Attributes

So let’s think about the attributes needed to be a good, effective manager. These may include:

• Creating open communication
• Fostering and nourishing talent
• Removing the barriers preventing your employees reaching their goals

These are arguably all the skills you need in order to support your disabled employee.

Yes, there are other processes that can be implemented such as reasonable adjustments, flexible working patterns, ensuring access around the building and workspace, formatting documents to be more accessible etc. However, all of this will be a non starter if the 3 points above are not a priority. An open and honest conversation can be the only thing that you need to break down the barriers between you and your employee.

Workplace Adjustments

It is a common misconception that implementing reasonable adjustments will be a financial cost on the business. This is not always the case. In fact, only 4% of reasonable adjustments have a financial implication. Even then, there are quite often funding resources that can be tapped into – Access to Work being one. Most of the time the adjustments that a disabled employee may need are things that can be taken care of in house. For example, a desk that is in a more convenient position, a parking bay that is closer to the entrance, an extra few minutes for lunch time break. This article looks at this in more detail.

Once you have created the environment for your employee to talk to you, seek their advice as to how they can be best supported in their role. As you will know yourself, nobody is better equipped to know what they need than the person themselves. After this, you can work together to source the equipment, add the resource, adapt the environment for the employee to thrive.

Esi’s Final Thoughts

• Every disabled employee is unique –  a one size fits all approach will never work
• Not all disabilities are visible – just because you can’t see it, doesn’t mean it’s not there
• Do not let unconscious bias determine your relationship – get to know your employee as an individual

Celebrating Disability has a 30-day service that starts you on your journey to an inclusive workplace. To find out more and discuss your options, book a 30 minute chat with Esi and check out our services.

Background

Over the years I have consulted on, written and implemented policies that support personalisation and disability equality. I have, alongside colleagues with like minded ideals, delivered training, written workbooks and  created documents that support change to build a positive workforce that actively encourages and supports disabled people. And yet, disability inequality in the workplace is still rife.

Since starting Celebrating Disability, I have been to networking events and exhibitions and even spoken to people in the communal areas in my office space. When asked what I do and what Celebrating Disability is, I have explained that Celebrating Disability is a disability equality consultancy supporting businesses, education establishments and general interest groups to become disability confident. In turn, they can support disabled employees and customers to excel.

It bothers me that much too often people are responding with telling stories of discrimination in the workplace where they themselves or a colleague of theirs has been actively discriminated against for being disabled.

Too many stories in the news of discrimination

 Businesses who are not strapped for cash and have plenty of resources to offer support. Don’t get me wrong, sometimes the support a disabled employee needs does not need hundreds and thousands of pounds but on the contrary, is as simple as offering an employee a quiet place to rest, flexible working time or assistance in cashing up the till.

I can’t help thinking that this only reinforces the reason why Celebrating Disability and consultancies like it must exist. But it still leaves one unanswered question. Because the only people who are going to hire the services of disability equality consultancies are organisations with a positive attitude towards integration, inclusion and equality.

Conclusion

So how do we capture the interest of those who either do not see the aforementioned as an issue or do not care? I have been working closely with sales and marketing advisors to build brand awareness of Celebrating Disability – they have told me that people buy due to fear or greed. Is this the way to convince those businesses less interested to come into the light? The answer that is coming to mind is yes but my only wish is that it does not need fear and greed to convince somebody to do the right thing and treat people as equals. That may be naive on my part but at the same time I don’t think its unreasonable.

As a physically disabled person using an electric wheelchair,

I have been to many workplaces – some clearly more accessible than others. I always find it interesting to hear individual definitions of accessibility; some people feel that a building is accessible if the central room is on one level, even if it took 3 flights of stairs to get there.

Recently,  I visited some office space where, although on first glance they were  wheelchair accessible with ramp, lift or level access into every part of the building, they still  presented as only 50%  accessible for me.

This is an office space that I was considering renting. The owners of the building are enquiring into automatic doors throughout the areas that I will be frequently using.

It is commonly thought that a workplace is accessible if they have a low desk for a physically disabled person to sit at. Forgetting that the low desk is at one end of the room when the workplace community is predominately at the other end of the room.

