Did you know that approximately 1 in 4 Americans over the age of 15 live with at least one disability, or that 42% of baby boomers over the age of 65 or older live with more than one disability?
It is time for workplaces to include people with disabilities. Workplaces must provide accommodations and make them accessible for people with disabilities to work at. This helps people with disabilities gain employment opportunities and make an income while workplaces gain a positive impact on its reputation and long-term sustainability. Want to know how workplaces can be successful through accommodations and accessibility?
Workplaces must educate themselves about the various types of disabilities. Employers must ask potential employees with disabilities during an interview about how they wanted to be addressed. For example, do you prefer person-first language or identity-first language? Language matters, so let’s respect peoples' perspectives from the neurodiverse community that they want to go by.
Not only does language matter, but it is important for workplaces to remove barriers that prevent employment opportunities for neurodiverse people. Workplaces should be working with their employees as a team by making them accessible in order to gain a positive reputation and other economic benefits. This can occur by providing different employment opportunities and incorporating accommodations that meet individual needs. For example, an employee with a speech disability may need you to repeat, rephrase, or write down what they heard in order to get their responsibilities of their job role accomplished. When you give people with disabilities a chance in the workplace, they pay in return by being such dedicated and hardworking employees within the company or organization. It is time for workplaces to act as an inclusive team!
How else would you make your company or organization more inclusive and successful? Share your thoughts in the comments section!