documentation should outline processes, guidelines, and best practices for maintaining accessibility in every project. It should be updated regularly to reflect new learnings and industry standards. When accessibility practices are documented, they become harder to ignore, even during times of change.
- Celebrating Wins and Acknowledging Progress: One of the most effective ways to ensure that accessibility doesn’t become an afterthought is by celebrating the small wins along the way. Whether it’s fixing a critical accessibility issue, improving user feedback loops, or launching an accessibility feature, recognizing and celebrating these victories helps to maintain momentum and reminds the team of the larger goal.
- Building Resilience into the Process: Even the best teams will experience turnover, reorganizations, and other changes. To ensure that your accessibility culture remains intact through these shifts, build resilience into your processes. This means developing systems where accessibility is integrated into every part of your product lifecycle, making it less dependent on any single person or group.
The Key Takeaway: Accessibility Is an Ongoing Effort
At the end of the day, the good news is that once accessibility becomes part of your company’s culture, it can continue to thrive even when individual contributors move on. But this success is not guaranteed. It requires ongoing vigilance and effort from everyone in the organization.
If you’ve worked hard to establish good habits and practices, take pride in the fact that they are likely to stick around. However, don’t rest on your laurels. Continue to nurture the culture, protect the progress you’ve made, and remain adaptable as circumstances change. Accessibility is not a destination—it’s an ongoing journey, one that requires constant effort and commitment from all levels of the organization.
When you invest in nurturing the culture of accessibility, you create a foundation that’s not only sustainable but also adaptable to whatever changes come your way. This is how accessibility becomes more than just a set of practices—it becomes an integral part of who your company is and the experience you deliver to every user.
