Understanding the needs of people with disabilities in the workplace

South Africa’s progressive employment equity legislation has not gone far enough to enable people with disabilities to fully integrate into workplaces and perform their jobs optimally.

In a recent study co-published by Dr Armand Bam, head of Social Impact at the University of Stellenbosch Business School (USB), it was found that South African businesses are failing to meet regulatory targets for the employment of people with disabilities.

“Focusing on legislative compliance and regulatory targets, employers need to rethink how they define inclusion and provide an enabling working environment that supports disabled people’s integration and productivity from day one,” Bam said.

“If employers and managers improve their people management processes around recruitment, hiring and induction of people with disabilities and develop an inclusive organisational culture.”

Bam, together with Prof Linda Ronnie of the UCT Graduate School of Business, researched disabled employees’ experiences of inclusion, from recruitment to orientation and their first six months on the job.

Bam’s research showed that what disabled people want most is “seamless integration” and to be actively involved in decision-making about how their disability is disclosed to co-workers and how their induction into the organisation is managed.

They want to be able to slot in beside their co-workers without fanfare or special processes. Their ability to do this is dependent on organisational culture of acceptance rather than focusing on differences and narrow definitions of ‘normal’.

Bam also cautioned that when people with disabilities feel pressure to appear “normal” to be accepted, they often strive to exceed expectations of their abilities.

In addition to fatigue, frustration and lack of job satisfaction, they also potentially place themselves at risk when they try to “exert themselves beyond their physical capacity” or perform in the same way that people without disabilities can.

“With rising unemployment in South Africa and employment rates of disabled people declining, off an already low base, we need practical strategies to achieve meaningful inclusion in the workplace and economic participation in society. This is all the more relevant for people with disabilities, whose unique needs are too often overshadowed by the structural problems affecting employment and economic empowerment that impact the majority.

“If South Africa is to build a truly inclusive society, people with disabilities must take their rightful place in the mainstream of the economy,” Bam said.

He said that employers often “confuse equality with equity”.

“Prioritising equality by mistakenly attempting to treat people with disabilities ‘like everyone else’ might be well-intentioned, but it fails to achieve equity.

“Equity means recognising that all people have different circumstances and needs, accommodating the unique challenges of people with disabilities, and allocating the support and resources that enable them to succeed,” he said.

Bam said that managers, responsible for the employment of people, were critical to the work experiences of people with disabilities. As managers play a key role in organisational cohesion, developing their understanding of the needs of people with disabilities would contribute to a sense of community and inclusive organisational culture.

Further practical steps recommended:

Induction and orientation

Preparing for the arrival of employees with disabilities even before induction day is the first step to inclusivity. Employers are advised to consult with the new employee and have necessary alterations to the physical environment or provision of assistive technology in place before their first day at work.

“Managers who engage earlier with people with disabilities to understand their needs before arrival contributes to them being confident employees and improve their chances of integration into the organisation,” Bam said.

Disabled employees who participated in the research were uncomfortable with structured, generic “disability awareness or sensitisation” programmes, feeling these were more aimed at allaying the concerns of non-disabled employees than addressing issues faced by people with disabilities.

Bam recommends that people with disabilities be given the space to share their own experiences and needs first-hand during induction programmes.

Disclosure

Having control over the way their disability is disclosed allows people with disabilities to directly address any fears or stereotypes held by their co-workers.