Disability Inclusion in the Workplace

According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics, nearly half (45.2%) of all employed people with disability reported that they had experienced unfair treatment or discrimination from their employer due to their disability in the past 12 months. Therefore, creating an inclusive workplace for people with disabilities is important to ensure that all employees feel valued and respected. In this blog we share some ways on how businesses can create an inclusive workplace for people with disabilities.

Educate employees about disabilities

Educate employees about disabilities: Educating all employees about disabilities can help create a culture of understanding and acceptance. This can involve providing training on how to interact with colleagues with disabilities and raising awareness about the different types of disabilities.

Provide accommodations

Provide accommodations: Providing accommodations, such as wheelchair ramps, adjustable desks, or software that assists people with vision or hearing impairments, can help employees with disabilities perform their job duties more effectively.

Build a diverse team

Build a diverse team: Hiring employees with disabilities in different roles and departments can help create a more diverse team. This can also bring valuable insights that may not have been considered before.

Offer flexible work arrangements

Offering flexible working arrangements such as remote work or flexible hours can help employees with disabilities manage their work and personal responsibilities.

Create an inclusive recruiting process

An inclusive recruitment process ensures that job descriptions are accessible and job interviews are inclusive. It’s important to consider the different ways people with disabilities may apply for jobs, such as through assistive technology or in-person assistance.

Celebrate diversity

Celebrate the diversity of all employees, including those with disabilities. This can involve recognizing events and holidays that are important to people with disabilities or acknowledging the contributions of employees with disabilities to the team.

Overall, creating an inclusive workplace for people with disabilities is achievable by implementing a variety of strategies that suit the needs of the business and its employees.