“We have no access needs”

The saddest words

Are these the saddest words I regularly read?

We run equality, diversity and mental health training courses, across the UK. On every course we ask in advance. “Do any of the learners have access needs?”

Nearly every time, the answer is. “No one on the course has access needs.”

I read this and my heart drops.

Is this true?

If it’s true, what does it say about our society? Organisations who book us are some of the most disability friendly and culturally aware organisations in the UK. Their drive for equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI) has led them to book EDI or Mental Health First Aid training with us. Why is it, that they have few staff with access needs for learning?

Are most workplaces explicitly or implicitly excluding people with needs?

The nature of prejudice and discrimination

Following equality legislation, we rarely see blatant examples of prejudice and discrimination. We don’t see hand written, flat to rent signs, saying, “No coloureds, no Irish”. But what we might notice is a subtly unwelcoming environment. For disabled people this unwelcome might be a workplace that doesn’t meet their needs. Over 2020 and 2021 more disabled people left the workforce than joined^[1]. Usually not from their choice but because their organisation didn’t meet their needs. The Equality Act requires “reasonable adjustments.” But if we are only making ‘reasonable’ changes does this mean that we are only accepting the easier to meet access needs? If a workplace is determined to be inclusive, should we take out “reasonable” from “reasonable adjustments” and simply make “adjustments”?

Passing for non-disabled

In UK society, life is easier if you don’t have access needs or you can hide your needs and pass for non-disabled. Are staff members hiding their access needs? Because they think an admission of needs will damage their careers?

They may be right. Only 52% of disabled people are employed compared to 82% non-disabled^[1]. Even when we get a job we’re often:

• In lower-skilled occupations
• Self-employed (often not by choice)
• Underemployed and part-time (again, often not by choice)

With only half of disabled people in employment it may make sense to pass for non-disabled if you can. 52% is an average over all categories. There are higher rates of unemployment for mental health.

What about our workplaces?

Are they implicitly excluding people with needs? This is tough for anyone to self-reflect and answer. It’s not just about employing disabled people. But employing people with a broader range of access needs.

• Can a workplace accept erratic absences from a staff member with bipolar disorder?
• Will organisations take on the responsibility of training staff how to communicate with a D/deaf or an autistic colleague?
• Meeting access needs requires more than just physical adaptions it requires attitudinal and behavioural adaptions. People need to be trained and supported in this.

Access needs vary and disabled people often don’t have barriers in all situations. For example, I can’t answer your phone, but in an environment where everything is written – e.g. web pages or a book. I have no access needs.

If we are employing people with few, or easy to meet, access needs are we truly inclusive? Are we focussing on what people can’t do rather than what they can do?

It’s a challenge to society and the workplace. How do we solve needs? Do we have a workplace with the flexibility to:

• Accept mental health conditions?
• Allow significant time off for fatigue and pain?
• Train all staff in British Sign Language for Deaf colleagues?

When we do, we can move to parity of employment for disabled and non-disabled people.

References:

[1] Employment of disabled people 2022 (UK).
https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/the-employment-of-disabled-people-2022/employment-of-disabled-people-2022