Inclusive cultures and wellbeing for staff with disabilities 

By Chris Jay, Managing Director of Bascule Disability Training.

It’s often assumed that simply hiring people with disabilities makes a company inclusive. In reality, building a truly inclusive workplace requires a lot more. Essentially, a workplace must also focus on providing a culture that is understanding, empathetic and supportive of disability, allowing employees to feel comfortable about bringing their authentic selves to work. Without this, employees with disabilities often face challenges that negatively impact their wellbeing and overall engagement. 

Why inclusion matters 

There are currently 16.8 million people in the UK living with a disability, which amounts to 25% of the population, a number that has increased by just over 40% since 2014. It goes without saying that creating a culture that embraces difference will benefit an organisation’s talent pool, improve retention and unlock the skills of a significant portion of the UK’s workforce. 

However, to employ staff with disabilities without implementing a cultural shift, enhances the risk of these employees facing physical challenges and experiencing negative attitudes, unconscious bias and even harassment – all of which can potentially cause significant damage to a worker’s wellbeing. 

So where does that shift in culture begin? 

Changing minds 

Any journey towards an inclusive workplace should always begin by creating positive perceptions. Exclusion and ill-treatment are nearly always built on a lack of knowledge and understanding. If these are addressed through extensive disability awareness training across all departments, with a special focus on senior and managerial staff, changes will inevitably happen. 

Awareness training helps staff become empathetic, allowing them to challenge their own biases and assumptions and become confident in their interactions with people with disabilities. Consider that 67% of people reported feeling uncomfortable or awkward talking to people with disabilities. Helping staff learn more about respectful communication, inclusive language and behaviour can help remove those feelings. 

Once a company openly demonstrates it is entirely dedicated to inclusion and embracing difference, staff with disabilities will be less likely to experience behaviours that would impact their wellbeing, feel better supported and be more likely to approach managers to discuss how they could best perform through reasonable adjustments. 

Removing stigma – hidden disabilities 

A good example of the way many businesses fail to address disability inclusion properly can be found when we consider the ‘disclosure’ of hidden disabilities in the workplace. 80% of all disabilities are hidden (or non-visible to most people), which means that more than 13 million people in the UK will at some point consider whether or not to disclose their disability to their managers/employers. 

This decision is mainly influenced by a fear of stigma or negative reactions from employers and colleagues. Sadly, 43% of people with hidden disabilities choose not to tell their employer, which has a huge impact on their wellbeing. 

Studies have shown us that employees who disclose their disability are more than twice as likely to feel content at work (65% vs 27%), less likely to feel nervous or anxious (18% vs 40%), and far less likely to feel isolated (8% vs 37%) than those who remain undisclosed. Additional evidence suggests that 55% of workers with disabilities would work when unwell, and 26% would use paid time off for medical appointments, reflecting the strain experienced when masking health needs. 

These figures show that without the right culture, stigmas can lead to people with disabilities struggling, which can have a detrimental impact on their physical and mental health. Conversely, wellbeing improves when people feel equipped to do their work without unnecessary strain or exclusion and can openly approach managerial staff for adjustments and support. 

Negative behaviours 

Another aspect of workplace culture that impacts wellbeing for people with disabilities is the prevalence of negative behaviour or bullying. In fact, a UK study found that as many as 53% of people with disabilities have reported experiencing bullying or harassment at work. 

Experiencing such behaviours results in anxiety, depression, frustration and emotional distress, which frequently causes workers to leave their jobs. Another survey found that 28% of people with disabilities stopped working after experiencing discrimination and 90% of all people with disabilities who had experienced discrimination at work said it led to them leaving their job. 

These statistics demonstrate a clear need for anti-bullying and harassment policies, clear reporting procedures and a general zero-tolerance approach to discriminatory behaviours. It goes without saying that creating a safe environment and making staff feel comfortable reporting and calling out bullying is critical to everyone’s wellbeing. 

Embedding inclusion into wellbeing strategies 

There are a number of ways you can embed inclusion into your wellbeing strategy to reduce bad behaviour, remove stigma, and create a culture that celebrates and embraces disability. 

Consider creating a disability network or Employee Resource Group (ERG), review any benefits aimed at improving wellbeing and assess whether they are accessible. Survey your staff to ask about inclusion and whether gaps exist that impact wellbeing in the workplace and don’t forget to drive inclusion from the top down. For example, incorporate inclusion into senior leadership objectives, get senior staff on board by involving them (or getting them to steer) your ERG. 

The more inclusion becomes a strategic priority, the more people’s wellbeing will improve.