Sound of Surviving Blog

1. Just because we might need a little help, doesn’t mean that we can’t/won’t do our job.

We might need help with something big, once in a while, but for the most part, it’s normally something little. We’ve been living with a disability for a while now, so we know a lot about how to do things with what we have.

•  According to a LinkedIn article by Stacey Gordon from 2023, “88% of employees with invisible disabilities choose not to disclose it at work to avoid stigma and discrimination”. You likely have numerous people working in your company who currently have a disability. But more than likely, you just don’t know about it because either: you’ve never asked, your accommodation process is dreadful, or your employees are worried that if they reveal their disability(ies), they’ll be singled out, demoted, or fired.

• We will work harder than your employees without a disability.

• We have more empathy for others because of our disability; and have more motivation than most non-disabled employees because we often feel we have something to prove.

• It might take us longer, but we’ll always get the job done.

• Give 2nd and 3rd chances!!! Just because I’m slower than you’d like me to be or I forget your instructions doesn’t mean I’m not trying my hardest!!!

• Please be patient and kind to employees with disabilities. We’re still human, like you.

• Remind your  that just because they can’t always see your disabilities, doesn’t mean they aren’t there.

• When an employee is a little slow at picking up on things, give them time and don’t rush them, otherwise they will just get frustrated.

1. When the employee has a disability, it doesn’t mean that they can’t do the job, they just need to be shown how to do something a few times!

Sources:

Gordon, S. A. (2023, October 25). A few things employees with disabilities wish their employers knew. LinkedIn. https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/few-things-employees-disabilities-wish-employers-knew-gordon-mba-7uzve/

Input from multiple people with disabilities!

Featured Image from: Disability in Diversity, equity, and inclusion. Rocky Mountain ADA. (n.d.). https://rockymountainada.org/news/blog/disability-diversity-equity-and-inclusion