Most employers today probably consider themselves to be inclusive and would not deliberately discriminate against a disabled candidate who applied for a job with them. Yet people with disabilities remain underrepresented in the workplace.
More than 1 in 5 Australians has a disability. Of course, in severe cases people are unable to work, but many can and are not. Often, they do not even apply for positions which they could fill. So what can you do as an employer to encourage a more diverse range of applicants to apply for a position with you?
1. Make sure your office space is accessible
Automatic doors and ramps are simple changes that make an office a welcoming environment for a much broader range of people. Keeping corridors, cafeterias and working spaces free from clutter will help too, as can disabled parking spaces and helpful staff.
As well as actually having these things, as many businesses do, it is important to let people know about them, for example by including a note about accessibility when you place a job advertisement.
People affected by disabilities may worry that if they are invited for an interview or offered a job they might show up and be unable to enter. This can put them off applying at all.
2. Make your website accessible too
Advertising jobs through disability employment services (DES) is a good step to take, but think about what a candidate is likely to do next.
In preparation for an interview, they, like other applicants, are likely to head to your website. If it only contains text and images, this can make it difficult for some disabled people to use.
It is advisable to include a mixture of different media, including text, images, video and audio. And offer alternatives, such as subtitles on videos.
3. Consider allowing remote work
Even though we have entered the age of remote work, this does not necessarily mean you have to offer disabled employees fully remote positions. In fact, doing so could make them feel like they’re being treated differently.
However, it can be reassuring to let them know that you are open to the idea. They may have medical appointments on certain days which make it difficult to get to the office, or mobility issues that make travel in certain kinds of weather very difficult. Letting them know that you can be flexible is very helpful.
4. Disability awareness training
People with disabilities often face two frustrating scenarios when they interact with able-bodied people. The first happens because uncertainty makes most people reluctant to act. When they do not know what kind of help a disabled person needs, some people’s instinctive reaction is to steer clear or ignore them. Other people react the opposite way and, while well-intentioned, are so over-the-top in their help as to be insulting.
Disability rights training can make sure that everyone has a better idea of how they can help and how much help is welcome.
Even if your business is very accessible already, it does no harm to think about things that may have been overlooked. Whether it’s your website or job adverts, there are always things that can be improved, and hopefully this article has given you some food for thought.
