How to support disabled employees in the workplace

Great strides have been made the way of accommodating and supporting disabled people in the workplace. But that doesn’t mean everything is perfect. There is still some way to go to ensure all disabled individuals are accommodated in the workplace and able to carry out their roles to the highest standard.

HR Directors and leadership teams need to understand the importance of supporting disabled people in the workplace. It is a moral responsibility as well as an organisational one to ensure maximum productivity and legal compliance. This article will cover why it's important, and ways you can support disabled individuals in the workplace.

The issues facing disabled employees

Disabled people face barriers and concerns before they even reach the point of being part of an organisation. Whether it is accessing opportunities for work experience or facing discrimination at work, disabled people can face limitations and judgement from decision makers, consciously or not.

An example of this is the ‘deficit model’. This refers to a belief based on different learning styles, as opposed to personal limitations or socio-economic factors. This sometimes leads to unconscious bias among senior leaders.

However, the issues do not simply begin and end at recruitment.

Sadly, there are sometimes negative biases, such as a societal attitude that disabled people in employment are often labelled as socially ‘less than’. When reasonable adjustments are made to support a disabled individual, others in the workplace may see this as favourable treatment or unnecessary. Pairing this with historical negative societal attitudes can lead to exclusion, prejudice and even workplace bullying.

Duty of care to disabled employees

Organisations have a duty of care to protect all individuals in the workplace. This involves making reasonable adjustments where necessary. For disabled individuals, these small changes can make a huge difference to their quality of life in the workplace whilst simultaneously boosting their productivity and engagement.

But beyond this initial duty of care, there’s a moral responsibility to improve workplace equality and support wellbeing for all. Cultivating an inclusive working environment creates cohesion amongst the workforce.

It leads to improved standards of mental health and wellbeing, reducing rates of stress, anxiety and depression, resulting in fewer mental health related absences.

What is classed as a disability in the workplace?

Whilst it might seem clear on paper what is and isn’t and isn’t a disability, some conditions can be overlooked and unaccommodated. A disability is seen as a condition that will have a substantial or long-lasting effect on a person. In simple terms, there are two key forms of disability, namely:

1. Physical

2. Mental

Physical

Whether they are obvious or not, they are protected characteristics under the Equality Act 2010. This will cover things such as mobility issues, sensory impairments, hidden or systemic conditions and progressive conditions. Some examples of these disabilities are as follows:

Mobility issues:

• Arthritis

• Spinal cord injuries

• Cerebral Palsy

• Multiple Sclerosis (MS)

Sensory impairments:

• Blindness

• Severe sight impairments

• Deafness

• Hearing loss

• Tinnitus

Hidden/systemic conditions:

• Diabetes

• Asthma

• Chronic fatigue

• Severe pain

• Epilepsy

Progressive conditions

• Multiple Sclerosis (MS)

• Motor Neurone Disease

• Muscular Dystrophy

• Parkinson's

• Alzheimer's

Mental

Some might believe that the Equality Act 2010 only covers specific conditions such as dyslexia, neurodiverse conditions, etc. In fact, the act protects those with common mental health issues too, such as anxiety and depression, particularly if they affect the individual long-term. Accommodations must be made to psychologically protect individual, and no formal diagnosis is needed to prove a mental health condition.

Below are some examples of conditions protected by the Equality Act 2010:

Mental health conditions

• Depression

• Anxiety

• Bipolar disorder

• Schizophrenia

• Eating disorders

Neurodiverse conditions

• Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)

• Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder

• Dyspraxia

Learning difficulties

• Down Syndrome

• Dyslexia

• Auditory Processing Disorder

• Dysgraphia

Reasonable adjustments for workers with disabilities

As there are such a wide-range of disabilities covered by the Equality Act, there is also an incredibly wide-range of reasonable adjustments that can be made. This may look like physical adjustments, providing specific equipment, support services or even policy changes if necessary.

Below are some examples of the various types of reasonable adjustments and what they entail:

Physical adjustments

• Wheelchair accessible ramps

• Elevators

• Accessible toilets

• Reserved parking

• Lighting adjustments

Workplace arrangement adjustments

• Flexible hours

• Part-time working arrangements

• Phased returns to work

Individual equipment

• Adapted keyboards

• Standing desks

• Specialised furniture (e.g. ergonomic chairs)

• Voice recognition tools

• Screen readers

• Braile keyboards

• Communication aids

Support services

• Additional training

• Interpreters

• Mentoring sessions

• Disability confident (government support scheme)

• Employee Assistance Programme (for manager advice)

Policy amendments

• Allowing additional time for tasks

• Adjusted performance metrics

• Specialised 1-2-1 sessions

Discuss reasonable adjustments

When discussing potential adjustments, try not to make assumptions about what would be best for an individual. They might not need any adjustments at all. But asking can open the conversation when an individual may be too anxious to discuss what they need initially. It also demonstrates organisational support and commitment to their people.

The individual may turn any accommodations down, which is completely fine. They should not feel as though it is being forced on them as this can also be perceived as a form of discrimination. It’s advised to open up the dialogue with the individual and make them aware of the option for reasonable adjustments.

Regular 1-1s with managers

Ensure all line managers and leadership teams are having regular catchups with people in their team. These meetings present the opportunity to build a sense of understanding and comfortability, leading to greater assistance when needed. When there is an open, supportive environment, team members will have improved confidence discussing an underlying health concern or disability.

Think about your language

It’s good to hold some basic principles in mind when communicating with disabled individuals. Some people will have different views on the kind of language they are comfortable with, therefore, being mindful of interactions with disabled individuals will be extremely beneficial. Here are a few things to consider in your language:

• Avoid collective terms like ‘the disabled’

• Don’t describe people by their condition e.g. ‘she’s a wheelchair user’

• Be respectful about the language you use about disability

• Talk to a disabled person as you would anyone else

Supporting disabled employees in the workplace

Around 25% of working-aged adults are classed as having a disability. Organisations need to be prepared to make reasonable adjustments for disabled employees well before hiring a person with a disability, as there is a 1 in 4 chance of that individual having a protected characteristic.

How an EAP can support disabled employees

Having reasonable adjustments in place, regular conversations and a supportive environment is the basis of supporting any individual in the workplace, especially those with a disability.

However, in certain cases, additional, expert support may be required. With HA | Wisdom Wellbeing’s Employee Assistance Programme (EAP), leadership teams and individuals can both receive wellbeing support. Our counselling helpline is available 24/7, 365-days a year to seek expert support for any wellbeing needs.

As well as this, they can also access our SpeakUp service to raise any workplace concerns and additional accommodations they made need confidentially. For leadership wanting to better understand how they can accommodate disabled individuals and provide necessary support, they can use our HR and management support line to ensure they are legal compliance and effective support.

Conclusion

Unconscious bias and societal stigmas can often result in disabled individuals being overlooked and undervalued in the workplace. With such a large percentage of the population being classed as having a disability, organisations can no longer undervalue the need to support them. Providing the correct support and accommodations results in greater levels of wellbeing, acceptance as part of a cohort, productivity and an overall stronger organisation.