Disability inclusion at the workplace

If you have been reading my posts, you might already know that I am passionate about disability inclusion and have been trying to make a small difference through my writing. A lot of my posts talk about disability, including my own personal experience and beyond. Last year, I started the IDPD blog hop initiative and encouraged by the experience, I have decided to make it a yearly initiative. Another initiative I have taken this year is to get involved in DEI work at my workplace, mixing personal passion with work. Considering this is top of my mind these days, I am dedicating my IDPD blog post to inclusion at the workplace.

Who are the disability affected staff?

So, first things first. What do we mean by disability affected staff? Of course, you might say, it is a no brainer – anyone with a disability would be a part of this category. Absolutely correct. But you see, a large number of disabilities are not visible, and most people with a disability will likely not be comfortable asking their employer for support – they might fear becoming a burden or of being treated differently. In all likelihood there are people working with a disability but the organisation has not been able to recognize that. So, the first thing to keep in mind is that ‘disabilities are diverse’ – they don’t just mean a person in a wheelchair or a person with a white cane. This is where an organization needs to start with – understand and recognize disability.

Given that about 15% of individuals globally (that is one in six of us) have a disability, it is quite likely there are already many staff in the organization with visible or invisible disabilities. So, the next step is to identify staff affected by disability. This also means creating an environment, where staff are comfortable enough to disclose their disability.

I am also including another category of staff here, who might not be disabled themselves, but are caregivers – of special needs children, parents, spouses etc. One might wonder why this category is important. That is because they also have special needs on account of being caregivers and given the right support, they can maximise their potential. Honestly, I probably wouldn’t have understood this if I was not a caregiver myself, but this is also an important category of staff.

What is disability inclusion at the workplace?

Getting down to brass tacks now. What does disability inclusion at the workplace mean? Does having a fair percentage of disability affected staff mean that the organization is doing well on disability inclusion? Not really. Having a good representation only tells us that the organization values diversity. It does not mean that it is treating its staff equitably, nor that the disability affected staff are feeling included.

A truly inclusive and equitable workplace will offer its disability affected employees an equal opportunity to succeed, to learn, to be compensated fairly, and to advance. It involves fostering a culture that values diversity and ensures that people with disabilities are not excluded or marginalized in any aspect of work life. People with disabilities, just like those without disabilities, want to be recognized for their talents and accomplishments.

Easier said than done, no?

Well, yes. To achieve real disability inclusion or any kind of inclusion takes commitment from senior leadership and involves not only physical accessibility but creating a culture that fosters and celebrates diversity and inclusion.

I would say, one can start with providing equal opportunities i.e. fair access to job opportunities, promotions, and professional development without discrimination based on disability. For e.g. If your organization has a career website, is it designed to be accessible? Or does an employee with invisible disabilities get passed on for promotion because s/he cannot be up to it?

Are your physical spaces and environment accessible? What about technology? I know for instance that there are special type of screen readers available for visually impaired people. Is there wheelchair access to all the places? Including the company gym and the breastfeeding room? Are your events, and media accessible? I know it is not easy – and in fact am highly ashamed to admit that recently we were producing a video for an event and ‘accessibility’ was nowhere in my mind. A colleague had to remind me.

HR policies play a huge role in promoting equity and inclusion. HR policies should be able to accommodate diverse needs, including flexible work arrangements or reasonable accommodations.

Equally important are education and awareness. It is not easy to promote a culture unless all employees understand and empathise. There needs to be regular training and discussions with employees to raise awareness, increase understanding, and promote sensitivity toward disability-related issues as well as inclusive communication. This is also closely linked to creating an environment that encourages open communication. An environment where employees feel comfortable disclosing disabilities and requesting necessary accommodations without fear of stigma or discrimination.

Wow! That’s a lot of work. Is there even any benefit in doing this?

Yes. Many. But before benefits, let me say that this is the right and the ethical thing to do. It is our social responsibility to create inclusive environments that accommodate individuals with disabilities. Beyond that, disability inclusion brings many benefits to an organization.

First of all, inclusive organisations have better access to talent and better employee retention. People with disabilities represent a significant talent pool and today employees are looking for diverse, inclusive workplaces. Inclusion builds morale and helps all employees do their best work. In fact, disability inclusion practices can also benefit other employees. For instance, flex work could help a single parent navigate work better or a larger font or the option to listen to a briefing instead of reading it might appeal to non-visually impaired employees too.

Disability affected staff are often also able to bring to the table unique perspectives, different problem solving skills as well as perseverance. In addition, staff with a disability may bring in specialist knowledge and skills such as understanding the needs of disabled customers, creative problem solving, and having particular attention to detail.

But really, isn’t this for large organisations?

Not necessarily. One might think that disability inclusion measures could be costly and take time to implement. However, there are many adjustments that can be simple, free, or low cost. In fact, it is much easier for small businesses to be agile and adapt than it is for big businesses.

You can start by developing an inclusive culture. By creating an environment that encourages employees to disclose their disabilities. By sensitizing staff to different types of disabilities. It would be a good start to making a workplace disability inclusive.

Another simple but effective measure would be to introduce flexible work policies. Post covid, the world has learnt that work from home can be effective and has adapted to hybrid ways of working.

Consider low-cost adjustments like making the workplace more accessible, both physically and digitally. For example, implementing digital tools and technologies that aid employees with disabilities can be a one-time investment with long-term benefits. Ensure that company communications, including websites and documents, are digitally accessible.

Find out about any government or NGO support that your organization might be able to access for your employees. Inform your employees about any benefits that might be available free to them. Consider providing health/ disability benefits if the organization can afford. Consider reasonable accommodations if possible. Sometimes, simple adjustments or modifications can make a substantial difference without significant expenses. It could be as simple as an adjustable desk or workstation.

In essence, disability inclusion at the workplace emphasizes the importance of creating an environment that embraces diversity, respects individual differences, and ensures that everyone, regardless of ability, has the opportunity to contribute and succeed within the organization.

This post is a part of “International Day of Persons with Disability” blog hop hosted by Sakshi Varma – Tripleamommy. #IDPD2023Bloghop. Access all posts of this bloghop at Championing Diversity, Uniting Voices: Commemorating IDPD Together

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Regards, Sakshi aka tripleamommy
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