Attitudinal behavior of able employees towards employees with disabilities & senior citizens as food servers in selected shakey's branches in Manila : a basis for employee adaptive program

The integration of Persons with Disabilities (PWDs) and Senior Citizens (SCs) in the workforce is a badge of progress toward inclusivity, but there are still several challenges that have to be addressed in terms of providing equal opportunities, especially in food service. This study looks into the attitudes, awareness, and experiences of non-disabled employees regarding PWDs and SCs as food servers in selected branches of Shakey's Manila. Anchored on legal frameworks such as the Magna Carta for Disabled Persons (R.A. 7277) and the Expanded Senior Citizens Act of 2010 (R.A. 9994), the study assesses the effectiveness of inclusionary hiring policies while identifying barriers to full participation by such employees. The study reveals generally positive attitudes among the non-disabled employees in acknowledging the contributions of PWDs and SCs toward teamwork, communication, and customer satisfaction through a quantitative descriptive approach. However, gaps noted include fostering active participation, awareness of legal protections, and the availability of adaptive workplace programs. This underlines the need for interventions in the form of specialized training, mentorship programs, accessible infrastructure, and enhanced anti-discrimination policies. An inclusive workforce can be transformative, especially where diversity enriches the organizational culture and enhances the delivery of services. If systemic gaps are addressed, it would not only strengthen its reputation as a leader in being inclusive but also inspire further industry efforts toward equitable employment practices. This research would therefore add to the current discourse on workforce diversity by forming a basis for further studies and policy innovation targeted at empowering marginalized groups within the labor market.