Organizations continually face the hurdle of effective employee placement. This hurdle grows higher when the employee has a disability, challenging organizations to place individuals in work opportunities that are both safe and rewarding. Assistive technology, coupled with ongoing disability training, has made it possible for organizations to employ thousands of individuals with a wide array of impairments. These individuals are able to contribute to the organization and community through their work opportunities, becoming wage earners, consumers, and community participants.
Of all the pieces assistive technology that has evolved since the late 1900s, the one with the most potential was not actually designed for those with disabilities at all. Rather, it was designed to provide a mobile computing and entertainment solution for on-the-go, tech savvy consumers. The device features a 9.7 inch scratch and fingerprint resistant LCD screen for vibrant displays and intuitive user-interaction. It comes in a 3G model, giving users access to high speed Internet in most areas both indoors and out. It has expansive sound capabilities, though users may opt for wired or wireless Bluetooth headphones. The device, as you may have guessed, is the Apple iPad. And it represents an essential tool for diverse workplaces.
iPad Apps Disability Employers Will Love
The iPad is a great addition to workplaces with employees who have various different mental and physical disabilities. Like other mobile computing devices, the iPad thrives on applications, or ‘Apps’ for short. Most Apps can be downloaded straight to the iPad for only a few dollars. Moreover, a surging supply of Apps have arrived, speficially designed to help those with disabilities perform personal and work related tasks.
iPad App Must-Haves
The Christopher Reeve Foundation is dedicated to improving the quality of life for those with disability, specifically those with spinal cord injury. The following are among the best rated iPad applications for those with disability, according to the organization:
1) Proloquo 2 Go
The Proloquo2go is an application specifically designed to benefit those with speech impairment. The application has over 7,000 vocabulary items, provides automatic verb conjugation, and includes possessive noun usage. The application also offers a recently spoken feature, allowing users to pull up recently-used phrases from up to 7 days in the past.
2) Dragon Search
This application is designed for those with limited mobility and a need for Web surfing. Dragon Search installs quickly to the iPad and allows users to navigate to popular search engines like Google, Bing, Yahoo, or Twitter via voice command.
3) Dragon Diction
From the same company as Dragon Search comes Dragon Diction, the application that terms voice cues into digital writing. Perfect for those with limited mobility, especially in the arms or fingers, to use in composing documents, emails, and more.
It is important to note that these are merely 3 examples of well-received Apps that make work possible for those with disabilities. Of course, assistive technology is no substitute for disability training programs that build interoffice cohesion and inclusion. Assitive technology works well on the micro level, helping employees with disabilities to perform work related tasks. However, proper work supports and disability awareness initiatives must complement their use. Without addressing the macro level of the business, organizations leave themselves vulnerable to employee turnover, discrimination, and other losses.
There are several reasons for employers to value a diverse employee base. Today’s business landscape is explosive; technological proliferation, decreased consumer spending, and a slow-to-recover economy make for a volatile environment. Organizations must take proactive steps towards hedging against such volatility. From a financial investment standpoint, one need only diversify their investment portfolio to minimize the risk associated with volatility. In the very same way, organizations may diversify to overcome the turbulent business environment of the present. With eclectic human capital comes a wider distribution of ideas, the foundation on which forward thinking and innovation are built.
Recruitment
Recruiting talented individuals is the first step in creating a diverse pool of human capital. Recruiters must focus on reaching a variety of different individuals. Drawing from different cultures, ethnicities, genders, and abilities is at the core of building diversity. Working with external agencies is also helpful in developing a valuable employee base. A disability employment program, for example, will help employers find skilled and qualified prospects with disabilities.
Training Employees: Disability Workplace Materials & More
Of course, one of the major hurdles that organizations must clear is placing, training, and developing each of their employees. Employees represent an opportunity for the cultivation of substantial value, if given the proper training. Workplaces with employees with disabilities, for example, must engage in employee education programs to create an inclusive work environment. These workplaces typically use disability workplace material like interactive software and DVD tutorials to build disability awareness, inclusion, and etiquette. This creates an environment where each employee is valued, contributes, and prospers
Fostering Inclusion
Inclusion, as advanced by disability rights advocates, is defined as a free and open accommodation of persons with disabilities without restrictions, limitations, or pity. It is important to understand this definition before attempting to foster inclusion in the workplace. Particularly noteworthy is the lack of pity associated with accommodating those with disabilities. This is an expression of one of the main arguments of the disability rights movement: those with disability are skilled, valuable, and capable. Those with disability should never be hired in spite of their disability; rather, they are to be hired for their unique abilities, just as any other job prospect. In this light, disability training and inclusion initiatives are to focus on spreading disability awareness to extinguish preconceived ideas pertaining to disability, individual limitations, and intellectual abilities.
Program Development Associates has a host of multimedia resources designed to help organizations train for disability. Our free product catalog is a great resource reference and may be downloaded on our homepage.
Business professionals know that today’s work environment is on the move. Technologies, marketing channels, even employee training programs are constantly changing. It’s never been a more dynamic time to be in business. With the rapid changes, however, comes the excitement of evolution. It’s survival of the fittest; today, being most fit means leveraging your workforce.
The first step in leveraging your workforce is ensuring that you spread disability awareness. Today’s dynamic workplace is one where many individuals of many abilities must interact and work with one another. Engaging in disability training is one way to spread awareness, as many disability programs start with an educational overview of different conditions, communication practices, and etiquette guidelines.
Once employees are made aware of the rich differences they share with their peers, they can move to more specific areas of disability training, such as disability etiquette. Etiquette training increases the ability of one employee to communicate with another in a respectful and considerate manner, regardless of either one’s abilities. This is important for several reasons. First, workers are more likely to communicate with one another when feeling respected within their environment. This breeds efficacy, or the feeling that one is capable of bringing about change.
