Your efforts will be more effective if you have an intentional communication plan to address issues around your new disability-friendly policies.
Companies that were interviewed for the disability employment research always mentioned how important this was, and how it improved the success of their inclusion efforts.
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Communicate within your company at all levels: Why? Everyone can be supportive, everyone should get training, everyone needs to know how to provide accommodations
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Communicate your efforts in your community, your hiring efforts and your customer base: it can help your reputation in the community, you may attract more talent if potential employees (of all kinds) see you as disability-friendly and inclusive.
Best Practice
Create an organized communication plan for you inclusion efforts. This will inform your staff, and also spread the word to customers and potential talent.
What might this look like?
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Regular inclusion meetings or dedicated time in general staff meetings
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Address new inclusion policies or new hires in memos, newsletters or other regular communication
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Develop a structure for who to go to for questions, ideas or complaints
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Create a diversity and inclusion team, which meets regularly - it's best if it has members from different departments and levels of seniority. This is also called an Employee Resource Group (ERG). Click on the button below to learn more.
These are groups created by a company or its employees to discuss matters of common interest and create a support structure throughout the company.
Creating an ERG for disability-related issues can be helpful in the following ways:
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Be a resource for people with disabilities, both new hires and existing employees who may want to disclose a disability that was not public knowledge
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Organize trainings and communication to maintain an inclusive and supportive environment
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Keep the company's diversity & inclusion goals on target
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Market the company's positive inclusion status to the community and customer base
Click here for a brief summary of ERGs: Fostering Disability-Inclusive Workplaces Through Employee Resource Groups.
Sources: AskEARN, Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP)