International Day of Persons with Disabilities: five key ways you can support inclusion in your organisation

Today marks the International Day of Persons with Disabilities. This is a great opportunity for organisations to reflect on what steps they have taken to ensure the inclusion of persons with disabilities. Green Park also wanted to share some of our insights gained from the last decade supporting the inclusion of disabled people through inclusive recruitment processes and organisational consulting.

Disabled people are almost twice as likely to be unemployed than non-disabled people [source]. This is just one of the ways people with disabilities are excluded and left behind in our society. As passionate advocates of equality and inclusion we strive to help organisations think differently about talent and support them to drive change. With knowledge and expertise gained from both professional experience and personal lived experience, we have supported a range of organisations in a variety of sectors with their inclusion journey.

To mark this important day, we are sharing five key considerations for supporting the inclusion of disabled people in your organisation:

Ask Affected Employees

A key mistake often made on the inclusion journey, is a failure to consult individuals who are most affected, leading to schemes not reaching their full potential, and employees feeling as though they are being spoken for. Therefore, it is important existing employees who have a disability are given the opportunity to assess proposed new strategies. There is a balance to be struck however, to ensure that these employees are not relied upon to educate others, which can often lead to the disillusionment of employees and excess work. The use of employee resource groups is valuable here, and enables changes to be opened up to constructive criticism, without onus being placed on particular individuals to provide excessive consultative work.

“Talk to us and with us, not about us and for us.” Adam Pearson – Campaigner

Flexibility in the Recruitment Process

It is vital the recruitment process is accommodative and flexible to adaptions some individuals may require. The recruitment process is one of the first phases in which prospective talent becomes involved with an organisation, and gains an insight into the proceedings and attitudes. As such, employees who are part of recruitment teams must be willing and able to provide the necessary adjustments and flexibility for candidates with a disability. Some key elements of this are demonstrating proactive anticipatory duty, or allowing adjustments to requirements for an application or interview process; for example allowing a virtual interview rather than face to face, or providing application activities in an alternative format.

“My disability exists not because I use a wheelchair, but because the broader environment isn’t accessible.” Stella Young – Disability Rights Activist & Comedian

Supporting Recruitment Teams

For prospective talent to be supported appropriately, members of recruitment teams must also be supported with provision of the necessary knowledge and resources. We have worked with many organisations to create bespoke training programmes using insight from our assessment and diagnostic capabilities to support recruitment teams, allowing them to increase their confidence and provision of support. Best practice from our research also includes the provision of disability ‘crib sheets’, to empower individual team members to say yes to providing support and flexibility for prospective talent.

“Part of the problem is that we tend to think that equality is about treating everyone the same, when it’s not. It’s about fairness. It’s about equity of access.” Judith Heumann – Disability Rights Activist

Communicate Your Achievements & Goals  

To support those with disabilities to choose to join your organisation, it is important you externally demonstrate your inclusivity and acceptance of all. This means communicating the work you are doing to create an inclusive culture within your organisation. This of course means you must be actively working to become a more inclusive organisation, in order to authentically relay your message and focus. Ensuring the use of inclusive language across all communications and providing positive role models will ensure potential talent understand they will be welcomed and able to develop within your organisation.

“I do need help opening doors sometimes, but only if they are closed in the first place.” Oscar Anderson – Disability Advocate

Authenticity in your EDI message

Finally, is the importance of ensuring authenticity by consistently following through with promises and actions, meaning employees day-to-day experiences of work are as inclusive and welcoming as advertised. Failure to do so results in high attrition levels, and an overall low level of employee happiness and positivity towards the organisation and their role. This is particularly relevant to disabled employees, who may be more likely to have had negative previous experiences in the workplace. Ensuring your organisation authentically follows its EDI brand and goals will increase the experience of employees and the regard in which your organisation is held. An authentic stance as an organisation that wants to support all employees must be continually kept in the forefront, in order to begin breaking down barriers.

“There is so much that able-bodied people could learn from the wisdom that often comes with disability. But space needs to be made. Hands need to reach out. People need to be lifted up.” Alice Wong – Activist

Inclusion of people with disabilities is vital, and inclusion in the workplace is a key place to start. The steps organisations take can make strides for the inclusion and wellbeing of people with disabilities, ensuring no one is left behind.

To find out more about the work of Green Park’s Diversity, Inclusion, Culture and Ethics Practice, get in touch now.