Second, courteous communication practices help employees communicate with one another in a non-offensive way. This contributes to creating a respectful environment, and likewise to instilling a sense of efficacy in workers, but has another benefit: risk mitigation. Organizations that regularly train for disability maintain a heightened level of disability awareness that prompts appreciation for the differences among peers. Ongoing training likewise keeps communication skill sets sharp, ensuring employees respect one another in the workplace. Without training for disability, an organization cannot hope to create a respectful and functional diverse workplace. This opens the door for a host of negative side effects including harassment lawsuits, discrimination claims, and other distracting and detrimental outcomes.
Training to enhance workplace skills is a sure bet for productive growth this year. Training initiatives must be conducted with persons with disabilities in mind, however. Disability training plants the seed of awareness. From awareness grows respect, appreciation, and inclusion—3 fundamental principles of communicative and profitable work environments.
The beginning of a new fiscal year often has managers and other business leaders thinking: What can we do to increase efficiency? After all, profitability is intricately linked with efficiency. Increase efficiency and profit margin will grow.
Hiring new employees and forming new departments often seems to be the route towards increasing interoffice efficiency. Ideally, these actions are thought to create more power, structure, and production. However, human capital has a diminishing return to scale and requires substantial time before a return is realized. Technological investment, then, becomes the next sensible alternative. While technology integration typically has an exponential return, it unfortunately requires capital expenditures that may be daunting, further shrinking profit margins.
One route to increased efficiency: focus on what you have. Increasing the value of human capital is an effective way to increase operational efficiency and the bottom line, particularly in today’s diverse workplaces. In diverse workplaces, enhancing employee skill sets through inclusion and disability training pays sizeable dividends that encourage future growth.
Building Inclusive Workplaces
Inclusive workplaces are defined as environments where all individuals are accommodated openly, regardless of ability. Inclusive environments are known to have higher levels of commitment and job satisfaction among both managers and employers. In fact, executives who embrace workplace diversity and inclusion are shown to score 7 to 14% higher in these dimensions of job affinity (i). Overall, inclusive workplaces that move to increase the levels of commitment and satisfaction among their workers increase the value of human capital for the organization as a whole, greatly increasing the potential for long term gain.
Training for Inclusion
Program Development Associates offers the Disability Workplace Skills Online Store to help organizations and other business professionals build inclusion in the workplace. The multimedia disability products showcased in the store focus on a variety of topics including disability etiquette, soft skills, and sensitivity training. Focusing on these training topics increases operations efficiency by fostering confidence and efficacy among employees. The disability resources offered by PDA are instrumental in developing internal disability training programs, constructing environments that fully support workers of various abilities, and encouraging valuable idea exchange.
(i) http://ehstoday.com/training/news/executives-diversity-training-successful-1222/
Disability training may take on several forms. From enhancing employee communications to creating cohesion among different departments, training for disability optimizes organizational performance. The means of implementation may vary, however the end is most always constant: increased operational efficiency.
Reasons to Train for Disability
Training for disability is a requisite for success in today’s dynamic and diversified business culture. The Council for Disability Awareness has issued disability trends report stating that the incidence of serious disability has grown steadily since just 2007. Women and younger workers are most at risk, according to the report, and managers who anticipate disability in the workplace are positioned for success. Disability costs can be staggering, but forward-thinking organizations can anticipate areas of risk and train employees accordingly. Remaining compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act, for example, requires attentive study of Federal and state level laws. Specifics may fluctuate, and creating a disability employment program that oversees compliance issues can save organizations immense amounts of time, money, and unwanted publicity.
Disability Training Topics
Disability training topics are similar to those of other, more common employee training programs. Unlike common training programs with which most employers are familiar, however, training for disability addresses these areas with workplace diversity in mind. This new and forward thinking method of employee training increases accessibility, builds inclusion, and positively leverage diversity to increase the bottom line. Three areas of beneficial disability training include employee communications, human relations, and ethical decision making:
Communications
With the number of different cultural customs and languages increasing in today’s workplace, increased importance is placed on effective communication. The same may be said for public relations; as community diversity increases, so too does the need for business to make an effort to communicate with persons of different backgrounds.
Human Relations
Training to better human relations involves more than communications training. Subtopics here include soft skills training, sensitivity training, and other areas of training that aim to increase the emotional quotient of employees.
Ethical Decision Making
From a legislative stance, employers are prohibited from discriminating against qualified job applicants. However, job posting, recruiting, and interviewing practices are each performed at the discretion of the employer. Training managers and human resources departments to carry out these functions in an ethical manner translates to ADA compliance, increased reach to prospects with disabilities, and an enriched talent pool from which to choose.
What to Expect from Disability Training
Ongoing employee training benefits each member of the organization. For organizations with an eclectic employee base, disability training offers the added benefit of creating a sense of inclusion among employees with rich differences. Ongoing training is essential; disability videos and other multimedia resources are essential in presenting and refining concepts that are critical to success.
The Disability Training Blog would like to recognize and congratulate CSC on earning a spot on the “Top 50 Employers for Persons with Disabilities” list in CAREERS & the disABLED magazine. Though printing of the official list will not occur until this coming month, January 2011, the news is already rippling across the Web. CSC, a multinational technology solutions company, sets the quintessential example of what it means to value disability in the workplace.
CAREERS & the disABLED first printed in 1986. To this day, the magazine is the only periodical of its kind. Geared towards undergraduate students, graduates, and professionals, this magazine provides disability career guidance for individuals with a range of mental and physical impairments. For the past twenty years, CAREERS has surveyed subscribers to create an annual list of the top 50 employers for which those with disability would most like to work.
It is easy to see why CSC has been honored with a spot on such a admirable list. When asked about the award, Jeannie Maul, Vice President of CSC’s Managed Services Sector, replied:
CSC is greatly honored to receive this prestigious recognition that highlights our focus and commitment to creating an enterprise-wide culture of inclusion, valuing diversity and providing opportunities for all employees.
The company is no stranger to diversity, with offices in the U.S., Asia, Australia, and Europe. Experience with the global workplace has clearly impacted the culture of CSC, as Ms. Maul explains that disability awareness is very much a part of the company:
[…] we work to create awareness not about the ‘disability,’ but rather about the abilities of our employees. CSC strives to provide a fully inclusive workplace that inspires all employees to be a part of our success, and to provide everyone with vast global opportunities for professional development.
It is inspiring to see a company of such great magnitude value the diversity they recruit. Business leaders are smart to take a page from the CSC operations manual, and not just because of the praise the company has received from Fortune Magazine for being one of the World’s Most Admired Companies for IT. Ms. Maul said it best: CSC inspires each employee to be a part of the company’s success. By focusing on abilities, companies are better able to train, develop, and place employees for optimal performance. Disability training is an integral part of this process, equipping individuals with the knowledge and foresight to build inclusive workplaces.
News source for this article: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20101220006346/en/CSC-Recognized-Top-Employer-Persons-Disabilities
Business has seen interesting times over the past year, to say the least. Economic recession began with the close of the 2007 fiscal year, and it was impacting employment numbers by the middle of 2008. Applications for Federal disability increased dramatically in mid 2008 as well, illustrating an increase in unemployment among those with disability (i). This trend was not unique to our most recent recession, however. Data suggests that those with disabilities are among the first to be fired and the last to be rehired when the economy begins to falter.
Unemployment Explanations: Worker Insecurity, and Disability Employer Fear
One explanation for the correlation between disability unemployment and tough economic times is worker insecurity. Workers with disability voluntarily leave the workplace when the economy begins to turn, seeking to replace their unstable work environment for the certainty of Federal programs that provide unemployment benefits.
Another explanation links the correlation among increased disability unemployment and a “recession economy” with employer fear. Organization leaders know that tough economies require efficient and productive business operations. Fearing insolvency, disability employers must move to cut costs while improving efficiencies across all departments. Downsizing seems inevitable, and employees with disabilities are among the first to be perceived as inefficient and expendable. In fact, research suggests that when recession strikes, employees with disabilities “may be the first to be laid off in a recession and the last to be hired when conditions improve” (ii). Deep, often unconscious prejudices about workers with disabilities may label the individuals as unproductive, fragile, or inferior, and thus subject them to unfair scrutiny or dismissal.
Increasing Worker Retention with Disability Education
Organizations must strive to increase efficiency, especially in stagnant or declining economies. Human capital must be retained, as it is the main driver towards production, innovation, and longevity. Diverse workplaces must recognize all workers as drivers towards recovery rather than superfluous costs, regardless of their physical or mental ability.
Disability education can help to build a culture where this ideal is held in high regard. By exposing employees to disability products that spread awareness, employers are able to accomplish two goals. First, they build an environment where workers with disability may feel comfortable, and thus less likely to leave. Second, disability training products build unity among all levels of an organization. This unity drives efficiency and productivity, two elements critical to surviving a down turned economy.
(i) Annual Statistical Report on the Social Security Disability Insurance Program, 2000 (Social Security Administration, 2001); Annual Statistical Report on the Social Security Disability Insurance Program, 2009 (Social Security Administration, 2010).
(ii) Douglas Kruse and Lisa Schur, “Employment of People with Disabilities Following the ADA,” Industrial Relations, 2003, p. 31.
Is your organization working with the Americans with Disabilities Act? It may seem unreasonable to frame this question nearly 20 years after the enactment of the ADA, but a closer look may prove otherwise. The rate of unemployment among those with disability hovered around 16% at the end of 2009; nearly double the rate of unemployment among persons with no disability (i). The assessment of Federal employers, as illustrated in the Unnecessary Boundaries study, indicates little progress in hiring individuals with disability since 1990 as well.
The picture is not entirely dismal, however. The ADA was enacted. Presidents have made legislative changes to further disability awareness– Barack Obama’s issuance of Rosa’s Law in late October being one of the most recent. In spite of these governmental and societal movements, though, unemployment among those with disability continues to hover at almost twice that of those without disability. To further unravel this conundrum, let us consider the other piece of the equation: disability employers.
Disability Employers and the Americans with Disabilities Act
Disability employers may not actively seek to diversify their workplace. On the contrary, the Americans with Disabilities Act prohibits employers from trying to gauge whether or not a particular applicant has a disability (ii). Persons with disabilities are thus able to disclose their condition at their own discretion. Employers often hire applicants with disabilities simply in virtue of their qualifications for the job. Ideally, this would be a victory for both employer and applicant. However, employers sometimes lack the skills, workplace supports, or technologies to facilitate the employment of a new hire with a disability. As a result, the new employee is hired, receives inadequate training, suffers from lackluster environmental supports, and is unable to perform to the best of their ability.
Prepare to Work with the ADA
Simple disability education products can equip organizations to reverse this trend. The ADA has been successful in breaking the barriers to disability employment, however progress now rests in the hands of employers. Proactive disability awareness training can equip an organization with the knowledge, skills, and etiquette necessary to build inclusive workplaces suitable for today’s diverse workforce. Additionally, organizations may enlist disability advocacy resources to refine their hiring skills, smoothing the transition of employees with disability into the workplace.
(i) http://www.bls.gov/news.release/empsit.t06.htm
(ii) http://careerplanning.about.com/cs/personalissues/a/disability_act.htm
Decreasing the rate of unemployment is on the minds of business professionals and policymakers alike. President Obama issued an enthusiastic Executive Order in July of 2010, challenging the Federal government to reevaluate and optimize their role as disability employers. This Order fell on the 20th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act, helping to further disability awareness among American business owners and professionals.
But one question befalls most small to mid-sized businesses: how can we help? The fear of change, increased costs, and disability program failure has many employers stagnant, despite genuine interest in offering equal opportunity employment. Tough economic times make these fears even greater, tempting business owners to wait for the economic tides to turn before making major changes in business strategy and operations. However, an evaluation of internal business culture may provide hope for organizations of most industries. Analyzing the communication methods and level of worker autonomy can provide a sound indication of an organization’s ability to adopt a more inclusive workplace, hiring workers of varied mental and physical ability.
Disability Education: Increasing Communication Support
A diverse workplace will need standards of communication. When assembling teams of employees with richly varied abilities, it is vital for each individual to be aware of their peers and the communication methods necessary to support collaboration. Ongoing disability education is essential to promote such collaboration. Professionals will find interactive disability products likewise instrumental in educating employees in proper communication practices with their peers with disabilities.