Often, the barriers to accessibility in the workplace can be relatively easily rectified: ensure that there is level access from the front entrance – including the entrance itself. Strive to make your office space inclusive for every ability; scatter your desk sizes throughout the workspace, make all your desks height adjustable so that a disabled or non-disabled person can use them. Where possible, replace your standard push/pull doors with automatic ones or take out the door altogether. Ensure your disabled parking bays are at an appropriate distance from the building and that they are wide enough.

The Shaw Trust have listed several pieces of equipment that can be installed in your workplace to ensure your disabled employees can have equal access to their surroundings. These items are simple to install and do not have to be isolated to your disabled employees but can in fact be part of your overall upgrade plan. For example, easy reach, accessible plug sockets and flexible monitor arms can be installed at every workstation.

Adjustments like those listed above are relatively easy to implement and can support your disabled employees to feel welcomed and valued in your organisation.

Alongside these, I would like to talk briefly about a few other relatively basic designs that can be implemented within your organisation to support your disabled employees to feel part of your workplace community:

Accessible communal areas.

We all know that the workspace is only one part of your business’ productivity. A big part of what keeps your employees productive is your workplace community that employees naturally become a member of when they join your organisation. This is not any different for your disabled employees but due to restrictions on accessibility, it can feel more of a challenge to be an active member of these communities. Places like kitchens, toilets, breakout areas and even smoking areas can present as barriers to physically disabled employees if appropriate planning has not been implemented.

A popular sitcom highlighted this issue when the protagonist was left out of strategic decisions because those decisions were always made during the smoking breaks. As she did not smoke, she was segregated from these discussions.

Although we are not teenagers, toilets are seen as communal areas. Accessible toilets are quite often separated from general toilets therefore separating a physically disabled person from their non-disabled peers. If possible, try building your accessible toilet within the standard toilets.  To ensure you are being inclusive of even more access requirements, you may think to install Changing Places.  When it comes to design, if you do not have experience of using accessible toilets, do not design them yourself. Commission somebody with lived experience.

Kitchens are quite often designed to take up minimal amount of space possible. This can create a barrier for a physically disabled person; not only will they not be able to reach equipment, it will be harder to take part in conversations. I have been in situations many times where the congregated group have agreed to move into a more accessible area so that I can be part of the conversation. However by the time the group has moved, the conversation has ended.

As a manager, you may not be thrilled by the idea of your employees talking about their weekend during office time. However, we all know that a happy employee is a productive employee. Therefore communal breakout time is arguably essential.

Positioning of the office workspace.

Earlier, we discussed workspace equipment that can be inclusive of all abilities and disabilities. However, depending on budget, it is not always possible to upgrade all office equipment to be accessible for all. In these cases it is worth considering where you’re physically disabled employee will be located: if you have an open plan office space, you may consider how easy it is for an employee in a wheelchair to navigate to their desk. Equally, if that person needs to have frequent contact with their line manager and team, consider where everyone in that team is located.

Hot desking is becoming popular within the workplace. This is possible for disabled employees but would be easier in a workplace that has the ability to make the office space equally accessible for all.

Employee benefits.

Finally, I would like to touch upon employee benefits. Depending on your business’ financial position, you may offer a generous and extensive employee benefits scheme. It is worth considering whether these benefits are accessible for your physically disabled employees. Some examples of this can include:

– company cars,

– gym memberships,

– travel vouchers,

– cycle to work scheme.

It is worth considering that your company cars may not be accessible for a physically disabled person. Therefore you may want to offer a wheelchair accessible vehicle as an alternative. You may want to consider whether the gym you have a contract with has any accessible equipment. Does the company that you get your travel vouchers from have information about accessible accommodation/ destinations? If a physically disabled person is not able to access the cycle to work scheme, do you have an alternative for them?

All of the above are only some suggestions, it is impossible to predict an individual’s circumstances. Therefore, you should aim to talk to that person at the earliest opportunity but always after you have offered them a position.

For more information, support and advice about how to make your workspace into an inclusive environment for your physically disabled employees, send an email to esi.hardy@celebratingdisability.co.uk or speak to Esi on 01256 578016.