October Is National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM)

For 35 years, National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM), a campaign spearheaded by the United States Department of Labor’s Office of Disability Employment Policy, has worked to raise awareness of the barriers disabled people face when seeking employment while also highlighting their ability to make meaningful contributions to the companies who provide them with an accessible place to work.

National Employment Disability Awareness Month can be a springboard to educate all of your employees about inclusion and accessibility without making disabled employees feel singled out.

Here are some things you can do during NDEAM to open an organic dialogue about disability and accommodations in the workforce:

Review Current Accessibility Policies

October is the perfect month to review your current accessibility policies and modify or update them as necessary. For example, many inclusive workplaces offer wheelchair ramps, Braille signage, and accessible restrooms for those with more visible disabilities, but they may fall short of providing accessibility for, say, neurodivergent employees whose outward appearance doesn’t immediately reveal what accommodations they need.

Common workplace adjustments or accommodations that may benefit many neurodivergent people include:

• • Instructions given in clear, literal language
  • Communication via email to accommodate processing, memory, and comprehension differences
  • Directions for multi-step projects given in chunks instead of all at once
  • The go-ahead to ask clarifying questions
  • The flexibility and understanding to opt out of after-work social outings
  • Warnings ahead of changes in plan or routine
  • Approval to use sensory aids and adjust the sensory environment
  • Ability to work remotely
  • For their words to be taken at face value (instead of relying on facial expressions or body language that may be incongruous with speech)
  • Minimizing distractions while focusing on a task

Take a close look at your current policy. Does it reflect the employees you have or want to attract right now, or could it use an update?

Engage and Inform

NDEAM is also the ideal month to educate your employees on various disabilities through engaging articles, shareable social media posts, and informative classes. You may even consider hiring a disabled speaker or two for increased engagement and relatability!

The more ways you and your employees talk about disability, inclusion, and accessibility, the more confident and comfortable everyone will become around the subject, which will make improving accessibility something all of your employees can be excited and proud to be a part of.

Practice Inclusive Recruitment

Oftentimes, it’s not only the experience of being on the job that falls short on accessibility, it’s the recruitment process itself. For example, the language contained in job descriptions can be so discouraging for autistic candidates, that they may not even apply.

Here are some effective ways to practice inclusive recruitment:

• • Post vacancies within publications and communities likely to be consumed by and frequented by disabled individuals.

Not only will this help reach your intended audience, but you may also learn how you can make your language more inclusive to the wider disabled community.

• • When writing job descriptions, avoid jargon and figurative language.

Be clear, concise, and literal, stating exactly what the job is and what’s required of a potential candidate. Furthermore, avoid focusing on the social aspect of the position such as, “fitting in”, “team player”, or “dynamic personality”. Instead, focus on the talents and expertise required for the role.

• • State how your company provides accessibility in the job description.

For example, “ramp and ground floor accessible for wheelchair users” or “sensory-friendly environment” or “work-from-home options”. Not only will this make the disabled candidate feel comfortable moving forward, it shows that you are an Equal Opportunity Employer (instead of just saying so by placing EOE at the bottom of your listing).

• • Make the interview experience more accessible.

You can also make the interview experience more accessible to your disabled candidates by providing interview questions ahead of time, conducting remote interviews, focusing on experience and achievements instead of social likeability factors such as ‘fitting in’ or having a certain type of personality, and providing an accessible interview space tailored to the employee that you are considering.

The Takeaway

Disabled people have a lot to contribute to society and can be powerful assets to your company when you provide an inclusive workplace and opportunities to grow and thrive. This October, use National Disability Employment Awareness Month to not only improve opportunities for disabled individuals but everyone in your workplace.

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Don’t miss our informational webinar at the end of October – learn more and register today!