Disability Products for the Inclusive Workplace
Additional disability products are available to business professionals who wish to supplement their disability training programs by providing individuals with disabilities the materials needed to help them develop professionally. The Discovering Your Personal Power curriculum helps individuals with developmental disorders identify their own unique dimensions of ability and worth. This disability product is ideal for training groups of employees; the CD-Rom comes with 30 activities that may be reproduced to facilitate training several employees simultaneously. This engaging product will help to build a sense of autonomy among workers with disabilities, smoothing their transition into the culture of an organization.
Though engaging in disability employment may be uncharted waters for most professionals, it is nonetheless a requisite for becoming an equal opportunity employer. Moreover, the employment level among persons with disabilities will likely keep falling until more small to mid-sized businesses proactively seek to hire persons with disabilities. However, disability products that cultivate worker autonomy can help professionals build the inclusive environments necessary to support workers with disabilities.
Pursuing a college degree is not the only option for young people. Instead, it is a cultural norm that has become the go-to option for those who need more education, engagement, and time to decide on a career path. Skilled careers are a viable option for young people that are often lost in the overwhelming societal push towards the college experience.
There are many ways to transition into a skilled career as a young person. Apprenticeships, work-based learning programs, and associate’s degrees are just three ways to pursue opportunities for employment. These paths are each explored in the Succeeding Without College DVD resource from Program Development Associates. This indispensable resource helps viewers consider the abundant alternatives to college and decide which option is best.
Apprenticeships
Apprenticeships are an excellent way to link employers with individuals who are ready to dive into the workplace. The Internet has become a valuable resource for employers to post apprenticeship opportunities, and for young people to find apprenticeship opportunities in their field of interest.
Work-Based Learning
Work based learning takes a hybrid approach to education, combining traditional the traditional learning environment with hands on work experience. This provides the ideal environment for individuals to showcase their abilities, as well as to learn firsthand whether or not a particular work environment is aligned with their personal values and abilities.
Associate’s Degree
The Associate’s Degree is perfect for the individual who does not want to pursue a four year undergraduate college degree but nonetheless has a particular field that they wish to study. Moreover, individuals who choose this path will be well positioned to transition to a college to attain an undergraduate degree if they so choose.
Making the change from teenager to young adult is difficult, and choosing the correct opportunity is critical. The Succeeding Without College DVD is an essential resource for young adults who are considering alternatives to a college education. This resource explores various skilled career options, highlighting skills and essential qualities for success along the way.
Organizations often face the dilemma of strategic orientation. While this dilemma takes on many forms, the two most common are quality orientation versus production orientation. Providing high quality customer service, for example, usually consumes the time necessary to also maintain high quality internal production.
Overcoming Communication Barriers with Disability Education
One way to adopt high standards for both quality and production is to departmentalize operations. This is not a new concept; many companies have production departments that are separate and distinct from customer service departments. However, fragmented departments must be able to communicate effectively in order maintain overall operational efficiency. For disability employers, this issue takes on added difficulty because peer-to-peer communication is framed in an inclusive workplace with many challenges that must be met and overcome.
Employees of all ability levels must have a sense of disability awareness and advocacy in order to communicate effectively and maintain a streamlined flow of information. Employers who utilize disability education resources can help employees cultivate the skills necessary to work inclusively. The skills needed to work in inclusive environments are not attained overnight; ongoing disability education seminars are vital in bringing together and uniting employees of all ability levels.
Goal: Autonomy Through Disability Education
Disability education programs do more than build awareness and cohesion, however. For disability employers, ongoing education and awareness initiatives help to build a sense of autonomy in workers with disabilities. Studies are increasingly relating worker autonomy with increased job satisfaction, which in turn increases productivity.
Further, autonomy among individuals within separate departments drives quality production by facilitating worker communication and information flow. Managers are turning to programs and strategic orientations that increase worker autonomy for this very reason. For disability employers, the issue of developing worker autonomy is not so easily addressed. Internal disability awareness and education programs are instrumental, however they are just a starting point. Persons with disabilities often need supplementary disability products to aid in developing professional skills like autonomy and efficacy.
Program Development Associates offers a new product this month to help persons with disabilities cultivate these essential workplace skills: The Discovering Your Personal Power Curriculum. This guide helps those with developmental disabilities learn of their individual, inherent, personal power. With 30 full-scale activities on a CD-Rom that can be reproduced for use among several individuals, the Discovering Your Personal Power Curriculum represents an essential tool for disability employers looks to build worker autonomy.
In recent years, businesses have focused on seeking out prospects from unique backgrounds to make their organization rich in culture, talent, and other dimensions. These organizations make proactive efforts to reach out to minorities and persons with disabilities to ensure equal opportunity is presented to qualified prospects. However, attention is all too often focused on the prospecting and interviewing processes, leaving a critical piece of the disability employment puzzle overlooked: maintaining and developing employees into valuable company assets.
Diversity in the Workplace
Diversification alone is unsuccessful in maintaining diversity in the workplace. The increasing rate of unemployment among persons with disabilities illustrates this concept, despite the push for equal employment by major pieces of legislation like the Americans with Disabilities Act (i). The Presidential Executive Orders that followed the ADA pushed a similar agenda for equal opportunity, likewise coming up short. According to recent studies, a number of Federal employees say that while their respective organizations have the framework in place to recruit a diverse group of employees, management is incapable of helping a diverse group develop into professionals (ii). Diversification is only the first step in building a diverse workplace. Steps to train, assess, and advance employees must be taken as well.
Disability Training and Assessment
A diverse workplace is composed of individuals with backgrounds and abilities that may differ greatly. These differences are particularly pronounced when the workplace includes persons with disabilities. Differences in individual ability require different approaches to community inclusion, ranging from specific assistive technology requirements to the need for unique communication methods. Disability assessment tools are crucial in training and retaining persons with disabilities, as they expose areas where an individual may need additional training and support.
