I’m Disabled — And Here Are 3 Meaningful Ways Your Company Can Foster a More Inclusive Workplace

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I’m Disabled — And Here Are 3 Meaningful Ways Your Company Can Foster a More Inclusive Workplace

By Jose Flores | Edited by Maria Bailey | Entrepreneur Magazine | July 23, 2024

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Disability Awareness Month is not just about acknowledging the hardships that come with having a disability — it’s also about recognizing the work of disabled people and how we can make physical spaces, policies and practices more accessible in the workplace.

The author has lived with Spinal Muscular Atrophy, but he has never let it affect his corporate position for over two decades, and he has seen firsthand what true inclusion can do for an organization.  Three meaningful ways companies can observe Disability Awareness Month and make lasting changes:

1. Organizing educational workshops and training sessions.  Team-building training and workshops are the best ways to celebrate Disability Awareness Month. Workshops can dispel myths and prejudices about people with disabilities and educate employees on appropriate etiquette and awareness when discussing and working with people with disabilities. This includes appropriate and inappropriate behavior and language, accessibility considerations and more. Workshops and training sessions can serve as the foundation for creating an inviting environment that can promote the inclusion of people with disabilities in the workplace.  Bring in guest speakers and arrange sensitization workshops.
2. Heighten accessibility and accommodation practices.  In honor of Disability Awareness Month, take a closer look at the current accessibility and accommodation practices within your company. Ensuring that your working environment, from the physical perspective, is universally accessible to everyone gives a foundation for creating an inclusive environment. Accommodation policies are intended to provide a barrier-free environment that allows people with disabilities to access employment, public services and facilities as independently as possible.  Accessible workplaces are not just about responding to minimum legal requirements; they ensure all employees can perform to the best of their abilities without unnecessary barriers.  Conduct accessibility audit, keep on updating accommodation policies, and invest in assistive technologies.
3. Celebrate and recognize employee contributions by people with disabilities.  Another effective strategy for observing Disability Awareness Month is to celebrate employees with disabilities. Recognition and appreciation can be given in various ways, including honors, awards and talent performance.  Recognition enlightens and accentuates a sense of worth that comes with having a disability among employees.  For this spotlight stories, give awards and recognition and arrange talent show.

2 key takeaways from the article

1. Disability Awareness Month affords companies the perfect avenue to increase inclusivity and support for their employees with various disability conditions. Ways to achieve this would be through educational workshops, raising office accessibility, and recognizing contributions by people with disabilities.
2. These would not only benefit the employees with disabilities but also truly enhance the organizational culture by making it more robust and much more cohesive. Embracing all these makes for real change in life, whereby each employee feels valued and can contribute at their best.

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Topics:  Inclusion, Organizational Behavior, Disability, Workplace, Empathy