UK workplaces have become much better at accommodating employees with disabilities since the passing of the Equality Act, and with increased media representation and focus on people with disabilities. However, just as much still needs to be done in areas such as accessibility and the provision of benefits to which people are entitled, so too is there more to do in the workplace.
One area where both of these needs intersect is hidden disabilities. Too often, disabilities which are not immediately obvious in the way a wheelchair is can be overlooked, leaving people lacking the kind of support and consideration they need. So how can workplaces identify and cater to these hidden disabilities – and is it as simple as being kinder and more considerate to everyone?
Disability in the UK
Discriminating against employees with disabilities has been outlawed since the passage of the 2010 Equality Act, something we cover in detail in our Equality and Diversity course. Most prominently, this protects people from being denied a role on the basis of their disability, but also from being offered worse terms of employment, or being denied promotions, further training, and other opportunities. It also requires employers to make accommodations for interviews, aptitude tests, and other parts of the employment process.
Perhaps less widely known is the ‘reasonable adjustments’ clause. Under this, employers have a responsibility in law to make reasonable adjustments to avoid disabled employees from being put at a disadvantage. This can include everything from the provision of special equipment, to unique hours or home working arrangements, to other facilities within the workplace. The definition of what is reasonable is open to interpretation, but may be interpreted as not incurring significant costs for minimal wellbeing improvements.
The Equality Act has gone a long way towards reducing the stigma towards disabled people in the UK, as has greater media attention. Channel 4 has been a particular pioneer in this regard, having heavily invested in promoting the Paralympic Games, which also spawned the long-running comedy show The Last Leg, presented by two hosts with physical disabilities. Paralympic athletes such as Sarah Storey, David Weir and Ellie Simmonds have become household names, while presenters such as Ade Adepitan and Sophie Morgan have helped to normalise disabilities on TV.
For all of the progress that has been made, however, there remains much more to do. While the visibility of disabilities has improved, the support for disabled people remains patchy. Some people have difficulties proving their disability in order to receive the benefits they’re entitled to, such as being unable to attend an appointment in person. Support on public transport is also highly inconsistent, as is step-free access to many buildings, despite a legal requirement to provide it under the Equality Act (unless it is not reasonably possible to do so).
Basic provisions for disabilities
Disabilities need to be accommodated in the workplace, but there’s also a general desire not to spotlight people with disabilities in a way that makes them feel different or ‘othered’. This is doubly true of hidden disabilities: disabilities that aren’t immediately obvious on looking at someone, but are no less serious in the impact they have on people’s day to day lives. So how can businesses approach an issue they may not feel able or qualified to raise in a public forum?
Some provisions can and should be made regardless of the demand for them. Simply improving physical access to your facilities, providing a disabled bathroom or stall, and considering the dynamics of your workspace will help both existing and prospective employees. While employers may only ask employees about their disabilities under certain conditions, they should also make the workplace a welcoming climate for people with disabilities. Without this, some employees may feel pressured into keeping their disabilities secret, so as not to look too demanding.
If employees are unwilling to approach their employers about hidden disabilities, however, the waters become a little murkier. If someone has a disability that impedes their work in some way, but they do not wish to draw attention to it, they could find themselves reprimanded or disadvantaged by the quality or quantity of their work. Is there anything employers can realistically do – or should be expected to do – to help them?
Addressing invisible disabilities
The simple answer is that the ‘no questions asked’ provision of facilities for disabled people goes a long way: allowing people with hidden disabilities to use them if they so wish, but not making a point of targeting the support. Proper consideration of issues such as display screen equipment (DSE) rules should also provide desk and seating arrangements which cater to a full array of requirements, with good quality chairs and adjustable desks or monitor arms to support people’s physical needs.
Flexibility in terms of working arrangements can also be helpful. If part of the difficulty of working with a hidden disability is attending the workplace – or feeling that you are having to mask the disability in public – then working from home is an obvious remedy. This can allow people to make their own arrangements for things like seating, and reduce anxieties that people might have around access to a toilet, or even the ability to prepare and eat lunch in a timely manner, and to their own dietary requirements.
There’s an obvious parallel here to the growing awareness around mental health conditions. There is a realisation and acceptance that mental health conditions are often not visible, and that many people suffer in silence. This is being treated with increasing kindness, with measures to improve people’s physical and mental wellbeing, whether that’s complementary gym memberships, cycle to work schemes, Fitbits, or simply more flexible working arrangements. Concepts such as ‘duvet days’ and even shorter working weeks are also being introduced to lighten people’s mental load, and improve their work-life balance.
A similar attitude – and similar policies – can have attendant benefits for people with disabilities, hidden or otherwise. Both entail greater flexibility towards health conditions, and trusting employees to work under conditions that make them more comfortable, and should ultimately improve the quality of their output. This culture – of positivity and prioritising employee’s wellbeing – starts at the top. It’s here that leaders can set the example, ensuring that these values permeate throughout the organisation, and radiate from every leadership position.
More progress needs to be made on accommodating all forms of disabilities, but particularly those which may not be immediately obvious, and which employees may feel disinclined to speak up about. The best approach is to have a general mindfulness of employees’ wellbeing on all fronts, and to demonstrate this empathy and understanding in your management of the workplace. By creating a positive and supportive working environment, you can make things easier for everyone, and give employees the encouragement to speak out if they do require help.