Disability assessment and evaluation, along with Disability assessment tools, are all critical components that inclusive workplaces must use in building a work environment that will expand upon internal human resources. Properly developing human capital is essential in increasing company productivity, revenue, and longevity. Program Development Associates offers a host of additional disability and diversity resources to help organizations recruit, train, assess, and develop persons with disabilities into business professionals.
(i) http://www.dol.gov/odep/pubs/fact/stats.htm
(ii) http://www.teleworkexchange.com/unnecessarybarriers/landing.asp
This month, Program Development Associates features the Diversity: Face to Face D.V.D., a unique an innovative tool that explores the four main aspects of diversity in the workforce: stereotypes, similarities, unity, and benefits. Organizations watch, together, and learn the stories men and women who truly live in diverse environments. Through their stories and thoughts, viewers see not only what it is like to live with diversity, but also learn their roles in supporting a courteous and inclusive work environment.
Diversity in the Workforce and Stereotypes
Stereotypes affect both the person acting as well as the individual receiving. The Diversity: Face to Face D.V.D. helps employers and employees recognize signs of stereotyping with the goal of identifying and diffusing it before severe problems arise.
Finding Similarities
Next, the role of similarities in a group is explored. The motivation to pin point differences among people is dispelled. Instead, viewers are challenged to consider what common ground they share with one another.
Managing Workforce Diversity Through Unity
Next, the diversity D.V.D. uses similarities as a basis to cultivate a newfound sense of organizational unity. Each member of the organization will be challenged to bond in a way that seeks a common goal and purpose.
Benefits of Diversity Training
This featured diversity product ends with an exploration of the benefits of diversity in the marketplace of today. A talented pool of individuals with varying abilities has much to offer in our global and digital business world, and the Diversity D.V.D. surveys this idea through the eyes of workers in inclusive, diverse workplaces.
An instrumental part of training diversity is building courteous and respectful behavior among all members of an organization. A richly varied group of individuals cannot function cooperatively without mutually respecting one another. Program Development Associates’ diversity resources provide the perfect medium for employers and employees alike to learn more about the importance and benefits of working within a large and heterogeneous group. This month P.D.A. offers the Diversity: Face to Face D.V.D. to help organizations recognize, embrace, and monetize their diversity.
A lack of diversity and equality may cost an organization billions of dollars over time. The damaging affects of inequality may manifest themselves within an organization in several ways, including losses in productivity, increases in employee turnover, and a dampening of employee moral. The Is It Bias? Making Diversity Work D.V.D. addresses these issues through a critical examination of organization biases, large and small, and how they affect company growth.
However, an organization may take proactive measures to define, recognize, and reduce even subtle biases among employees to pave the way toward long term financial stability.
Organizational Productivity
Increasing company diversity can increase both short and long term productivity. In the short term, a company culture built on equality works with exceptional cohesion. Cohesion provides the groundwork for peer-to-peer collaboration, a necessity for future growth.
Minimizing Turnover
Company diversity slows employee turnover. For example, the greater the variance in worker age, the slower the rate at which organizations lose employees to retirement. This is an issue to which organizations must pay close attention as the baby boomer generation of the 1960s nears retirement. Additionally, workplaces that hold principles of diversity in high regard are better able to retain and develop young employees. Managers, and their organizations as a whole, must instill a sense of equal opportunity among workers regardless of age, ethnicity, and other extraneous characteristics. Failure to do so can cause deeply rooted feelings of resentment, anger, and helplessness, each major contributors to losing human capital.
Inspiring Moral
Great leaders show their followers through action. Organizational leaders who utilize diversity activities inspire moral among their employees by setting estimable precedent. These activities come in many forms, but they each share the same goal: to teach employees to identify and diffuse even inconspicuous biases that lay the foundation for feelings of inequality and other counterproductive thoughts.
Properly utilizing diversity resources is the first step towards safeguarding against loss. Organizations may begin training diversity through many multimedia products. Program Development Associates offers the Is It Bias? D.V.D. to help management define, recognize, and reduce biases among their workforce. Only once biases are uncovered can they be disarmed—a critical step towards an inclusive work environment.
Last week, we began our diversity training article series with a look at the use of modern assistive technology. In our second installment of Modern Diversity Training, we will explore the necessity for making the workplace accessible to complement the emergence of assistive technology.
First, an explanation of Universal Design for Learning, or UDL, will be presented. Then, we will move to investigate how UDL techniques can help disability employers and other professionals design training materials for individuals with disabilities.
Universal Design for Learning was developed by the Center for Applied Special Technology to help teachers identify with the vastly differing special needs of students with disabilities. UDL provides a blueprint for creating goals, methods, materials, and assessments that accommodate learner differences (i). Utilizing recent neurological studies, CAST asserts that there are three dominant brain networks responsible for acquiring knowledge: recognition networks, strategic networks, and affective networks (ii). Each network has a different function, yet together they move an individual to gather, process, and learn concepts. Moreover, CAST asserts that each of these networks function differently for each individual. Thus, only by accounting for learner differences can teachers, and by the same token business professionals, assist persons with disabilities in acquiring knowledge.
Disability employers must embrace the concepts set forth by the UDL methodology in order to create a diverse workplace. Specifically, disability training programs must employ the three core components of UDL: multiple means of representation, multiple means of expression, and multiple means of engagement (iii). In creating multiple means of representation, employers present information pertaining to individual work tasks in various formats. For example, a disability employer may present a single piece of information through visual presentations, written manuals, aural recordings, flow charts, and other mediums to account for learner differences and increase the rate at which knowledge is ascertained.
Most importantly, the multiple means component of UDL provides an opportunity for the communication to be tailored for the individual receiving it. To illustrate, consider that a trainee with a visual impairment can be issued an audio recording containing instructions specific to a single task. Another trainee with a learning disability like dyslexia can receive instructions for the same task by way of a visual illustration with minimal written instructions. In this way, each learning style is accommodated for, each disability is overcome, and the diversity of the workplace is maintained.
