With all the accommodations your employees might require, it can be overwhelming to manage if your employees are primarily remote. However, being available and providing options is a great start for your workforce in regards to accommodations and accessibility.
Being available for support
One of the best things you can do for your employees is to be available. This means much more than simply being around, though. You should be prepared to have scheduled availability to discuss your employees’ concerns and requirements. If someone is disclosing a disability to you, make sure you’re listening well so that they feel heard. Some of the ways you can show that you’re actively listening include:
- Maintaining eye contact
- Responding to things your employee says
- Positioning your body towards the person you’re listening to
- Occasionally summarize what your employee has said
Make sure you have conversations about disability and any accommodations needed in a quiet setting, where your employee can discuss things confidentially. It also helps if you set time aside for the meeting, so there is no rush, and your employee feels heard. This also allows you time to take in what they’re saying and make any notes you need.
Another essential way of being available is to make it clear that it’s ok for your employees to discuss their disability or needs with you. Many people don’t approach their employer to discuss their disability for the simple reason that they don’t realize this is an option.
Providing options
If you already provide text-to-speech, speech-to-text, auto-captioning software, or other types of assistive technology or communication tools, some of your employees won’t need to request anything else. However, make sure your employees know that these things are available, otherwise, your accessible software will go unused, and your employees will struggle unnecessarily.
Many people don’t realize that they can request alternative options for things such as captions or an audio file in document format. Try having posters, sticky threads, or regular memos about accessibility options, and encourage your employees to request and use them. It might also help to have a list of options your company already provides on hand. Consider adding this to your employer handbook, and remember to keep it updated. You might also want to add this information to orientation.
Making options available to your employees is an excellent way of supporting employees living with disabilities. It ensures your workforce has access to the tools they need or have a mechanism for requesting them.
Being flexible, available, and providing options is beneficial to you as an employer, as employees with disabilities will perform better and stay in their jobs longer. It also improves productivity, and you may even encourage some employees to apply for promotions or further training. Don’t forget to update lists of accessibility tools that you offer or that you can obtain, and remember to remind your employees that you are available at any time to discuss disabilities and accessibility options.
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