10 tips on how to make your workplace inclusive
How inclusive is your business for people with disability? Think about your current environment, team structure, roles, and culture. Are they accessible and inclusive? Could a person with disability easily start work in your business tomorrow?
Creating an inclusive workplace will enable a diverse team of employees to thrive, which has many benefits for your business. Here is a checklist to help you make your workplace more disability inclusive.
1. Make a commitment
Develop a written plan or strategy to demonstrate your commitment to access and inclusion. It should cover potential employees, current employees, and customers/clients. This commitment could also be affirmed by the wording in your mission statement, organisational policies, and job descriptions.
2. Consider your physical premises
Ensure your workplace is accessible for people with disability. This includes:
- Outside facilities (e.g. parking, entrances, and signage)
- Inside the workplace (e.g. wide doorways and hallways, accessible meeting spaces and restrooms, and assisted listening devices)
3. Don’t forget non-physical considerations
Non-physical considerations could include:
- Employee training and ongoing guidance on disability awareness and inclusiveness
- Having provisions for accessibility when planning meetings, training, and events
- Encouraging the establishment of an affinity group for employees with disability
4. Think about technology
Does your IT team have knowledge about accessible technology? All software, hardware and essential internal technology tools and systems should be accessible for employees with disability.
5. Workplace adjustments
Ensure you have a procedure to guide employees on how to request adjustments to enable them to perform their jobs.
6. External communications and marketing
Your website and digital communications should be accessible for people who are vision impaired and/or use screen readers. A few tips to consider are:
- Don’t use coloured text over a similar coloured background.
- Make sure copy is as clear as possible, such as dark text over light coloured background or white text over heavy or dark coloured backgrounds.
- A 12-point font is a good minimum for all printed communications. Think about the font colour and type too.
All external content should feature appropriate and inclusive language and consider including images of people with disability.
7. Accessible design
Consider customers/clients with disability in the design of your products/services. This could look like:
- Having braille on your product for vision impaired people
- Special handles or grips that help with wrist pain
- Sensory-friendly packaging for people with autism
8. Recruitment
Make your application process (including online applications) accessible and consider if the interview process is accessible and adaptable. Things to think about:
- Actively encourage job applications from people with disability and ensure job advertisements and materials are available in alternative formats.
- Ensure that your recruitment team/partner receives training on inclusive and accessible recruitment practices.
9. Onboarding and development
Orientation and induction programs should be accessible and adaptable for all abilities. Things to think about:
- Ensure that there is a clear and simple process for hiring managers to request workplace modifications for new employees.
- Providing training, resources, and ongoing support for hiring managers/supervisors to help them support employees with disability with their everyday roles and career development.
10. Suppliers and partners
Consider inclusion and access when making procurement and purchasing decisions. Make a commitment to diverse supplier engagement, including outreach to supplier/partner businesses that are owned or staffed by people with disability.