Simply investing in assistive technology falls short of effectively diversifying a work environment. Disability employers must delve deeper and consider the degree of accessibility their business provides for persons with disabilities. Evaluating accessibility requires identifying the ability of employees, areas of exceptional talent, individual learner differences, and unique support needs. Disability and diversity training initiatives that harness the power of UDL have a significant advantage in making the workplace accessible.
(i) http://www.cast.org/research/udl/index.html”>http://www.cast.org/research/udl/index.html
(ii) see above
(iii) see above
The desire to employ persons with disabilities is growing. In honor of the recent twentieth anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act, the Program Development Associates Disability Training Blog is proud to present a look towards the diversified businesses of the present. This coverage will be completed in two installments.
In this article, titled Modern Business Training: Assistive Technology Products, we will take a closer look at the assistive technology that is enabling persons with various mental and physical disabilities to gain employment. Next week, we will follow up with Modern Business Training Part II, a look at the Universal Design for Learning and its application in complementing assistive technology and broadening the scope of employment opportunity for those with disabilities.
Assistive technology can be considered any of a variety of instruments used by individuals with disabilities to perform functions that might otherwise be difficult or altogether impossible (i). This is a broad and somewhat conceptual definition that has many applications. For example, mobility devices including manual wheelchairs, power wheelchairs, power scooters, and walking aids are all consider assistive technology. In this example, the technology is somewhat primitive compared to digital gadgetry but nonetheless enables the mobility of an individual who would otherwise have some degree of difficulty moving about.
Assistive technology goes beyond mobility devices to also include hardware, software, and other information technologies. For example, consider that individuals with physically impaired hands or fingers can utilize custom designed keyboards and computer mice to operate computers. Individuals with moderate to severe visual impairments can likewise overcome their unique sensory deprivation with software that reads digitally displayed messages aloud, like emails and other lines of text on a computer. In both of these examples, individuals are able to overcome their unique disabilities and perform work specific tasks.
Without these kinds of enabling technologies, these individuals would be hard pressed to find work environments in which they could actively pursue objectives, contribute as team members, and develop into working professionals. The expanding application of assistive technology, however, provides the groundwork for individuals with disabilities to do just the opposite. Indeed, the proliferation of assistive technology establishes the opportunity for businesses to diversify their workforce and cultivate the talents of a range of individuals. Moreover, employers are better able to retain valuable human capital; individuals who spend years learning, training, and contributing within a specific company can more easily retain their position should unexpected, devastating accidents occur. This adds a tremendous value for businesses rich in human capital; unexpectedly losing capital for any period of time can be costly, derail growth strategies, and undermine core business objectives.
Disability employers must know, however, that assistive technology is just that: technology. The effective application of assistive technology hinges on the ability of a disability or diversity employer to consider access. Technology is of no use if it is not accessible to the users for which it is intended. This is particularly important when considering the application of assistive technology, as it is specifically designed for persons with unique mental and physical impairments. Nuances that make one piece of assistive technology accessible to one individual may not make that instrument equally accessible to another individual with a similar impairment.
Since effective application of diversity training depends largely on accessibility, it is of great importance for employers to consider the needs of each of their employees. In the second installment of Modern Business Training, we will investigate how employers can best identify the unique needs of each employee to make assistive technology, and the workplace in general, more accessible.
(i) http://www.washington.edu/accessit/articles?109
A movement towards disability studies has begun to build momentum. Over the past decade, graduate study programs at universities across the nation have started to develop specific courses of study to better understand mental and physical impairments. From Georgetown University to the California Baptist University, these courses are being defined as a holistic study of the phenomenon of disability through a multidisciplinary approach (i).
Topics addressed include the social, cultural, and political role disability has played in society. Students learn the role people with disabilities have played in the development and implementation of several disciplines, from literature to social policy. Such programs aim to arm students with a knowledge base that will increase disability awareness and, ultimately, promote social change. The emergence of disability studies programs is important for at least two reasons.
First, disability awareness will only grow as these professionals enter society after completing their courses of study. Georgetown University explains that a critical component of their Master of Professional Studies in Disability Studies program is to provide students with the tools to educate and increase awareness across various audiences (ii). Graduates will attain the skill of communicating disability awareness and tolerance to a variety of audiences upon graduation, an invaluable skill necessary in spreading the message for any subject. In this way, graduates will have the ability to communicate awareness and tolerance to demographically or otherwise starkly differing groups of people. This promotes the proliferation of disability education by increasing the effectiveness with which it is taught. More effective disability education, in short, paves the way for awareness and understanding.
More importantly, however, it is a sign that large scale social change is on the way. The near future will see a growing population of working professionals with a deep understanding of different disabilities, across a range of different societal and historical contexts. These professionals will be instrumental in helping to assimilate those with disabilities into the workforce, in counseling persons with disabilities and their families, and in furthering the field of disability education and research. Moreover, the growing number of disability studies courses and the bodies that fill their lecture halls illustrate a growing interest and empathy for persons with disabilities, a critical component to spreading awareness.
The trend in disability studies programs is indicative of a growing number of working professionals with substantial disability training and education. This translates to narrowing the gap between those with a disability, and those without. Graduates will have the resources and experience to collaborate with individuals with disabilities, helping them to become active community members. Business owners must take note of the growing number of disability studies programs and their resulting societal implications. These graduate schools, for example, represent prime recruiting outlets for Human Resource departments, managers, and other professional positions. Disability study program graduates serve exemplary consultants, as well, for businesses looking to implement inclusion training to solidify their company culture.
(i) http://www.sps.cuny.edu/programs/spscourses/programdescription.aspx?pid=6&sid=DSCP
(ii) http://scs.georgetown.edu/departments/32/disability-studies
Creating an inclusive workplace fosters a variety of talents that increase productivity and keep companies on the forefront of innovation. The success of the inclusive workplace, however, hinges on the ability of business owners and managers to correctly identify the strengths, weaknesses, and unique talents of each employee. This managerial ability becomes even more important when the employee has a disability. The Becker Work Adjustment Profile, or BWAP, provides an observer rating assessment of the vocational ability of an employee with a disability, and it is an essential tool for managers of any business with a diverse culture of workers.
