Key takeaways

  • According to Forbes, only 4% of employees with disabilities feel safe enough to disclose their ability status at work.
  • Some of the ways organizations can create psychologically safe and inclusive spaces for employees can include:
    • Partnerships and collaborations - Work with disability support organizations to provide training and education and get advice on creating policies that make workplaces more inclusive.
    • Champion universal accessibility - Set your workplace up to accommodate people of all disabilities and make sure they have the resources and support they need.
    • Inclusive representation - Make sure that employees with disabilities are represented at all levels within your organization.
    • Clear pathways for requesting assistance and support - create systems that consider employees with varying disabilities.

Putting it into practice

If you're a leader:

  • Take some time to consider how your organization can improve its accessibility. Do you have policies in place that support employees with disabilities? If you don't, creating one is an important first step. Connecting with an external organization committed to advocating for disabled individuals in the workplace can help you set up inclusive policies and even provide training and education within the workplace. By contacting disability justice groups in your area, you're already taking the first step to celebrate and consider people of all abilities!
  • If in doubt, ask! While it's not the job of a person with a disability to do your research for you, everyone's experience of disability or illness will be different. Don't assume you know what will work best for someone with a disability, instead, ask them how you can help them deliver their best work.

If you're part of a team:

  • Do you work alongside team members who have disclosed a disability? Be an advocate for them at work! Often, the most powerful things are the simplest. Be more accepting of their ways of working; for example, they may prefer to communicate with you via email rather than verbally or require accessible locations to meet. Unsure? Ask them! By considering the needs of your team members, you can help them feel included and valued while contributing to a safer psychological working environment.
Sources
  1. Brodey, D. (2022, October 18). Only 4% of employees disclose a disability, but new HR tools and training could upend that trend. Forbes.
  2. Epperson, S., & Dhue, S. (2023, July 25). Disclosing a disability in the workplace, as employers focus on creating a culture of inclusion. CNBC.
  3. Clarke, G. (2023, December 29). 8 Ways to Be an Advocate for People with Disabilities. ALSO Oregon.