How Working from Home Has Enabled Disability Inclusion

Editor's Note: Take a look at our featured best practice, Effective Communication with Virtual Teams (23-slide PowerPoint presentation). The number of people working remotely has been increasing progressively across the globe. An employee benefits report narrates that around 60% companies in the US offer telecommuting opportunities. According to Upwork, freelancers and contractors have increased by 81% from 2014 to 2017. [read more]

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The coronavirus outbreak has had a far-reaching impact on both a global and personal level. The picture continues to change daily, and government guidance is adapting throughout the current national lockdown.

To keep in line with government guidance and to keep staff safe, many employers and employees have had to adapt to working from home. Over the course of the pandemic, businesses have had to adjust to online meetings and client pitches and investing in upgraded technologies in order to stay connected with their workforce.

One group of workers in particular have been able to prove that working from home is not just manageable, but highly beneficial for business. Disabled employees have long been requesting flexible working conditions and the opportunities to show that it’s possible to work effectively from home. But until now, many of these workers have had their applications turned down and have had to be present in the office.

Since Covid-19 forced us to stay at home, it’s become possible for disabled employees to show that we don’t have to be in the office to thrive in our roles. Here are some ways that these workers have benefited from the changes over the course of the pandemic.

Travel is no longer essential

As we’re all working from home, the need to travel to the office or to the usual place of work has been removed. This is a real positive for disabled workers as getting to and from the workplace can be difficult. Without that daily pressure to get to the workplace on time, it’s possible to sit down in a comfortable space at home and get started with the day’s workload.

Should there be the need to return to the office in the future, perhaps for occasional meetings or team catch ups, workers have more time to plan how they’ll get there. They can research transport options and consider specially equipped vehicles that are tailored to their needs without the worry of working out how to manage the commute every day.

Office environments can be avoided

Offices and other types of working environments can often be overwhelming for disabled workers. For instance, those who are visually impaired may struggle to hear readers on their computer over the office noise, while workers who have been diagnosed with ME may find that the working day in an office filled with people is physically draining for them.

Away from the office, disabled workers can thrive. This is because they can control noise levels and other factors that they find difficult in the workplace.

As long as they are fully set up at home and employers understand the social model of disability, which identifies disability with the barriers that disabled people face in employment and broader society, it can be possible for disabled workers to do a fantastic job at home.

To use the social model of disability effectively, employers must understand the barriers that working from home can pose. This can be taking the extra training time to help with online technologies and making sure the right adaptations are made for their team. Once set up, though, workers are well-placed to do a great job in their own homes.

More job opportunities

With so many workers at home, it’s now more possible than ever for employers to cast their search for new talent far and wide. No longer being tied down to one central workspace means that employees from across the map and of all abilities can be considered for job roles.

This means that disabled employees who might usually be put off from applying for roles based in open plan offices or in places with restricted access are now able to put themselves forward. This is perfect for employees and employers alike as there is a larger talent pool to work with.

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