Zoho People Accessibility Controls

Zoho People Accessibilty Controls

What is accessibility in software terms?

Accessibility in software or web terms refers to the design and development of digital products, websites, and applications that ensure equal access and usability for all users, including those with disabilities. This involves implementing inclusive design principles, assistive technologies, and compliance with accessibility standards like WCAG (Web Content Accessibility Guidelines).

Main Objectives of Accessibility:
➥ Inclusivity: Ensure that people with disabilities, including visual, auditory, and cognitive impairments, can access and interact with digital content.
➥ Usability: Create a seamless user experience by improving navigation, readability, and interaction for diverse users, regardless of their abilities or assistive technologies.
➥ Compliance: Adhere to legal and industry standards (such as WCAG (Web Content Accessibility Guidelines) to meet accessibility requirements and avoid legal or ethical issues.
Info
Zoho People is WCAG 2.2 AA Compliant

How are accessibility controls classified? 

 Vision: Accessibility features designed for users with visual impairments, such as focus area, high-contrast modes, and text size adjustments.
 Hearing: Enhancements for individuals with hearing impairments, include screen readers, captions, and text-based communication options.
 Mobility: Features that assist users with limited motor skills, such as keyboard shortcuts and alternative navigation methods.
 Language: Support for diverse language needs for users from varied geographical locations.

Accessing Accessibility Controls

To access the accessibility menu in Zoho People:
From any page in Zoho People, click on the accessibility icon available in the bottom-right corner. Clicking the icon, will bring up the Accessibility Controls menu.

Voice Over Functionaility

To activate the screen reader functionality:
Mac: ⌘ + F5 (VoiceOver).
Windows/Linux: Ctrl + Windows + Enter (narrator).
Info
Screen Reader Navigation:
Navigation:
Tab → Next
Shift + Tab → Previous

Popup Controls:
Control + Option + Spacebar → Open Popup
Escape → Close Popup
To adjust the zoom level in your browser:
Mac: ⌘ + to increase zoom level.  ⌘ - to decrease zoom level.
Windows/Linux: Ctrl + to increase zoom. Ctrl - to decrease zoom level.
Info
The complete list of keyboard shortcuts will be covered later in this page.

Accessibility Features

Here is the list of accessibility features available under the Accessibility Controls  menu in Zoho People. The features are classified into Vision, Hearing, Mobility, and Language.

Vision

Font

Select your preferred font for Zoho People.
  1. Zoho Puvi — the default Zoho font 
  2. Lato
  3. Roboto

Text Size

Adjust text size for better readability and comfortable viewing. Five sizes are available, from smallest to largest.

Idea
If you find yourself squinting to read, try increasing the text size by one or two steps.

Text Spacing

Customize the text spacing for improved readability and visual clarity. Seven spacing levels are available.

Idea
Users with dyslexia or visual processing differences often benefit from wider text spacing.

User Interface Mode

Choose from a preferred light or dark mode, or let the system decide based on time.
  1. Light Mode — bright interface, best for well-lit environments 
  2. Dark Mode — reduces glare, best for low-light environments
  3. Auto — switches between Light and Dark based on time of day

Accent Color

Select a desired accent color to use in Zoho People. Six options are available: Blue, Red, Green, Gold, Purple, and Orange.

Contrast Level

Enable and choose between Enhanced Contrast and High Constrast modes. This mode enhances the contrast between text and backgrounds for clearer, more defined elements.

Info
Contrast enhancement features are helpful for users with low vision or color sensitivity.
Enhances link visibility and accessibility with a clearly distinguishable underline. 
Info
Underline links options makes links easily identifiable.

Text-based Switch Labels

Shows 'On' or 'Off' text based on the switch state, replacing the default visual indicator.


    ->
 

Page Zoom

Adjust the size of page elements for your viewing comfort using the Zoom Level slider.

Strikethrough Disabled Buttons

Applies a strikethrough effect to disabled buttons to distinguish them from active ones. Also enhances the visual distinction between Primary, Secondary, and Tertiary buttons.

