Investing in Our People
We invest in the talent development, career mobility, safety, and overall well-being of our people to inspire and empower them to do their best
Our Commitment to the Workforce
Disney is home to some of the most exceptional and dedicated people. We welcome talent of all kinds, from animators to engineers to zookeepers, and many roles in between, and we seek to cultivate an environment where every individual feels supported in exploring their career ambitions.
Our approach focuses on attracting, engaging, developing, and rewarding a talented, diverse, and best-in-class team while instilling a culture of integrity, creativity, collaboration, community, and inclusion to promote a positive employee experience.
"Disney is home to a community of passionate, creative, and innovative employees who reach new heights together. We seek to foster an inclusive environment with unparalleled opportunity, where our employees can thrive personally and professionally and unleash their greatest potential. Our exceptional talent paves the way to our success, enabling us to continue sharing heartwarming stories and unforgettable experiences that touch the hearts of millions around the world."
– Sonia Coleman, Chief Human Resources Officer, The Walt Disney Company
Employee Safety, Health & Well-being
We strive to provide a safe, healthy, and respectful work environment where employees have the support they need and the peace of mind they deserve.
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Workplace Safety
The safety of our employees is a top priority in the decisions we make. Teams—staffed by professionals such as medical doctors and nurses, professional engineers, certified industrial hygienists, ergonomists, public health and certified food professionals, registered sanitarians, microbiologists, and more—help promote a safe work environment for our employees.
We promote a culture of safety through internal programs and policies, and our Standards of Business Conduct provide the process to report safety concerns and incidents.
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Mental Health
Disney works to reduce the stigma related to mental health challenges by breaking down barriers to resources and care.
We offer a variety of easy-to-access and innovative programs for employees, cast members, and their families, including access to counselors, mindfulness activities, and various meditation, stress management, and other self-care apps.
Our Employee Assistance Program is available to eligible employees, cast members, and their family/household members, providing support and connecting participants directly to licensed network therapists.
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Employee Well-being
Disney’s Center for Living Well provides high-quality healthcare and helps our employees, cast members, and their families stay well and get the care they need. Since its opening, the Center for Living Well has expanded to now include a pharmacy in Anaheim, California, in addition to locations in Orlando, Florida and Celebration, Florida that offer preventive care, gynecology, obstetrics, vision services, mental health care, and more. The Center for Living Well is open to active employees, cast members, and covered family members enrolled in eligible medical plans.
Comprehensive Total Rewards
To help attract and retain top talent, Disney offers a competitive total rewards package that includes pay, health and savings benefits, time-off programs, educational opportunities, and more. Together, these rewards make up a comprehensive package that empowers our employees and cast members to live their best lives, grow personally and professionally, and take advantage of the special extras that only Disney can provide.
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Equitable Pay
Disney is committed to fostering a respectful and equitable workplace culture. As part of that focus, we publish an annual median pay ratio analysis that includes adjusted data for eligible U.S. employees based on gender, race, and ethnicity, controlling for role, experience, and location, as well as an unadjusted analysis (with no accounting for factors such as role, experience, or location) based on the same data set.
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Wages for Hourly Employees
Almost all hourly full-time and part-time employees within our U.S. Disney Experiences business earn a minimum of $17/hour, and median hourly earnings are more than $19/hour.*
*Employees earn minimum wage or higher. Almost all hourly full-time and part-time nontipped employees in our U.S. Disney Experiences business earn a base rate of $17/hour or more, excluding Walt Disney World College Program participants (this program is not comparable to other employment opportunities, as it includes other benefits such as housing and transportation), Disney Stores in select regions, and temporary daily hires. Median earnings for hourly employees are based on total earnings for total hours paid and include the impact of overtime, shift premiums, and gratuities. This excludes the value of benefits for eligible employees.
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Annual Bonus Plan
Disney’s Annual Bonus Plan is tied to the Company’s fiscal-year performance and recognizes the contributions employees make to business results. Generally, eligibility includes our executives, management, and certain professional roles.
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Employee Benefits
Disney’s benefits are unique to each region and are designed to meet the varied and evolving needs of our diverse workforce across businesses and geographies while enabling employees and families to thrive in their daily lives.
