Partner Article

Making the Workplace Inclusive

Making the workplace inclusive is a very important issue that businesses in the modern era must engage with and work together on, in order to improve.

There is no one-size-fits-all method when dealing with workplace inclusiveness, which leaves it to down to the human resources team, occupational health professionals, and the employees themselves to collectively create an inclusive environment that works for everyone.

The Equality Act of 2010

The Equality Act 2010 brings together a number of different legislations under one single act, making it easier to protect the rights of everyone under a legal framework, promoting fairness and equality for all workers.

Part of the equality act advises that employers must assist in providing an inclusive environment, along with making an effort to help an employee return to work if they have encountered a disability.

Failure to do this may result in facing discrimination charges, so what commercial products are available to help make the workplace inclusive for individuals with disabilities?

Employees with Physical Disabilities

As part of the “Reasonable Adjustments” outlined by the government guidelines, modifying or providing equipment is a requirement when employing disabled individuals. As an employer you may be able to recoop some of the equipment costs via the Access to Work scheme.

Providing ramps, widening doorways, relocating switches and moving shelves or often adjustments employers will make to accomodate employees with physical disabilities. As an employer you may also be required to accomodate a different working pattern/hours and tailor a job specification slightly to ensure that an employee is capable of carrying out all of his or her responsibilities.

Adapted keyboards and computer mouses, are common pieces of equipment that are provided for workers with arthritis or health conditions that impact coordination. Adapt-IT and Infogrip are suppliers for all computer related aids and adaptations.

Specialist items such as standing frames (providers include Quest 88 & Stand Aid) are designed to help users move from a sitting position, such as a wheelchair or static chair, to a standing position in a safe and easy manner. This enables wheelchair users to carry out jobs that require standing, such as assembly-line work, for example.

Lifting mechanisms of a modern stander can be utilised either manually or electronically, depending on the user’s preferences and abilities, allowing it to work effectively for everyone. Standing can be helpful for adults with head and spinal injuries, along with those who have a number of conditions, such as Motor Neurone Disease and Multiple Sclerosis.

In a workplace situation, standers allow the user to move around unassisted. This not only helps raise productivity but also plays a very powerful role in boosting confidence and independence in the workplace.

Another product that many businesses and employees are utilising in the workplace is an assisted walker. With improvements to their design and production, the walkers that are currently available are an extremely versatile piece of equipment, greatly assisting with mobility and balance.

Designed to help individuals walk freer and easier, less energy is required which opens up tasks and roles to individuals that may not have been previously possible.

Employees with Partial Sight or Sight Loss

A complete guide can be found here for employing individuals with sight loss. Relatively simple pieces of equipment such as screen magnifiers and even specific phone and/or tablet applicationscan make it possible for an individual with restricted sight, to be employeed without any issues.

Employees with Hearing Loss

A new member of staff with hearing difficulties must be offered some form of ‘communication support’. Simple measures such as giving employees options where to sit, can help significantly if it means they’ll be facing their colleagues. Employers will often set up an ‘awareness’ style workshop to ensure that all employees are aware of the challanges a colleague with hearing loss may face - and how they can help.

Employers will normally be required to supply textphones. For more information please see this guide from the RNID.

Further Resources

There is a vast amount of resources that exist on helping to make the workplace inclusive, whether this is by offering products or information to assist.

One of the most influential of these is the Radiate network, which aims to help disabled people share experiences, network for jobs and provide information on how they may influence disabled employment practices at their workplace.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Simon Evans .