As we recognize National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM) this October, we should note that statistics still show only 22% of people with disabilities are currently employed.
As Vice President of Adult Services Brian Norton said: “Many employers still have a tendency to think accommodations for people with disabilities will be expensive and a hardship on the business. However, most accommodations are $500 or less.”
In fact, a recent report from the Job Accommodation Network (JAN) found that nearly half of workplace accommodations come at no cost.
From Affordable to Free Solutions
During the recent INDATA training session, AT and Employment, JAN presented several easy, inexpensive AT solutions for employees with different disabilities, such as the following.
A Veteran with PTSD: Due to their disability, this employee startles easily when co-workers approach them from behind. To alert them of visitors to their cubicle, they could attach a simple clip-on mirror to their computer monitor, which could cost as little as $5. They could also use a floor mat alerting device. A free solution would involve rearranging the cubicle so they face their co-workers.
A Worker with Anxiety, Diabetes, Vision/Hearing Loss: These are just a few of the many disabilities with which service dogs can be a huge help. Research shows that simply petting a pup decreases the stress hormone cortisol, and it lowers blood pressure as well. This has resulted in 84% of people with PTSD reporting a reduction in anxiety. Dogs are also beneficial for people with diabetes, as they can sniff out the scent of rising or falling blood sugar levels. And, of course, dogs have a natural guiding ability to aid people with vision and/or hearing loss. (According to the International Guide Dog Federation, humans have been relying on dogs for hundreds, even thousands, of years, with the first systematic attempt to train dogs for aiding blind people occurring circa 1780 in Paris.)
All in all, service dogs are a prime example of a free, versatile workplace accommodation for people with disabilities.
An Employee with Autism: People with autism are prone to anxiety attacks and sensory sensitivity. Fidget spinners should be included among workplace supplies, as they are affordable solutions for helping employees self-soothe or “stim.”
Steps Toward Accommodation
After an employee requests an accommodation, an Assistive Technology Evaluation is the next step in the accommodation process
As INDATA stated in the recent AT and Employment training: “The evaluation consists of the meeting with the individual (and any other parties involved), gathering information on the tasks and activities that need accomplished, the barriers to the effective completion of these tasks, researching and recommending equipment, and training and presenting that information in an easy to understand ‘road map.’”
After an evaluation, the employer completes a comprehensive evaluation report, which usually includes the following:
- Individual information: Details the nature of the disability and how it affects the individual physically, mentally, etc.
- Work task information: What tasks require accommodation?
- Environmental information: Where will the accommodations be utilized, and how will they work in said environment?
- Recommendations for AT: Justification for recommendations — how will they help the individual more easily accomplish their tasks and overall professional goals?
- Recommendations for AT training sessions, best places to install/implement the technology
Remember that there is a vast array of options. You don’t have to buy AT right away. Think back to the solutions presented earlier — such as the alternative to a floor mat alerting device, which was the idea of simply rearranging an employee’s cubicle.
The Benefits of Accommodating
In JAN’s aforementioned study, employers who made accommodations for employees with disabilities reported a wide variety of benefits. The most frequently mentioned direct benefits among them were:
- Increased employee retention
- Increased employee productivity
- Increased employee attendance
The most widely mentioned indirect benefits of accommodations were:
- Improved interactions with co-workers
- Increased overall company safety
- Increased overall company morale
The statistics below show the percentage of employers who reported the following results of accommodations:
- Retained a valued employee: 85%
- Increased the employee’s productivity: 53%
- Increased the employee’s attendance: 48%
- Eliminated costs associated with training a new employee: 47%
- Increased diversity of the company: 33%
- Saved workers’ compensation or other insurance costs: 23%
- Hired a qualified person with a disability: 18%
“Accommodating employees with disabilities clearly leads to a better workplace and workforce,” Norton said. “It’s just the right thing to do. Research shows that people with disabilities already rate above average in performance, attendance and safety, so giving them the tools to navigate the workforce benefits employees of all abilities.”