Supporting Individuals with Disabilities in the Workplace

So, to begin this blog, I’d first like to start with a bit about myself, as this topic is very important to me. I’m Sam, and I’m a Bid Manager at Your Tender Team. I am responsible for managing the tender process from start to finish, including communicating with clients on a regular basis; writing tender responses; and submitting final bids. I have just completed my 2^nd year at the company at the time of writing this, and 6-months ago I was officially diagnosed as autistic. As a company, Your Tender Team supports clients with their tender responses that regularly discuss disabilities in the workplace.

Autism is an interesting disability, and finally getting a diagnosis answered many questions I had growing up about why I didn’t really fit in, and why the world and the people in it were (and still are) so confusing to me. I have some special interests which I know everything there is to know about; I’m incredible organised; I love to learn about new things; and my world view is unique compared to others; all of which are highly sought after qualities from companies. 

However, I also have many daily struggles and difficulties, such as being easily overwhelmed with sensory stimuli (sounds; smells; taste; touch; sight); difficulties communicating and understanding social cues, norms, and etiquette; and an inability to manage change; all of which cause a great deal of mental stress and anxiety.

With the right support, these difficulties can be managed and navigated effectively, and I’m incredibly lucky to have such a supportive team at Your Tender Team, but many companies lack the knowledge, resources, or care to do this. This is why, according to the Buckland Review of Autism Employment, only 3-in-10 working-age autistic people are employed, compared to 5-in-10 for all disabled people and 8-in-10 for non-disabled people. Because of this, employers miss out on having highly dedicated, detail oriented, and efficient employees who bring unique perspectives and approaches to the workforce. And so, within this blog post, I’m going to talk a bit about my journey in the workplace leading up to and following my diagnosis, and how, as employers, you can support any employees you have with disabilities, and help provide more job opportunities for people with disabilities.

Disabilities in the Workplace – Offering Support

There are many ways to support individuals in your workforce with a disability, the first being to try and understand how they experience everyday life. Every person is unique in their needs, and the easiest way to learn about the needs of an employee is to ask them. Following the beginning of my assessment process, a meeting was arranged between me and my manager to discuss what getting a diagnosis meant to me and how the traits I displayed impacted my day-to-day. Because I struggle with the anxiety caused by surprises, the meeting was booked well in advanced and with a comprehensive list of things to be discussed – this way, I had ample time to prepare and knew exactly what the meeting entailed, minimising my anxiety. 

The conversation should focus on two things: what the individual’s current needs are; and what adaptions can be made to effectively manage these needs and support the individual in the workplace. During the conversation I had with my manager, we discussed topics such as:

• How I like information to be presented (I struggle to retain verbal information); 
• What constitutes a good and bad working environment (a bad environment for me is one with bright lights, constant overlapping noise from multiple sources, and an crowded environment);
• Struggles I had with specific working procedures or aspects of work (I cannot decipher social cues and have difficulties interpreting tone of voice); and 
• Things that may impact my productivity (I am easily distracted by sounds; I fidget which can be disruptive; I struggle with emotional management and regulation).

Using this information, we identified ways in which we could manage these difficulties to allow me to succeed in my current role. For example, most instructions given to me verbally are followed up in written format for easy comprehension; I work from home, which allows me to create a positive sensory space, and funding from the company helped me invest in a standing desk, which allows me to move around when I’m working; I inform clients of my disability during our first engagements and therefore can stand and use objects like fidget toys to help manage my sensory needs during conversations; and any important emails to be sent to clients, such as chasing items required for submission, are reviewed by my manager before being sent to ensure the tone is appropriate.

We also implemented regular check-ins to discuss current mental health and capacity, which informs the level of workload assigned. All people experience good and bad days, but with people with disabilities, how good and bad days present can be varied, from increased or decreased pain to hyper fixating on work and completing 3 days’ worth of tasks in 1 day, to disassociating or going non-verbal due to mental fatigue. Awareness of these signs and adapting to these good and bad days is vital to ensuring I am not given more than I can handle, and the necessary support is provided.

