How to support disabilities in the workplace

Disability Pride Month is celebrated every July and is an opportunity to start conversations about disability and share the experiences of people with disabilities. This article looks at how charities can recruit and retain people with disabilities in their workplace.

 

Everyone’s disability is different. People with the same disability might be affected in very different ways and some disabilities are “invisible” to others. This means employers need to work with people as individuals and not use a one size fits all approach when supporting applicants and employees with disabilities.

 

Jennifer Williams, senior diversity and inclusion business partner, writing for ACAS, says that disabilities can come in many different forms. “The danger is the risk of unintentionally discriminating against disabled staff or applicants if their individual circumstances are not taken into consideration.”

 

The findings of The Great Big Workplace Adjustments Survey 2023, a study carried out by the Business Disability Forum, shows that employers still have a lot of work to do to support staff with disabilities.

 

Almost four in five (78%) employees with disabilities said they had to initiate the process of getting adjustments made so they can do their job. And almost six in 10 (58%) said that getting the adjustments they needed was based on how assertive and confident they are to ask for that support.

 

 

Recruiting people with disabilities

 

Supporting people with disabilities in the workplace starts with the recruitment process. There are around seven million people of working age with a disability or long-term health condition in the UK, but only half of them are in work. Many people with disabilities who do work face prejudice or lack of support in the workplace and end up leaving.

 

The Business Disability Forum says you need to “design policies and practices that remove as many barriers as possible” for people with disabilities who want to apply for a job at your organisation.

 

This includes writing job ads that don’t discriminate, for example, not making non-essential abilities a requirement for the job, and providing application forms in braille or large print.

 

 

An employer’s legal obligation in the workplace

 

Once a charity has recruited a new staff member, they have responsibilities to fulfil. Under the Equality Act 2010, employers have legal obligations to people with disabilities.

 

The Act says a person has a disability “if they have a physical or mental impairment” and “the impairment has a substantial and long-term adverse effect on their ability to perform normal day-to-day activities”.

 

Employers have a duty to make reasonable adjustments to help staff with disabilities do their jobs.

 

The CIPD says this includes:

• Modifying premises, such as having automated doors and ramps fitted
• Providing an interpreter for deaf people or those with a speech impairment
• Giving people time off during working hours to attend hospital appointments or counselling
• Providing assistive technology, like speech to text software  

 

Providing a safe working environment for staff

 

Having open conversations and talking about disability can create an inclusive workplace where people with disabilities feel safe and comfortable. ACAS says this will help:

• To make sure that people with disabilities get support and aren’t at a disadvantage compared to their non-disabled colleagues
• Everyone in the organisation to see the benefits of an inclusive and diverse workforce where people with disabilities are included
• To bring staff into the workplace who are resilient and able to solve problems as they have found ways of living with a disability

A staff member doesn’t have to tell their employer or potential employer that they’re disabled. It’s up to them how much they want to share. If a staff member does open up about their disability, their manager should let them lead the conversation.

 

ACAS says it’s important to use appropriate language when talking about disability. Language that discriminates against people with disabilities can cause distress. For example, using words such as “handicapped” or “crippled”.

 

People may have their own preferences about the language they use. ACAS recommends that employers talk with staff with disabilities about how they feel about terms used to describe disability and what they prefer to use.

 

 

Running training for all staff

 

Inclusive Employers says: “The more you and your organisation know about the disabled community, the better you can support those who are part of it in the workplace.”

 

Think about providing training to all staff on the different types of disabilities there are and the language you should use when talking about them.

 

 

Support for employers

 

There is a lot of support that charities can access:

• GOV.UK has guidance on its website for recruiting, managing, and developing people with a disability. The information has been created by the Disability Confident employer scheme and the CIPD
• There is also guidance on the GOV.UK website about words to use and avoid when writing about disability
• The CIPD offers recommendations for employers on disability in the workplace
• Inclusive Employers shares advice for understanding and improving disability recruitment practices in your organisation
• ACAS has a whole section about disability at work