The Becker Work Adjustment Profile gauges the work readiness of an individual by measuring their habits, attitudes, and skills, collectively recognized as vocational competency. Moreover, this tool identifies where additional supports are needed with respect to different work areas, and to what degree. It is a reliable test, appropriate for teenaged children over 15 as well as adults. Its application is suitable for workers who are learning disabled, physically disabled, emotionally disturbed, economically disadvantaged, or mentally retarded.
The primary advantage of the BWAP is in its nature as an observer rating instrument. A professional who has had experience observing the subject in their work environment administers the test, greatly reducing the potential for subject-driven error. In addition, the BWAP is exceptionally comprehensive. Vocational competency is ascertained by measuring 63 different items allocated to four separate sub scales, or domains: Work Habits/ Attitudes, Interpersonal Relations, Cognitive Skills, and Work Related Skills (i). After the employee is evaluated, areas of dissonance between ability and work behavior are identified. Additional, task-specific training is then administered, working to eliminate the dissonance between ability and behavior.
Administering the BWAP is easy and intuitive. Evaluators utilize three main materials including a Questionnaire Test Booklet, an Individual Profile Form, and a User’s Manual. The observer uses the Profile Form to rate the subject with respect to the behavioral items listed in the Questionnaire Booklet. The Score Summary and corresponding Vocational Competency of the subject is recorded on the Profile Form as both a raw and derived score for each domain. These values are then cross referenced with the BWAP Manual to determine the level of work readiness and necessity of work supports for the subject.
Keeping a business productive, efficient, and ready to innovate requires strong attention and appreciation for human capital. Paramount to effectively integrating human capital is the capacity for personnel managers to assess each employee as an individual with unique abilities. The need to measure the work readiness of each employee and construct appropriate supports is particularly critical for workplaces rich with persons of varying abilities. The Becker Work Adjustment Profile, or BWAP, is an industry standard for such assessments. The instrument, when coupled with ongoing disability training and education programs, provides a foundation for placing and retaining employees with disabilities.
(i) http://www.accessmylibrary.com/article-1G1-71316809/measuring-rehabilitation-outcomes.html
Disability awareness propagates in the wake of President Barack Obama’s most recent Executive Order to increase the Federal employment of individuals with disabilities. The order, released Tuesday July 26th, was issued just one day after the Americans with Disabilities Act reached its twentieth year since enactment. In those twenty years, despite previous presidential orders and Federal initiatives, the unemployment of Americans with disabilities has only risen (i). President Obama, however, hopes to reverse that trend. Different from prior initiatives, Mr. Obama’s Executive Order focuses primarily on retaining individuals with disabilities and learning impairments. An emphasis on disability training and education for Federal agencies and personnel is to be the point of difference that primes this Executive Order for success.
Recognizing the Federal Government as the largest employer in the nation, Mr. Obama begins by addressing the need for government to lead by example. In opening the Order, Mr. Obama states that the government has an important interest in reducing discrimination against those who live with a disability, eliminating the stigma associated with disabilities, and in encouraging individuals with disabilities to seek Federal employment (ii). The importance of these interests cannot be understated. Reducing discrimination and the stigma associated with individuals who have a disability is an important first step in reducing the unemployment rate. The ideal workplace for individuals with disabilities to prosper has core elements of regular disability education, inclusion training workshops, assistive technology integration, and mutual respect among coworkers. In achieving these core elements of an inclusive workplace, Federal agencies will establish strong paradigms that will work to welcome those with disabilities as potential employees.
Mr. Obama’s Executive order moves on to state specific requirements Federal agencies must meet in providing opportunities for persons with physical and mental impairments to gain employment. Most noteworthy, the President calls for the mandatory drafting of strategies to hire and recruit those with disabilities within 60 days of the Order’s enactment (iii). An essential part of these strategies includes outlining disability training programs for Federal Human Resource departments and other hiring professionals. This portion of the Executive Order aims to better prepare agencies to promote job availability as well as to provide hiring professionals with the disability education needed to recruit and train workers with disabilities.
Most importantly, the Executive Order sets the groundwork for long term success by setting standards for retaining workers with disabilities. Mr. Obama charges the Office of Personnel Management, in consultation with the Secretary of Labor, with the responsibility of identifying and assisting agencies in implementing strategies to retain Federal workers with disabilities. Paramount to the success of this initiative is the ability of the agency to conduct thorough disability awareness training internally, developing an inclusive workplace that will help those with disabilities develop into industry professionals. The President’s Order will help in this regard, specifically detailing the duties of the Office of Personnel Management to include helping with internal training, using centralized funds to provide reasonable workplace accommodations, increasing access to the appropriate assistive technologies, and ensuring the accessibility of the physical and virtual workplace (iv).
In the twenty years that have passed since the enacting of the Americans with Disabilities Act, unemployment among individuals with disabilities has actually grown. Despite Executive Orders, initiatives, and disability awareness programs, the American public is ill equipped to recruit, train, and develop into professionals those with disabilities. Disability training resources are a necessity in reversing this trend. As Mr. Obama’s Order makes clear, responsibility lies in the hands of company owners, internal managers, and other business professionals to utilize inclusion training and other techniques to hire and keep workers with disabilities. Disability awareness training is a vital first step towards creating business environments in which this goal is attainable, and the Federal government’s push to lead by example is inspiring.
(i) http://www.dol.gov/odep/pubs/fact/stats.htm
(ii) http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/executive-order-increasing-federal-employment-individuals-with-disabilities
(iii) http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/executive-order-increasing-federal-employment-individuals-with-disabilities
(iv) http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/executive-order-increasing-federal-employment-individuals-with-disabilities
Rapidly evolving technologies and an ever-changing political landscape make today’s business environment a dynamic challenge. In the face of such volatility, organizations thrive on the depth and diversity of their employees. A workforce rich in racial, cultural, and ethnic tradition keeps ideas fresh, varied, and constructive. There’s more than one way to skin a cat, and never before has generating multiple solutions to a wide variety of problems been so valuable.
