Today is International Day of Persons with Disabilities.
Most people living with a disability are not born with that disability, and the past 18 months has taught us it could happen to anyone, anytime. It is important not to set back decades of progress as we start to work in different ways.
As more people start to suffer from Long Covid, there will be an increasing number of people in our workplaces who are managing long term conditions, and may result in them becoming disabled.
Discussing temporary reasonable adjustments could be the difference between an employee feeling valued or feeling left behind.
If the communications around return to the workplace implies those who attend will be in a preferential position, this starts to create barriers to progression in the longer term for people who are less able to participate.
Uncertainties throughout the pandemic have risked setting back progress for persons with disabilities and long term health conditions, especially those in roles where working from home is not an option.
Today is an opportunity to recognise the contribution of all persons living with disabilities to the workplace and be mindful of additional barriers they face.
3rd December, 2021