Reading Mask

Highlights a specific area of the screen based on the movement of the pointer. Helps users focus on one line at a time, reducing visual distraction.

Toast Notification Timing Control

Customize the duration of toast notifications to ensure sufficient comprehension time. Opt for the 'Manual Close' option if notifications must stay until you close them.
Setting
Options
Success and info notifications behavior
Auto-Close (Default) or Manual Close
Automatic timeout duration
1 to 10 Sec(s).
Warning and error notifications behavior
Auto-Close (Default) or Manual Close
Automatic timeout duration3 
3 to 10 Sec(s).
Idea
Choose 'Manual Close' if you need more time to read notifications before they disappear.

Hearing

Screen Reader

Audibly narrates on-screen content with audio descriptions when applicable. To activate the screen reader:
  1. Mac OS — Cmd + F5 (VoiceOver) 
  2. Windows/Linux OS — Ctrl + Win + Enter (Narrator)
Alert
Voiceover and narrator support in Zoho People is available for all standard employee*-level services and related actions  However, it is not supported for admin areas such as Settings, Operations, or features that contain sensitive information.
*Referred as "Team Member" role in Zoho People.

Keyboard-Based Navigation

Navigate the Zoho People user interface using the following keys. Main Navigation:
Key
Action
Tab
Next UI element
Shift + Tab
Previous UI element
Enter
Select UI element
Shift + ?
Open keyboard shortcuts list

Popup Controls:
Key
Action
Ctrl + Opt + Space
Open popup screen
Esc
Close popup screen

Mobility

Keyboard Shortcuts

Navigate Zoho People and perform actions efficiently using keyboard commands. Press Shift + ? to view all shortcuts.
Info
Enable the Keyboard Shortcuts toggle in Accessibility Settings to activate this feature.

Focus Indicator

Highlights interactive elements with an outline when using keyboard navigation, making it easy to see which element is currently focused.
E.g.:


Page Navigator

Quickly jump between key sections of Zoho People such as main content, header, and more. Use Z + T to access the navigator.


Keyboard Shortcut Reference

General:
Shortcut
Action
/
Open Global Search
Shift + ?
Open Shortcuts
Z + T
Page Navigator
Z + H
Open Help
Z + S
Open Settings
Z + O
Open Operations
Z + R
Open Reports
Z + N
Open Notifications
Cmd + F5
Open VoiceOver (Mac)

Go to Services:
Shortcut
Service
G + H
Home
G + L
Leave
G + A
Attendance
G + P
Performance
G + T
Timesheet
G + F
Files
G + B
LMS
G + C
HR Help Desk

Switch Tabs:
Shortcut
Tab
Z + 1 / Z + 2 / Z + 3 / Z + 4
Level 1: Switch to Tab 1–4
X + 1 / X + 2 / X + 3 / X + 4
Level 2: Switch to Tab 1–4

Language

Language Selection

Use Zoho People in your preferred language for a personalized experience.  Language switching assists multilingual users and enhances accessibility for non-native speakers, ensuring better comprehension and inclusivity.
  1. Go to Accessibility Controls 
  2. Select the Language section
  3. Choose your preferred language from the dropdown
Notes
The language selection applies to the entire Zoho People interface. Refresh the page after changing your language for the update to take effect.
  1. Arabic
  2. Bulgarian
  3. Chinese
  4. Croatian
  5. Danish
  6. Dutch
  7. English (UK)
  8. English (US)
  9. French
  10. Georgian
  11. German
  12. Hebrew
  13. Hindi
  14. Italian
  15. Japanese
  16. Korean
  17. Polish
  18. Portuguese 
  19. Russian
  20. Serbian
  21. Spanish
  22. Swedish
  23. Turkish
  24. Vietnamese
Info
Zoho People language can also be changed from Home > Personal Preferences, under Locale Settings, select your preferred language.