Promoting change: engaging your organisation
A sophisticated, timely and relevant business case is a key tool to engage managers and colleagues on disability.
This section will help you to use your business case as part of a wider engagement strategy.
Understanding the barriers to action
Managers need to understand why change has proven so difficult if they are to systematically address and remove barriers to action.
Lack of understanding
Disabled people in work are defined by their job. Disabled people out of work are defined by their impairment. To many people, including some disabled people, disability still means incapacity. The UK's 3.4 million disabled people in work and pursuing careers are routinely rebranded' as 'not really disabled'. [i]
Only 4% of Europeans claim to have a colleague with a disability, yet almost 60% of people living in Europe know someone with a disability. [ii]
People don't know who disabled people are. The 10 million people with disabilities in the UK have a huge range of impairments including dyslexia and diabetes [iii] – only 8% use wheelchairs [iv]. Many do not define themselves as disabled even though they welcome and use disability related adjustments.
Inflexible management
Sophisticated flexible management is generally agreed to be key to maximising workforce potential, however changing supervisory practices is the adjustment least used by US and UK employers [v]. Just 36% in the UK train supervisors despite the fact that recent US research found that very basic training increased satisfactory outcomes in sickness absence cases significantly. [vi]
Its easy to get wrong - Bad experiences are then assumed to relate to the person's disability rather than problems with inflexible management
Poor cost-benefit analysis
- Traditional cost-benefit analysis focuses unduly on the assumed costs of accommodating individuals; enhanced management capacity and organisational performance are overlooked.
- Cost-benefit analysis often confuses one-off costs which will benefit many with the return on investment for employing one individual.
- People often don't understand the disability connection when companies get it right: changes made for disabled people which then benefit everyone – for example voice recognition technology - are regarded as 'common sense'.
A disability confident employer understands that disability is something which affects almost everyone at some point in their life.
Fear and stereotyping
Too often the rationale presented simply misses the point that the exclusion of disabled people is rooted in fear and stereotyping, reinforced by a lack of personal contact.
For example:
- 1 in 3 people believe that disabled people cannot lead a full life due to their health problems.
- 1 in 5 people believe that in general disabled people cannot be as effective at work as their non-disabled colleagues.
- More than 1 in 4 people admitted they would feel uncomfortable and embarrassed in an encounter with a deaf person using British Sign Language.
- 1 in 4 people confessed they would go out of their way to avoid an encounter with someone experiencing mental illness. [vii]
- Another survey found that 32% of people believe wheelchair users are less intelligent. [viii]
Those promoting disability awareness should understand that most people, if challenged, would deny that they treat disabled people unfairly. They will usually express considerable goodwill towards a group they tend to regard as unfortunate victims who are, sadly, disadvantaged. However, this sympathy and goodwill often conceals a deep reluctance to accept disabled people on equal terms. This is often based on unquestioned, deeply held negative assumptions or stereotypes.
Charity not business
Too many businesses still see disability as a charity issue in part because:
- Much of the evidence is poorly articulated
- The issue is championed by governments and lobby groups which are seen by business to be out of touch with their situation and needs
- Professionals working in the field often do not themselves have high expectations of disabled people.
Too often disabled people are still seen as a risk
50% of Occupational health professionals said that they had not hired a disabled person on health and safety grounds. Despite European guidance that clearly states that disabled people rarely present an additional health and safety risk, Article 7(2) of the European Directive 2000/78 allows member states to adopt health and safety legislation which are an exception to the principle of equal treatment for disabled people. Employers often fail to make well informed decisions based on well-substantiated evidence and the measures used to counteract potential health and safety risks are often irrational and disproportionate.
Complexity
Finally, the complexity of the system intended to help employers understand and manage change in this area actually adds to the risk of confusion.
A mapping study identified nearly 2500 initiatives helping disabled people into work in the UK. [ix]
The value of first hand knowledge
Employers who have experience with disabled people report more favourable perceptions of disability and do not consider the costs of employing disabled people significant.
Employers' Forum on Disability has demonstrated that people at every level will change policies and behaviours when they see that the benefits outweigh the risks.
Meeting and talking with disabled people
It is hard to attract the attention of senior managers to a group of people who they never meet and 'know' don't matter to the business. Face to face meetings between talented disabled people and senior managers are essential to effect change.
Forum events
EFD runs over 40 events a year on a whole range of topics that give you the opportunity to bring colleagues together with inspiring disabled experts.
For more information about our events please visit EFD's training and events page or contact the events team on tel: +44 (0)20 7403 4030 or email events@employers-forum.co.uk
Disability staff networks
Your disabled staff represent a significant source of expertise and learning within your business. Many companies use staff networks for disabled staff and those interested in disability to drive change within the business.
Working with disabled experts and consultants
Working with disabled consultants who provide disability equality training and thought provoking engagement with your senior team is an excellent way of promoting change.
EFD has a list of organisations run by disabled people which are rated highly by our members. For more information contact the information helpline on (020) 7403 3020.
Engaging with disabled people in the community
Many organisations form partnerships with disability charities in order to promote inclusion for disabled people in the community. 82% of companies included in the 2003 Global Inclusion Benchmark, reported on charitable relationships with disability organisations.
Ensure that you get the best from partnerships with disabled people's organisations by choosing where possible to work with organisations run by disabled people. Develop partnerships which also benefit your business, for example by involving disabled people in mystery shopping or stakeholder engagement to ensure that your services are accessible and inclusive of disabled people.
Dining with a Difference
How do you help your Board become disability confident? By inviting them to a rather special dinner party...
Senior Executives are invited to dine with Britain's leading authorities on disability as it affects business. Course by course, diners are guided on a journey through disability as it affects people, society and organisations in which we work.
"In 3 hours it moved my senior players from good intentions and policy commitments to action and business benefit."
For more information contact Kate Towerzey at kate@churchillmintyandfriend.com or visit the Dining with a Difference web site. You can also download the introductory brochure below.
 Download Dining with a Difference promotional leaflet (PDF) |
| Download Dining with a Difference promotional leaflet (Microsoft Word Document) |
Sources
- [i] Labour Force Survey, Spring 2005
- [ii] European Research Group, Eurobarometer 54.2/2001
- [iii] Labour Force Survey, Spring 2005
- [iv] Family Resource Survey, February 2006; Extrapolation from ONS Report 1995 quoted in NHS Executive report; also Muscular Dystrophy Group Study 1993
- [v] CiPD, 'Adapting to Disability, It wasn't so difficult after all', 2001
- [vi] Liberty Centre for Disability Research, report to conference, 2005
- [vii] "Disabled for Life?" Attitudes towards and experiences of disability in Britain DWP: 2002.
- [viii] DSS, 1999.
- [ix] Arksey, Hurstfield et al, unpublished in Thornton, 2002.