It's Not Just About Accommodations
- Sari Gulko
- Jun 29
- 2 min read
Time to Rewrite the Organizational Dictionary
For the past 15 years, I’ve helped organizations, entrepreneurs, and startups tell their stories—identifying the pain point, understanding the audience, and crafting a journey that starts with why and ends in action.
Sounds simple, right?
Yet time and again—even with the brightest, most tech-savvy teams—I encounter the same challenge: they know what they want to say but can’t quite get it across. When communication fails, it’s rarely about talent. It’s about language.
And then it hits you: if this happens to people with full access to resources, imagine what it’s like for someone entering a workplace without the “unwritten dictionary.” Especially if that person has a disability.
Every organization has its own language—internal codes, jargon, gestures, unspoken rules. Those who get the dictionary? Belong. Those who don’t? Stay on the sidelines.
That’s true for everyone. But for people with disabilities, it’s more than temporary confusion—it’s a barrier. And so, well-meaning organizations reach for the familiar term: “Let’s provide accommodations.” Lighting. Headphones. Flexible hours.
Important? Absolutely. Enough? Not even close.
We need to shift the conversation from technical adjustments to human understanding.
From accessibility to comprehension. From accommodations to alignment.
Technology shouldn't "fix" the employee—it should empower them to do what they do best.
That’s the insight behind Communify, a startup founded by Ido Arbili, an autistic tech professional who experienced the disconnect firsthand. The problem wasn’t him—it was the organizational language around him. Communify wasn’t born from a business plan; it emerged from a real need for accessible communication. The platform bridges the gap between employee and manager—translating professional language, aligning expectations, and preventing miscommunication that stems from misunderstanding, not misfit.
TA’AL, another trailblazer from the HackAutism accelerator, tackles the challenge from a cognitive standpoint—offering personalized reminders (visual, auditory, or textual) that create consistent work routines. Not to bypass difficulty—but to enable full participation.
This isn’t just impact-driven entrepreneurship. And the world is catching on.
Take SAP, one of the companies I’ve most enjoyed collaborating with over the years. Their numbers prove the power of inclusive language:
Over 90% retention of employees on the autism spectrum (Harvard Business Review)
Up to 40% increase in productivity and innovation in diverse teams (World Economic Forum, 2023)
More than 215 employees with disabilities integrated into teams across 17 countries
Organizational language transformation—through onboarding, training, and internal systems—drives not just inclusion, but direct business value.
The workforce doesn’t need more good intentions. It needs a new language. One that understands. Aligns. Builds trust. One that doesn’t ask, “How do we explain this to them?” but rather, “How do we listen?”
Most of all, we need a language that doesn’t build tailored “entry ramps” for others—but breaks down the barriers for everyone. And this isn’t just about values. According to the WHO, by 2030, 1 in 5 people worldwide will live with a disability. It’s no longer an exception—it’s the new norm.
This isn’t a social choice or an agenda. It’s an operational necessity if we want the workforce to survive, thrive—and grow.