National Disability Employment Awareness Month

National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM) celebrates the contributions of America’s workers with disabilities past and present and showcases supportive, inclusive employment policies and practices that benefit employers and employees.

Around 61 million adults in the United States live with a disability. That represents 26% of adults in the US or 1 in 4 adults, breaking this down further:

• 12.1 percent of U.S. adults have a mobility disability with serious difficulty walking or climbing stairs.
• 12.8 percent of U.S. adults have a cognition disability with serious difficulty concentrating, remembering, or making decisions.
• 7.2 percent of U.S. adults have an independent living disability with difficulty doing errands alone.
• 6.1 percent of U.S. adults are deaf or have serious difficulty hearing.
• 4.8 percent of U.S. adults have a vision disability with blindness or serious difficulty seeing even when wearing glasses.

Disability in the Workplace, some global metrics:

• World Economic Forum reports that just 4% of global businesses prioritize disability inclusivity, and while out of participating companies 88% of DEI-participating have an officially recognized disability-focused ERG or affinity group, only 30% have a senior executive (within two layers reporting to the CEO) who openly has a disability.
• Over 1.3 billion people live with some form of disability, representing 17% of the global population. This is the largest minority group worldwide.
• The cost of excluding people with disabilities represents up to 7% of GDP in some countries.

National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM)

NDEAM is led by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP), but its true spirit lies in the many observances held at the grassroots level across the nation every year. The Campaign for Disability Employment encourages organizations of all sizes and in all industries to participate in NDEAM.

NDEAM is a fitting time to educate about disability employment issues and celebrate the many and varied contributions of America’s workers with disabilities. The 2023 NDEAM theme will be “Advancing Access and Equity”, to celebrate the passage of the Rehabilitation Act a half-century ago and its importance in prohibiting discrimination based on disability in employment by federal agencies, federal contractors and recipients of federal funds, and in the delivery of federally funded programs and activities. ODEP will use the theme to promote activities to mark passage of the act, the first federal legislation to address access and equity for people with disabilities.

“National Disability Employment Awareness Month reminds us of the valued contributions people with disabilities make in our nation’s workplaces, and the 50th anniversary of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 marks a major milestone in our nation’s ongoing quest to advance access and equity for all Americans,” said Assistant Secretary for Disability Employment Policy Taryn M. Williams. “So, from now through October, we will be exploring the act’s impact on everything from employment to community living to non-discrimination to accessible technology.”

Key US Disability Trends & Headlines (from the Inclusive City Maker website)

Those with disabilities tend to earn less than those who do not have a disability. Those with a disability earned a median of $28,438 in 2021, compared with $40,948 among those without a disability, according to the Census Bureau.

Disabled Americans may have lower rates of technology adoption for some devices. U.S. adults with a disability may also be less likely than those without a disability to say they own a desktop or laptop computer (62% vs. 81%) or a smartphone (72% vs. 88%), according to a Pew Research Center survey from winter 2021.

The percentage of U.S. public school students who receive special education or related services has increased over the last decade, according to data from the National Center for Education Statistics. During the 2021-22 school year, there were 7.3 million students receiving special education or related services in U.S. public schools, making up 15% of total enrolment. This figure rose since 2010-11, when 6.4 million disabled students made up 13% of public-school enrolment.

Innovation in hiring

I spoke to some of my colleagues in Hays about how innovation can create an inclusive workplace for employees with a disability. Some of the feedback I received was as follows:

Think about the hiring process and whether it’s a comfortable, attractive experience for all candidates. Is the language you use in your job specs and interviews inclusive? When interviewing remotely, it’s impossible to make eye contact with one another. Think about body language over video call, and how it might appear to neurodivergent candidates. Likewise, consider whether your perceptions of the candidates’ body language are based on neurotypical expectations.

