Disability Awareness at Work: 28 January – 13.30pm – 14.30pm – “Championing Diversity: “Disability Awareness at Work”
What is a disability?
A disability is any condition of the mind or body (impairment) that makes it more difficult for the person with the condition to do certain activities (activity limitation) and interact with the world around them (participation restrictions).
Types of Disabilities in the Workplace
- Physical: Mobility impairments, chronic pain
- Sensory: vision, hearing loss
- Cognitive/Intellectual: ADHD, learning disabilities
- Neurodivergence, autism, dyslexia
Please note: The above list is not exhaustive
Why Disability Awareness Matters: The Importance of Disability
We all need to be committed to fostering an inclusive environment where everyone regardless of their abilities feels supported.
Disability awareness is a key part of achieving this goal, and we want to share why it matters and how we can all contribute to a more accessible and welcoming workplace.
- 1 in 5 people in the UK live with a disability (UK Government)
- Many disabilities are invisible – conditions like mental health challenges, neurodivergence such as autism, ADHD, and chronic pain are not always immediately apparent.
- Inclusive workplaces are shown to improve employee satisfaction, retention, and productivity.
- Employees who feel valued are more likely to thrive.
How Can You Help? When we think about disability and what support we can provide we need to ensure that primarily we are applying the below three key principles:
- Be open and respectful, encourage open conversations
- Consider Reasonable adjustments, often these are simple, and low-cost changes
- Foster inclusivity, be mindful of language, and avoid assumptions!
What are Reasonable adjustments: What does reasonable mean?
Reasonable adjustments are changes that an employer can make to remove or reduce a disadvantage related to someone’s disability
You are protected by the Equality Act 2010 if you have certain protected characteristics, and ‘disability’ is one of these.
Reasonable adjustments may include:
- Finding a different way to do something
- Making changes in the workplace
- Altering a person’s working arrangements
- Providing equipment; aids, services, or support
What is reasonable depends on each situation, and employers must carefully consider if the adjustment:
- Will reduce or remove the disadvantage
- Is practical and affordable to make
- Could harm the health and safety of others
According to ACAS An employer does not have to make adjustments that are unreasonable however, they should find other ways to support the disabled person Acas | Making working life better for everyone in Britain
Where can I Access Support and Advice? There is an array of advice and guidance available should you or a colleague need support and advice that relates to a disability which can be found on your organisation’s staff intranet.
Additionally, internal, and external support and advice can also be found from the following:
- The People Portal www.hiowpeople.nhs.uk
- HIOW EDNA Service EDNA is here to support you – People Portal
- Occupational Health
- Health and Safety department
- Organisation Staff Disability Network
- Employee Assistance Programme 24/7 Helpline –0330 380 0658
- ACAS Work and employment law advice | Acas
- Citizens Advice Citizens Advice
- Access to Work Access to Work: get support if you have a disability or health condition: What Access to Work is – GOV.UK
Who is Access to Work and how might they be able to help?
Access to Work is a government scheme that aims to help people with a physical or mental health condition or disability to get or stay in work. They may help with costs associated with practical support.
Do you or someone you know need support or advice for reasonable adjustments at work?
Then the EDNA service can help. We offer advice, support, and guidance for reasonable adjustments at work including support with an Access to Work application and understanding the Access to Work process.
Should you wish to find out more about the EDNA service and what we have to offer then please see the link here: EDNA is here to support you – People Portal
Disability Awareness Training: We will be hosting a training session next month to dive deeper into disability awareness and inclusive practices at work. Stay tuned for more details.
Virtual Meetups: For those who would like to share their experiences, ask questions, or simply learn more, we’ll be hosting a series of informal virtual meetups. These are safe spaces to talk about disability more info will be shared soon!
