There’s still a long way to go in changing the way that workplaces respond, recognise, and adapt to the needs of the disabled workforce and one of the most important areas to address is that of ‘invisible disabilities’. By Rosemary Johnson.
Normally, when we talk about disability, people imagine that you’re talking about the use of wheelchairs. Or, perhaps some other form of physical disability that we can easily see and categorise. And creating a culture that actively understands disability in the workplace has become a topic of increasing importance in recent years.
However, there’s still a long way to go in changing the way that workplaces respond, recognise, and adapt to the needs of the disabled workforce. One of the most important areas we need to start talking more about is idea of ‘invisible disabilities’.
There are many disabilities you can’t easily see, like rheumatoid arthritis, chronic pain, or the Asperger’s spectrum, which all fall into the category of ‘invisible disabilities.’ And they are more common than you might think.
“In New Zealand, 1.1 million people, about 24 percent of the population, have some form of long-lasting impairment…”
In New Zealand, 1.1 million people, about 24 percent of the population, have some form of long-lasting impairment. I’m one of the 165,000 people (about 18%), who live and work every day with an invisible disability.
I have a muscular condition which means, that I lost and then had to regain in later life, the use of my right arm. While that’s a different story, one of the things it repeatedly teaches me is how far we have to go in understanding the needs of those with invisible disabilities in our workplace.
The good news is that when it comes to the workplace, there are many simple ways these issues could be resolved and inclusion and accessibility made easier. Not to mention showing that you care about creating an inclusive workplace, not just following any legal obligations, and it will pay dividends in keeping talented and loyal employees.
Here are some simple principles you can employ to make sure your workplace is inclusive.
- Often the route to inclusion is a simple one, just ask.
Very often employees are reluctant to discuss their invisible disabilities for fear of discrimination or losing their job. Sometimes they are not sure how to tell others about their disability.
A great way to foster inclusivity is to actively take the lead – ask your employees if you’re catering to their needs. Methods such as anonymous workplace surveys allow individuals to speak without the fear of discrimination, developing a culture of open communication.
For example, one workplace I know of had a great employee who happened to have rheumatoid arthritis. She hadn’t told anyone this, nor the fact that every time she had to walk to the photocopier it hurt like hell.
But when asked in an anonymous survey what the company could do to improve wellness at work, she asked if the photocopier could be moved next to her desk. That way she’d be in considerably less pain, have less flare-ups and take fewer sick days. It was an easy fix and an increased sense that the company was listening to her as an employee.
- Develop a workplace culture of awareness.
When it comes to the everyday there are a few excellent schemes already running that create a higher sense of awareness in day-to-day running. Schemes such as the Sunflower lanyard or the Jam Card, are different ways in which users can show others to explain their needs and tactfully ask for ‘Just a Minute’ of patience in both social and business situations.
Often, we need these little cues to remind us of the needs of others, because we all often make assumptions that everyone works like we do, so these schemes are a great ice breaker.
Rosemary Johnson
The other day, I sat in a Disability Training café and watched the trainee wait staff bring coffee to a table where a group was having a meeting with their team leader. The trainee couldn’t remember which of the orders was a latte and which was a soy chai latte.
The team leader suddenly looked at the situation from the trainee’s perspective. The trainee was working at her maximum capability, giving it everything, and the team leader realised the need to take this into consideration and decided that they should work out whose orders were which for themselves. And because we were in a disability training café, it was a great example of how little cues in the environment can prompt our everyday awareness through small steps.
- Be more conscious of the government support available.
Last year, I met an intelligent and conscientious worker who made a significant impact in the not-for-profit organisation in which she worked. When she suddenly lost her sight, she was thrust into a world of blackness and despair, as she saw a job she loved disappearing with her sight.
One of her friends was aware of what support was available from various government and council organisations. The friend wrote a short letter to the Ministry of Social Development outlining the important impact of the employee’s work was making to the organisation in which she worked.
This resulted in a grant which financed a text to speech reader, specially designed so that blind and visually impaired people could read text, which enabled this valuable employee to continue working. So it pays to have someone who understands the local funding sector.
Have a look round your workplace and ask yourself if you’ve got someone who understands the way local and regional councils can work to support you and your employees.
- Consider a company wellness advisor.
Sometimes having a third impartial party, such as a wellness consultant, who can come in and work with the HR department can be a valuable way to make changes.
They are seen as an independent ear, which is useful as sometimes employees with disabilities may not want to talk to the company directly, and prefer a safe, more neutral person.
It’s especially useful if the organisation and its employees are not aware of the existence of employees with invisible disabilities. Often the most valuable roles a consultant can play is to give the organisation an accurate reflection of how they’re doing when it comes to disabilities.
“The consultant is there to help you know what you don’t already know…”
Often many companies just don’t know. Often the business is so busy focusing on its operation that it’s hard to see what’s actually happening. So, the consultant is there to help you know what you don’t already know.
Recently I realised how many organisations are unaware of their employee’s needs when I used the bathroom of an office that I was visiting. I can’t use my right arm properly, which leaves me with poor grip and several other issues. I was so frustrated because I couldn’t turn the door lock, nor turn on the taps to wash my hands. Plus, I was terrified that someone would unwittingly open the door and be embarrassed to see me.
I’m probably one of many who have felt this way at some point and all that it would have needed to resolve this situation would be an anonymous survey to put in a different type of lock or a tap with a swing handle.
It’s far easier than you might think for your office to fix, and it’s exactly the sort of thing that an advisor can see clearly and suggest, because they have a different perspective.
The thing is people often think it is difficult, expensive and complicated to make the workplace more inclusive for people with invisible disabilities. Yet hopefully the ideas here show that there are many simple, easy ways to improve your workplace’s wellbeing for disabled employees. And often it’s just about pointing out that these simple solutions already exist.
Rosemary Johnson is the founder of My Future Career Academy helping women to find and achieve their dream careers, providing guidance to some of the unique challenges women face in the workforce. She is a supporter of people working in the disability sector and is also the band manager for New Zealand Youth Symphonic Winds, Aotearoa’s national youth concert band which aims to develop young musical talent in a safe, inclusive environment.
