Dissolve Unwanted Workplace Barriers for People with Disabilities

Imagine if Stephen Hawking was told that he wasn’t capable of working or conducting exemplary researches because of his ASL diagnosis. Or imagine if Frida Kahlo’s artistic intelligence was disregarded simply because of her physical disabilities. The world would have lost some of the most transformational and talented people to exist if it was run based solely on assumptions and barriers created by the society.

“People with disabilities cannot work” is a common and harmful myth that has held many people back from becoming independent and a contributing member of the society. Kim Morrison, the co-founder of Beanz and Co. stated that her daughter faced a similar challenge when she stepped into the job field. Employers treated her disability as a barrier to hiring which prevented her from working, until Morrison and her husband decided to establish their café.

Having had first-hand experience of how difficult it is for people with disabilities to find jobs, they ensured that their café had an inclusive hiring policy. As of now, 80% of employees in their establishment have intellectual disabilities and are able to thrive in their work roles. This is because the founders have realized that people with disabilities can work and like to work, but they can thrive only when they are provided with environmental conditions that support them.

Even though these small wins paint a bright picture for the future of workplaces, it is important to understand that we are still far from achieving inclusivity in the workplace. In India, only 36% of 26 million people with disabilities are working. If achieving accessibility and inclusivity wasn’t hard enough already, the pandemic aggravated the problem. Many jobs that were previously available for people with disabilities were reduced.

More often than not, disabilities are stated as a reason for overlooking potential and talent. Even if people with disabilities have acquired higher education, prejudices and misconceptions disregard their capabilities and skills. However, this presents an opportunity for organizations to tap into this huge pool of potential to find the right people for the right job. But how can they ensure that the environment is right too?

Understanding disabilities

Misconceptions, myths and stigmas arise when things are misunderstood and understanding of concepts is limited. The first step toward building an inclusive environment would be to understand disabilities, the types of disabilities, their categorization and how daily routines and activities can be made accessible. Even understanding the language used to describe it should be kept in check so as to not promote insensitivity.

Considering emotional, mental and physical needs

Understanding the needs of employees should be a common practice in any organization to uplift employees. But in organizations that aim to be inclusive, there is a greater need for understanding their needs. People with disabilities have slightly different physical, mental and emotional requirements that need to be met to provide them with a suitable work environment.

For instance, if an organization has employees with autism, the work environment should be devoid of factors that can cause sensory overload. Organizations should take into consideration all the elements they can integrate into their policies and immediate surroundings to support the well-being of their employees.

Increasing awareness within the organization

Regardless of the policies the organization makes, it is possible that some employees fail to understand disabilities or have misplaced perceptions of people with disabilities. This needs to be remedied to ensure the psychological safety of people in the organization.

Increasing awareness and cultivating sensitivity in employees through seminars, workshops and even mindfulness practices may be helpful in promoting inclusivity. This is a vital part of making organizational culture inclusive so that people refrain from exhibiting discriminatory or unfair behaviour.

While physical environments can be easy to change, it is human behaviour that takes time and patience. Active communication, acting with compassion and embracing diversity can make any workplace fit and welcoming by removing unwanted barriers to hiring.