Finding unique individuals to help carry a group to an end goal is a difficult challenge. Fortunately, the Civil Rights movements of the early and mid 1900s revolutionized the cultures of businesses large and small. Women, minorities, and persons with disabilities increasingly gained recognition for their inherent value, deepening the talent pool from which organizations could draw. The archaic ideals of the 1800s and early 1900s have become footnotes in the history books. No longer are men the breadwinners, women the homemakers, and the minorities the disadvantaged. Further, advances in technology have made the workplace more accessible, particularly for individuals with mental and physical impairments.
Even more daunting than finding a talented workforce is the task of managing workplace diversity to maximally achieve that end goal. This difficulty is faced by a host of different leaders in various organizations, from collegiate coaches to Fortune 500 Executives. However, recruiting talent is only the beginning. Distributing, uniting, and retaining talented individuals is a long term process that will graduate mere managers to the level of wildly successful, esteemed leaders.
While a richly varied talent pool in an organization’s culture is of paramount importance, a leaders ability to unite and retain that talent is the critical it factor. Diversity awareness and respect is the foundation on which any endeavor to unify a diverse mass must be built. Herds of unique individuals with equally unique ideas and solutions are of little value if the herd cannot move together. In this way today’s business leader is under more pressure than ever to educate employees of their coworkers’ differing backgrounds, ideologies, and lifestyles.
Diversity awareness training fosters an understanding of the multitude of differences that make each person a one-of-a-kind individual. With awareness comes education, and with education sprouts the opportunity for appreciation. To further encourage appreciation among employees, leaders within an organization can engage in regular workforce and employee diversity training. Diversity training seminars and workshops offer an invaluable occasion for individuals to learn about one another and cultivate a respect for ethnicities, ideals, and traditions that differ from their own.
The ultimate end goal for any diversity training program is to perpetuate a feelings of reciprocal awareness and respect among employees. Without both awareness and respect, leaders cannot hope to have employees work effectively. In a business environment laden with dynamic challenges, organizations simply cannot afford to have anything other than a unified and diversified talent pool. Disability and inclusion training D.V.D.s, C.D.s, and other resources offer a vital first step towards developing diversity awareness programs to bring employees together, maximizing output, and enrich their work experience.
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
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.
Creating an inclusive work environment is the best way to ensure both accessibility and productivity are fully realized in our dynamic business world. No two persons have the same problem solving processes, ideals, or passions, regardless of physical or mental ability. An inclusive environment accommodates workers of various ability levels, in turn providing a diverse assortment of individual talents and strengths that can be utilized to develop new ideas. The celebration and respect for diversity among coworkers are essential components in developing new ideas, and new ideas are the foundation for future growth across all industries.
At the heart of the inclusive workplace lie the management team and their ability to implement environmental supports to encourage an accepting and communicative company culture. Behavior, individual workers’ attitudes, and internal processes must be harnessed to support environmental inclusiveness, as determined by the unique landscape of each institution or company. Managers serve a vital role in aligning themselves with the resulting vision while leading employees through the implementation of inclusive practices.
Managers must consider the uniqueness of each individual when designing a program to help employees of all physical and intellectual ability levels engage with one another. The following guidelines, as shared by the Canada Secretariat, provide an outline for managers and disability program advisers to lead employees in respectful communication with coworkers with visual, aural, physical, and developmental disabilities, respectfully:
Communicating with Coworkers with Visual Impairments
- Identify yourself as well as anyone accompanying you
- Mention any previous interactions to help the employee remember prior engagements he or she may have had with you
- Name the individual with whom you are speaking when speaking to a group of coworkers
- If the conversation has ended, indicate you are moving to another location
- Courteously clear the area of obstacles
- If necessary, describe the environment to the coworker
- If offering to lead the coworker to another location, invite the coworker to take your arm
- If the coworker would rather walk independently, walk about a half step ahead and listen intently for instructions and questions
- Offer to read written information when appropriate
- Do not pet or play with guide dogs, if present, as it is distracting and inappropriate
Communicating with Coworkers with Aural Impairment
- Identify the language required if employing interpreter services
- Speak clearly and at a moderate pace that allows the interpreter to use sign language to relay the message to the coworker
- Allow the coworker time to communicate in return, through the interpreter
- Use written or clear nonverbal body language when communicating one on one
- To facilitate lip reading, face the coworker and keep hands and objects away from your face
- Face the coworker and speak in a clear and slow voice
- When possible, converse in a quiet environment and move to eliminate disruptive background noises
Communicating with Coworkers with Physical Impairments
- Facilitate movement via wheelchair, scooter, or other mobility aid by rearranging furniture in the room
- When standing in close proximity, do not lean or excessively touch another’s mobility device as it is considered personal space
- Always conscientiously consider what may or may not constitute accessible for those in wheelchairs and other mobility aids
- Do not push or move a coworker in his or her wheelchair unless asked to do so
Communicating with Coworkers with Developmental Disabilities
- Inclusion starts with a fundamental knowledge of the person, their background, and their general personality: Get to know the person so that you may include them
- Offer assistance when necessary
- Slowly and articulately repeat information when necessary
- Speak directly at the coworker
- Listen actively and intently
Managers, disability program advisers, and disability training consultants are charged with developing and clearly communicating policies that provide an unwavering framework for respectful employee diversification and interaction. Policies must first seek to maximize the range of talent and unique strengths among workers by hiring individuals of all abilities.
Essential to management’s creation of an inclusive workplace is their ability to provide diversity education for employees. Tantamount importance lies in management’s ability to foster an environment that encourages courteous and independent communication among persons of all physical and mental abilities. Several disability training resources and disability training DVDs highlight the importance of fostering an environment where all individuals, ranging from those with high intellectual capacities to persons with mental and physical disabilities, feel accepted, unified, and valued. Ongoing disability education is crucial in ensuring all members of the company or institution are up to speed on the nature of different disabilities, the availability of training resources, and evolving strategies for inclusion in the workplace.
Reference: Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat, http://www.tbs-sct.gc.ca/pubs_pol/hrpubs/tb_852/cwwed1-eng.asp