Through collaboration and understanding, solutions can be designed and implemented that allow people with disabilities to thrive in the workplace. 

Disabilities in the Workplace – Ideas to Support Your Team

Other things you can do as an employer to support any disabled individuals in your workforce include:

• Offer training to all staff members to help them better understand different types of disabilities and how they can impact an individual’s experience in the workplace. This training can help promote empathy and create a more inclusive environment.
• Implement a robust equality and diversity policy that outlines the company’s commitment to providing equal opportunities for all employees, regardless of their disabilities. This policy should clearly define the company’s stance on discrimination and harassment and provide procedures for reporting any concerns.
• Appoint an equality and diversity champion within the organisation who can act as a point of contact for employees with disabilities and help ensure that the company’s policies are being implemented effectively. This person can play a key role in promoting a culture of inclusivity.

It’s vital that you are also flexible in your approach to working arrangements and consider offering adjustments such as flexible hours and assistive technologies to support employees with disabilities. These adjustments can help individuals perform their jobs effectively and feel more comfortable in the workplace.

Disabilities in the Workplace – Recruiting

With only 50% of all disabled people of working age in employment, there as a market of workers out there who have unique skills and experiences that applied to improve your workforce and working practices. To support the recruitment of individuals with disabilities, you should:

• Use inclusive language in advertisements: Avoid jargon and phrases that may exclude disabled candidates. Focus on the essential functions of the job and avoid listing unnecessary physical requirements.
• Highlight accessibility: Make sure your job descriptions explicitly state that your company welcomes applications from disabled people and is committed to providing reasonable accommodations.

• Offer multiple application formats: Provide options beyond online forms, such as email, phone, or in-person applications.
• Ensure website accessibility: Your company website and career portal should be designed to be accessible to people with disabilities, following Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG).
• Collaborate with local organisations: Connect with disability organisations and charities in your community to source potential candidates and learn about their specific needs.

• Disability awareness training: Provide training to your hiring managers on disability etiquette, unconscious bias, and the importance of creating an inclusive interview environment.
• Focus on skills and experience: Ensure your hiring managers focus on the candidate’s skills, qualifications, and experience, rather than any perceived limitations related to their disability.

• Employee Resource Groups (ERGs): Establish ERGs for disabled employees to provide a supportive network and a platform to share their experiences.
• Accessibility audits: Regularly conduct accessibility audits of your workplace to identify and address any barriers that may exist for disabled employees.

• Showcase your efforts: Publicly share your company’s commitment to disability inclusion on your website, social media, and in your employer branding materials.
• Seek recognition: Apply for awards and certifications that recognise your company’s efforts to create a disability-inclusive workplace. This includes:
  • Disability Confident Employer Scheme: This government-backed scheme offers three levels of accreditation (Committed, Employer, and Leader), recognising organisations that actively recruit, retain, and develop disabled talent.
  • Scope Disability Equality Awards: These prestigious awards celebrate companies and individuals who have made outstanding contributions to disability equality. There’s a specific category for Inclusive Employer of the Year.
  • Business Disability Forum’s Disability Smart Awards: These awards recognise organisations across various categories, including Inclusive Recruitment, Inclusive Workplace Experience, and Diversity & Inclusion Professional.
  • Disability Employment Mark (DEM): Geared towards social enterprises and local authorities, DEM recognises organisations providing exemplary employment practices for disabled individuals.

As an inclusive employer, you will not only gain access to a wider talent pool, allowing you to potentially find highly skilled and motivated individuals who might otherwise be overlooked, but improve staff retention by creating an inclusive workplace where everyone feels valued. Furthermore, being known as an inclusive employer attracts positive attention from customers, partners, and potential employees, and the diverse perspectives and ideas foster creativity and problem-solving that can drive innovation and productivity.

Finally, being an inclusive employer is an incredibly positive quality that can be discussed in tenders to promote your business to commissioners. Many tenders include questions covering innovation, equality and diversity, health and safety, and social value, all of which involve inclusivity and providing opportunities to people with protected characteristics.