ADD ADVICE TO FAVEmployers' attitudes
Employers today are more disability-aware than ever before, due to both the Disability Discrimination Act (DDA) and an increasingly competitive marketplace. Many leading employers, particularly the member organisations of the Employers’ Forum on Disability, now recognise that recruiting and retaining disabled people can bring business advantages and demonstrate good practice.
BT and PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP are among the companies taking part in Scope’s Leadership Recruitment scheme, a development programme for disabled graduates. Other employers, including investment banks and the Civil Service, work with organisations such as Employment Opportunities and EmployAbility to run events and work placements for students with disabilities.
Employers’ assumptions about disabled graduates
On the negative side, some companies are still not confident about employing disabled people, because of a lack of experience or understanding of disability in the workplace. In one survey by Scope, 45% of employers said they wouldn’t be able to employ a disabled person because they couldn’t afford it, and 40% of employers didn’t know if their premises would be accessible to someone with a physical impairment.
Yet most disabled people don’t require adjustments at work, and where adjustments are needed, employer research shows that the most common cost is under £50. The key is to be aware that your potential employer may have concerns or make ill-informed assumptions. You need to think about how to allay their fears and persuade them that employing you will add value, not headaches.
Considering reasonable adjustments
Any potential employer has a legal obligation under the DDA to make reasonable adjustments to prevent a disabled employee or applicant from being placed at a substantial disadvantage by any physical feature of the premises or by any policies or practices of the employer. It’s a good idea to consider what adjustments might be helpful for you before you go for interview.
If a potential employer is looking for keyboard skills and you are unable to use a keyboard, you could ask to demonstrate your ability to meet the criteria using voice-activated software. Could a job that calls for a driving licence simply require occasional travel, for which an alternative method of transport could be used?
You could also think about how your potential employer’s existing working practices could help you. Flexible working hours may make it easier for a wheelchair user to travel to work outside of peak hours, for example.
Employers who lack experience of recruiting disabled people may need some guidance on where to get help and advice. The Government’s Access to Work scheme can help employers to pay for adjustments, and organisations such as AbilityNet can provide information on adaptive technology.
It’s all about you
Being clear about what you need, how much it will cost and what help is available will help to demonstrate to your potential employer that recruiting you is manageable. But it’s equally – perhaps more – important to be confident about your abilities.
All employers share the attitude that they want the right person for the job. You need to address your disability, but the best way to impress recruiters is to demonstrate that you have the skills and experiences they are looking for.
