Accessibility is not a checkbox. It’s not a post-launch add-on or a technical footnote. It’s a mindset, a commitment, and, for us, a non-negotiable part of how we build. Here at Havas People, high design standards are part of our DNA, but that commitment doesn’t end with aesthetics or user delight. It extends to ensuring that every user, regardless of ability, can access and engage with what we create.
Historically, the tech industry has prioritised features and functionality over usability. Products were built to work, but not necessarily to work for everyone. Buttons were clickable, pages loaded fast, and dashboards did what they were meant to, but only if you could see them clearly, navigate them with a mouse, or understand the layout without confusion. That era is fading, and rightfully so.
Today, more and more digital experiences are being designed with users in mind, streamlined interfaces, human-first content, simplified navigation. It’s a positive shift. But the question we continually ask is: are we designing for all users? Because when we look at the data, the feedback, and the lived experiences of millions, the answer is clear. We’re not there yet.
That’s why accessibility isn’t an afterthought in our work. It’s a foundational principle. From initial research to product design and ongoing optimisation, we consider every user’s needs, not just the average ones. Our commitment to accessibility is woven into everything we do, and nowhere is this more evident than in our work on engage | ats, our recruitment technology platform.
Building With Every User in Mind
engage|ats was created to simplify and humanise the hiring process for everyone, candidates, recruiters, hiring managers, and HR teams alike. But what makes it truly different is how deeply accessibility is baked into its design and functionality.
As detailed on our accessibility page, engage|ats has been developed in line with WCAG 2.2 AA (Web Content Accessibility Guidelines) standards. We build interfaces that work just as well with screen readers as they do with a mouse or touchscreen. Colours are carefully selected to meet contrast standards. Form fields are labelled clearly. Navigation is logical and consistent.
But beyond the technical implementation, it’s our mindset that matters most. We recognise that accessibility isn’t static. User needs evolve, assistive technology advances, and expectations rise. That’s why we see our clients not as customers, but as partners. Our products are built to adapt, and so are we.
We work closely with organisations across public and private sectors, many of which have complex accessibility requirements and diverse user bases. Rather than applying a one-size-fits-all solution, we collaborate, test, refine and iterate. Our platform evolves with your needs, whether that means rethinking workflows, adjusting for neurodiversity, or building new tools to improve candidate experience.
As part of our ongoing evolution and to offer even greater flexibility and user control, we integrated with accessiBe. Their vision of making the internet accessible to everyone closely aligns with our own, and their technology adds personalised features that support users with specific needs. It’s a powerful complement to our core platform, reinforcing the belief that true accessibility combines thoughtful design, technical compliance, and user empowerment.
Our integration with accessiBe empowers users to tailor how they interact with a system based on their specific needs and preferences. Whether it’s adjusting colour contrasts, enlarging text, pausing animations, or enabling keyboard navigation, each user is placed in control. A simple interface, always visible, always accessible, lets visitors select from a range of disability profiles or fine-tune settings manually. For many, this immediate personal agency makes the difference between using a website with effort and using it with ease.
Behind the scenes, accessiBe uses AI to optimise for screen readers and ensure keyboard-only users can navigate without friction. It automatically enriches your site’s content with helpful attributes, like alt text and ARIA labels, enhancing clarity and context for assistive technologies. For users with cognitive disabilities, the widget highlights key areas and offers a built-in dictionary to support comprehension. For those with photosensitive epilepsy, it creates a seizure-safe environment by instantly disabling flashing or moving visuals.
In essence, our systems offer what every user deserves: a dignified, personalised, and independent experience. And that aligns perfectly with our belief that accessibility isn’t about minimum standards – it’s about maximum inclusion.
Accessibility Is Not Just Inclusive, It’s Better Application
It’s worth stating plainly: accessible design is good design. When we consider every user, the end result is often a smoother, clearer, and more intuitive experience for everyone. The ripple effect of accessibility touches everything, content clarity, mobile responsiveness, load times, cognitive ease.
We embed accessibility into our design culture, but we don’t limit creativity: we elevate it. Accessibility challenges us to think smarter, plan better, and design more intentionally. It elevates our products, sharpens our standards, and reinforces our belief that digital products should work for people, all people.
Always Learning, Always Improving
We know we won’t get everything perfect the first time. And we believe that’s okay; as long as we’re always moving forward. That’s why we build in space to listen, learn, and improve. Whether it’s feedback from a screen reader user, a new government standard, or an emerging assistive technology, we are committed to evolving our products to meet new needs as they arise.
Because the world doesn’t stand still, and neither do we.
In Summary
Accessibility is not a layer we apply to our work. It’s the lens through which we view every decision, from code to content to client collaboration. Our design standards may be high, but they are also human. That’s the only way we can build digital experiences that are truly open to everyone.
If you’re looking for a partner who puts people first, all people, we’re here to build with you. Let’s talk.