For example, we provide:
• Healthcare options aimed at improving quality of care while limiting out-of-pocket costs
• Family care resources such as childcare and senior care programs, long-term care coverage, paid family care leave, and a family-building benefit supporting options such as fertility treatments and adoptions
• Free mental health and well-being resources
• Centers for Living Well in the Orlando area that offer convenient, on-demand access to board-certified physicians and counselors
• Retirement and savings programs that help employees adapt to changing needs and unexpected events and drive financial security in the present and the future
Employee Engagement & Recognition
Connecting employees to our brand and vision enables us to drive an exceptional employee experience. We are committed to hearing from employees across the enterprise and we actively listen to and learn from them, share their stories, and incorporate their ideas and feedback into our activities, policies, and processes.
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Service Celebrations
Disney is steeped in long-standing traditions, one of which includes recognizing employees, cast members, crew members, and Imagineers for their years of service with Service Celebration events.
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Recognizing Each Other
RecognizeNow! is a worldwide digital platform for our employees that enables them to send notes of appreciation, recognition, and gratitude quickly and easily to one another. We also offer CelebrateNow!, a similar platform that enables our employees to celebrate life’s most important moments with one another by sending an array of e-cards for milestones such as holidays, birthdays, anniversaries, and more. Further, the Cast Compliment feature in the My Disney Experience and Disneyland Resort mobile apps invites guests visiting Walt Disney World Resort and Disneyland Resort to submit a digital recognition to cast members who made their visit memorable.
Talent Development
We are committed to the ongoing development of our workforce, offering an array of learning and development opportunities that enable our employees to make the most of their careers at Disney, regardless of their unique aspirations.
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Onboarding New Talent
U.S.-based new hires attend Disney Beginnings, a virtual and live orientation experience that focuses on our history and mission, strategic priorities, global structure, and brand stewardship.
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Leadership Development
Disney IGNITE is a virtual learning experience for directors and vice presidents, designed to empower participants to lead with care and a people-first mindset.
Newly hired and promoted senior managers, directors, and vice presidents are also offered a personalized executive coaching engagement through BetterUp.
Additionally, we have continued our Disney Leadership Essentials (DLE) experience, as well as our mentoring programs. DLE helps entry-level leaders better coach and develop their teams.
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Employee Learning Programs
Our employees have access to on-demand learning platforms, including our internal platform, D Learn. D Learn is the primary digital learning platform for Disney employees around the globe, where they can complete both required training and optional learning opportunities. Offerings include self-directed and instructor-led training, as well as in-person courses.
Through the D Learn platform, employees also have access to learning platforms such as Harvard Spark and Harvard ManageMentor, with content and experiences tailored to each employee’s unique interests and preferences.
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Investing in Our People Through Education
Disney offers education reimbursement to salaried employees who are interested in furthering their careers through professional and technical education related to their current roles.
And to alleviate the financial burden of higher education, we offer a competitive scholarship opportunity to eligible children of Disney employees who are high school seniors or the equivalent through our Disney Scholars program. Scholarships are awarded based on academic achievement, extracurricular activities, community service, and demonstrated leadership.
Investing in Our Employees’ Futures
We’re investing in the futures of our eligible hourly employees through the Disney Aspire program.
Disney Aspire is our education investment and career development program that offers 100% tuition paid up front at a variety of learning institutions across the country, ranging from learning English to high school completion to college degrees.
Through Disney Aspire, we hope to foster passion through education, promote confidence, and help employees focus on what really matters—reaching their career dreams.
Students and graduates have access to Disney Aspire advising services to help them more confidently navigate their career journeys. In addition, our Disney Aspire Advocates program brings together program graduates from across the company who have experienced internal career mobility to help spread the word, showcase Disney Aspire’s impact, and provide guidance to those exploring enrollment or currently enrolled in the program.
To see the latest impact data from Disney Aspire, please view our program fact sheet available on aspire.disney.com.
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Life at Disney
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Go behind the scenes and see what it’s like to be a part of the story, the magic, and more.
Explore the Life at Disney blog to learn about our culture, our employees, and how the next chapter of your own career story could start here.
Highlights
1M
digital peer-to-peer recognitions sent by our employees across the globe via RecognizeNow! and CelebrateNow!, our internal recognition and appreciation platforms
100+
Business Employee Resources Groups, through which employees can network with peers, participate in outreach and mentorship opportunities, and build new skills and leadership capabilities to help develop their careers
15K+
Employees enrolled in Disney Aspire as of the end of FY23