Building Disability Smart Organisations
BUILDING DISABILITY ‘SMART’ ORGANISATIONS
A Reflection on the AUS/UK Disability Engagement perspective.
Having recently moved to QLD as a HR/organisational psychology professional advocating social mobility & inclusiveness in the workplace I continue to be baffled by the fact that decades on business worldwide are still finding it necessary to argue out the benefits of nurturing, investing and harnessing disabled employees. Although this is a purely professional stand point and somewhat apersonal view, is certainly supported by plethora of social, dempraphic, economic and business research not to mention the fact that disabled employees skills are THE SAME SKILLS THAT WILL AND DO REALISEthe potential of ALL EMPLOYEES, whether you are running a small SME, an enterprise or a global corporation. Looking at it from a more social perspective it is evident that disability (including the mental health perspective) may affect affect a significant proportion of any workforce, either directly or through friends and relatives. Most people with a disability acquire that disability as adults.
What about cross demographics/various jurisdictions? Key comparators at a glance
UK
£21 billion market for the right companies to understand how to engage with disabled customers UK , earlier this month also a study of the NHS and other workplaces found that disabled workers, as well as male and older employees are “far less engaged” than other other groups.
RIDI’s & BITC latest research (Recruitment Disability Industry initative) reminds of a startling fact that over 85% of UK job seekers continue to face genuine difficulty throughout the recruitment process , with only 3% reporting that their disability did not have an impact on the process at all!
A survey of over 300 dosabled jobsekkers across sectors , irrespective of age, social status, employment hisotry, mental , physical or long term disabilities. Disgraceful I say ! since over 47% of RIDI respondents classified themselves as having mobility impairments with nearly 24% suffering from mental impairments. Different phases of recruitment systems still seem problematic with staggering report of over 57% applicants facing barriers at an interview or even (23%) at the psychometric stage.
Chris Markiewicz ‘recent blog ( as published bythe Equality Edge, UK) has highlighted one of the social problems of our day: the employment of disabled people. There are at least 5 million disabled people of working age in the UK, of whom only 45% are actually working, compared to 75% of the total population. Which means disabled people are not fighting on a level playing field.
What this does create in my view is a culture of dependency and welfare; not what disable people want or need. I cant help thinking that would happen if a disabled person applied for a vacancy within your organisation. Would you give them an equal chance. Some would, most do not!
What about our Commonwealth peers?
Brief Australian outlook
In Australia (as per recentDES (Disability in Employment July’s 2015 report) as supported by Fair at Work Act /‘Real Wages for Real work campaign’ - reveals a worrying trend that
People with disability in Australia have more barriers to a fair go than in almost any other developed country in the world.
At the heart of this lies the reality that employment prospects for people with disability are dramatically lower than for other people in Australia.
PWDA hasrecently partnered with the Department of Social Services to provide information to about Disability Employment Services (DES) and to engage with its members and networks of people with disability to help improve the delivery of these services to increase employment outcomes for people with disability.
I am in real support of ‘ The Real Wages for Real Work’ campaignas it seeks to ensure that the rights of over 20,000 workers with disability to the same employment terms and conditions as workers without disability is realised.
What about recent case law?
Australia
A recent AAT ruling and a national enquiry is underway as part of the “Willing to Work’ to address employment discrimination & Employment Discrimination Against Older Australians and Australians with Disability. The Inquiry is being conducted by the Australian Human Rights Commission. The Commission will be examining practices, attitudes and Commonwealth laws that create barriers to employment for older Australians and people with disability. The Inquiry will also make recommendations on Commonwealth laws that should be amended, or action that should be taken to address employment discrimination against older Australians and people with disability championed by few including PWD.
For more information please see the government human rights page here.
I would just add that as per recent Sir Ian Cheshire s recent reception speech in London markingthe the 20th anniversary of the Disability Discrimination Act this month he told attendees that when it came to engaging the disabled workforce “there’s a lot left to do”.
He said:
“How do we make it better and easier for people to go through what often are quite non-disabled friendly recruitment processes and get the reasonable adjustments they need, and then be developed?”
You can find out more information here.
Really well-engaged disabled colleagues have higher levels of engagement than the rest of the workforce.
Commentary:
As a senior professional having worked in supporting disabled workforce for over 13 years it is fair to say that ee know from a lot of work that really well engaged disabled colleagues frankly have got higher engagement levels than the rest of the workforces. There’s a huge talent there that businesses are beginning to understand. I think they genuinely do understand it. Now we need to do lots of practical work, to make this happen. That is why it is each employers’ ‘business and responsibility to work towards educating own organisation and others in recognising that it pays of being a a Disability - Smart Employer.
Every responsible employer shouldnot wait to make the case for change but make the change happen!
In recruitment and resourcing this means going back to the basics.
For instance, as much as we know occupational tests are (racially/cross cultutrally) disparate and could have negative impact on some groups so if in doubt get in the experts! bit keep the recruitment wheel and the process simple & transparent.
Be sure and know how why and where(managers, coaches, leaders) to source the top (disabled) talent . For example bodies such as Disability confident suppliers (UK) EFD or(AUS) PWD could assist you in this process.
Whenmaking‘reasonable ‘ adjustments be sure you engage the very people in the process; be well ‘prepared’ mobilise and engage key stakeholders and be sure you are clear how to fund it/where to access relevant funds. These responsibilities are covered by legislation. The legal requirements can impact on employers from both the private and public sectors. Managers who have learnt to make adjustments for disabled employees also learn to maximise the contribution of non-disabled employees.
In the simplest terms, an organisation that is able to adapt and adjust to get the most from each disabled, and non-disabled, employee will be more productive.
Employers have responsibilities to disabled employees but also to disabled people who want to join their organisation.
Lessons learnt?
Take a look at this recent case.
In this case a disabled worker wins $180,000 damages after employer refuses to make reasonable adjustments.
A NSW government agency must pay a former employee more than $180,000, plus interest, for economic loss, pain, suffering and general damages for its discriminatory treatment of her and its failure to make reasonable adjustments upon her receipt of a medical diagnosis.
If you wish to find out more about the benefits of best practice in managing Disability, Diversity & Inclusiveness at workplace please keep following us here or get in touch via our website contact page or write in the first instance to tamara@gravitasconsultingservices.com
Our mediation service offers a confidential and structured process in which an independent and impartial third party facilitates discussion between the various individuals involved. Successful mediation can enhance and assist your organisation to stabilise ongoing internal and external working relationships and achieve better outcomes for parties involved.
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Author: Tamara Bloyce (nee Seif)
CIPD, MAHRI; MBpsS Org Psych;
Panel Mediator
Principal, Gravitas HR Consulting