People with a disability often experience discrimination in the workplace. According to the Australia Bureau of Statistics, 45.2% of employees experienced discrimination in the workplace. That is nearly half of the working population with disabilities. Employers may not be aware of the challenges that an individual with a disability may face, or they may feel unprepared to accommodate their needs. Therefore, it is important for employers to educate themselves appropriately, and focus on creating an inclusive and supportive environment for employees with disabilities, helping them to succeed in the workplace.
Some of the strategies employers can implement to create an inclusive workplace for people with a disability in the workplace involves:
- Having a recruitment process that caters to all individuals, regardless of whether they have a disability
- Providing support services available for employees to access, i.e., Counselling services, Carer’s Leave
- Having a mentor to assist employees who may need help with a task
- Providing training to managers on how to understand the needs and rights of individuals with a disability
- Celebrating events that promote awareness about disabilities. For example, International Day of People with a Disability and RUOK Day
- Creating a welcoming and friendly work environment where everyone is accepted and valued
- Providing reasonable accommodations in place for disabled individuals, i.e. Providing chairs that reduce back pain, allowing flexible work hours and breaks, providing ramps and/or lifts, disabled parking spots, changing job duties or responsibilities, adequate lighting, hearing aids, signage being clear and easy to read.
Overall, by being inclusive and accommodating of all individuals, employers will create an effective and equitable workforce for people with a disability. We hope this blog post has been insightful. If you have anything you would like to add, post in the comment section below.