Inclusion Training DVDs | * Disabilities Education Blog: Articles, Facts, & Advice *

8
Jul/101

Disability Job and Career Management

A planted seed cannot grow without the nurturing power of sunlight and water. In the same way, employees cannot grow without the support of their organization. In our previous article, we explored a study conducted by the Federal Managers Association that had an alarming message: managers are perceived as ill equipped to foster a work environment where employees with disabilities can develop into valuable professionals.

Unemployment for individuals with disabilities has risen, despite the strong legislative push to abolish discriminatory hiring practices.[i] A clear reason for this contradictory outcome is a general lack of the proper disability education and advocacy among managers, an argument advanced by the Federal Manager Association’s Unnecessary Boundaries study.

Fortunately, the hardest hurdles have been cleared. The Federal government has led by example through the 1990s, starting with the passing of the Americans with Disabilities Act. President Clinton furthered efforts with his Executive Order 13163, a commitment to award 100,000 Federal jobs to persons with disabilities by 2005. Organizations are now responsible to follow suit, not only by equitable hiring practices, but also by establishing inclusive work environments where persons with disabilities receive the supports necessary to advance and grow.

The first and most essential step in providing support for an employee with a mental or physical impairment is to evaluate their level of competency. The mysterious and complex nature of mental illness coupled with a personalized manifestation per individual places extreme importance in management’s ability to assess employees and their varying abilities before attempting to create environmental supports to encourage their growth. A multitude of tools are available for gauging competency and can be classified by how employees’ abilities are measured. Self-report instruments, for example, rely on the employee’s ability to display aptitude through written questionnaires or workplace simulations. Observer rating instruments, on the other hand, rely on an observer to rate an employee’s aptitude based on how well he or she displays an ability to perform specific tasks, either through written questionnaires or simulated work situations.

Self-report instruments are most useful when a mental health professional is helping a person develop social skills across a variety of social contexts.[ii] While a work environment is considered a social context, self-report instruments are not ideal as they require the involvement of a trained mental health professional. Observer rating instruments, by contrast, work well in the business context. The observer need not be a professional counselor or psychologist. They must, however, have a substantial opportunity to observe and learn about the employee and his or her condition prior to administering an assessment.[iii] Managers and other Human Resources personnel are ideal candidates for the role of an observer as they have ample opportunity to get to know new hires before administering an observer-rating assessment.

Once the competency of an employee with a disability is ascertained, management can begin to tailor the company culture in a way that maximizes the employee’s ability to participate, communicate, learn, and develop. Disability job and career development tools are available to help organizations assess the competency of their workers, and they represent vital tools in creating an inclusive work environment. Other disability training and education resources can be utilized to spread awareness in a diverse organization, a necessary complement to helping persons with disabilities develop as professionals among their peers.

[i] http://www.dol.gov/odep/pubs/fact/stats.htm

[ii] http://www.accessmylibrary.com/article-1G1-71316809/measuring-rehabilitation-outcomes.html

[iii] http://www.accessmylibrary.com/article-1G1-71316809/measuring-rehabilitation-outcomes.html

26
Jun/101

Inclusion Training: Office Communication

Successful communication creates the groundwork for an inclusive company culture. The inclusive workplace is one that thrives on diversity and accommodates individuals of various mental and physical abilities. Disability training that emphasizes communication and networking skills is necessary for creating a unified, valuable, and positive company culture.

Without courteous communication, the inclusion model breaks down. As a result employees may feel disrespected, undervalued, incapable of performing job related tasks, and unfulfilled. Thus, disability training programs must first and foremost equip employees with the knowledge and skill to communicate with one another, regardless of mental or physical differences.

Tremendous responsibility rests on the shoulders of able-minded individuals to get to know coworkers with disabilities in order to facilitate courteous communication. Disability education programs are essential in providing employees with information about specific conditions as well as corresponding etiquette guidelines. As Program Development Associate’s new training DVD (dis)Ability Awareness makes clear, effective communication hinges on individuals and their ability to relate to one another. Managers and disability training consultants must keep this fine distinction in mind for two important reasons:

Humans Categorize by Nature

Human beings categorize individual elements of reality simply in virtue of having a conscious mind that strives to make sense of things. As humans categorize, prejudices are formed to efficiently assimilate the overwhelming amount of sensory inputs encountered daily. While these shallow snap judgments allow for the processing of an immense amount of sensory inputs, they fall short in that people tend to favor their own category while undervaluing things that are perceived as different.

Humans Exhibit Affective Display

According to the American Psychological Association, Affective Display is a person’s ability to display thoughts, both conscious and unconscious, through verbal and nonverbal communication. Tone of voice, body language, and facial expressions may all indicate an individual’s conscious or unconscious feelings, regardless of the message they intend to transmit.

Since the categorical nature of the human mind creates prejudices and the Affective Display phenomena communicates these preconceptions regardless of the communicator’s intent, disability education in the workplace must work to rid employees of predetermined thoughts about persons with physical or mental impairments. Once the slate is clean, education and training programs have to help employees understand one another on a personal level. General background information on certain conditions and corresponding social etiquette provides a substantial starting point. However, able minded individuals must endeavor to understand coworkers with disabilities on a personal level. Once this deep level of understanding is ascertained, employees are well suited to respectfully interact with one another.

Once coworkers with disabilities are understood on an individual and personal basis, networking can occur to further the inclusion of the office environment. Asking a coworker what one may do to make them feel included or offering to escort them to a department meeting are two examples of simple acts that can help solidify and develop friendships that perpetuate value for the company as a whole.

Inclusion training DVDs are an unparalleled medium for helping employees understand how their preconceived notions may affect and ultimately hinder their ability to communicate with their coworkers. Program Development Associates also carry a diverse set of disabilities training resources to assist businesses in creating a company culture where diversity is valued, respected, and embraced.

Reference: American Psychological Association (2006). VandenBos, Gary R. ed., APA Dictionary of Psychology. Washington, DC.

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