Some candidates with a disability will disclose this in the expectation that you make efforts to suit their requirements. What innovations can you deploy to tailor your application process accordingly? Remote interviews have become commonplace in the new era of work – these should be available to anybody who might struggle to visit the physical workplace. Consider whether a panel interview is absolutely necessary, as some candidates may find this overwhelming as a result of their disability. Any factors that will not accurately reflect their aptitude for the role should be removed.

Innovation in the workplace

We must also ensure that employees have equal opportunities in the workplace. As part of the Hays initiative, Helping For Your Tomorrow, our staff have been equipping people with disabilities with the tools they need to enter the world of work. For example, we have partnered with Paralympics Ireland to support athletes as they transition into the workplace. In the Americas we are working with the Special Olympics to create inclusive workspaces through virtual experiences.

Hays is also looking at its own offices and facilities inclusion. Do we need to make accommodations to certain individuals’ workstations or work areas? Remote working allows employees with disabilities greater control over their environment and allows them to thrive. As Magnus Hedemark discussed in an interview with Hays’ James Hallahan, he cannot replicate his home setup in an office space since he would feel self-conscious. There are many ways to foster inclusion in an office, ranging from allowing employees to work remotely, and ensuring the culture in your office is a safe one. To truly promote inclusion, in some instances a combination of both would be ideal.

Of course, technological advancements have a big part to play, too. What about the workspaces of the future? James Milligan, the Hays Global Head of Technology Solutions, shared how organisations can utilise the metaverse. Virtual spaces allow greater accessibility and can be used for onboarding in a convenient environment. However, it’s key that employers involve a diverse range of voices during implementation to ensure it meets their requirements.

They could also promote inclusion amongst co-workers. James explained: “One idea proposed to combat potentially offensive language (even if used unintentionally) in a virtual workspace is a real-time warning to those communicating. Provided through artificial intelligence, this would give the person speaking an opportunity to rephrase or change their message before delivering it.”

Some Practical Ideas for Promoting a Disability Friendly Workplace (from the US Department of Labor website)

Gather Ideas from Your Corporate Disability Employee Resource Group – members of disability ERGs are well-positioned to help you brainstorm activities, speakers, and topics to include in your awareness-building efforts. ERGs can also serve as a talent pipeline by referring qualified job seekers with disabilities to your organization.

Use NDEAM to Kickoff an Ongoing Disability Awareness Initiative – NDEAM is a fitting time to formally launch disability employment awareness activities. Kickoff events can range from large-scale, multi-day celebrations to small brown bag lunches about disability issues.

Host a Disability Mentoring Day – Disability Mentoring Day (DMD) promotes career development for youth with disabilities through hands-on programs, job shadowing and ongoing mentoring. Take advantage of this easy way to connect with great talent while providing young people with disabilities valuable career experience.

Sponsor a “Lunch and Learn” Series About Disability Issues – just schedule the date and place, enlist internal or external presenters, and invite employees to come to learn about a range of disability-related subjects. Topics can include everything from “Communicating with Job Seekers with Disabilities,” to “Creating Accessible PDF Documents,” to “Managing Diabetes at Work.”

Provide Volunteer Opportunities to Your Employees – Smart employers know the benefits of employee volunteerism, which include strong team engagement, leadership development and more. In the spirit of NDEAM, why not sponsor opportunities for your staff to volunteer at local organizations that prepare people with disabilities for work? In communities across the nation, there are often opportunities to volunteer your time reviewing resumes, staging mock-interviews and providing guidance on how to dress for success. These activities just might help you source talented job candidates with disabilities for your organization, as well.

Display Posters Promoting Disability Inclusion – NDEAM is a great time to freshen up walls and bulletin boards in your lobby, break rooms and common areas with disability employment posters.

Incorporate Disability into Your Onboarding Processes – A formal onboarding process helps new employees acquire the necessary knowledge, skills and behaviors they need to become effective members of your organization. As such, it’s also a perfect opportunity to educate new employees on your company’s policies and practices related to disability inclusion.

Thank you for joining Quest in celebrating National Disability Employment Awareness Month.

Regards
Mark