Disability and Flexibility at Work

Last night, I was truly honored to be included as part of the Shaw Trust’s Disability Power 100 for 2023 alongside nine other outstanding finalists in the Science and Engineering award category.? Wow, I am still in shock to be included in the Disability Power 100 from 1,590 entries by an independent panel of alumni and disability leaders.? This recognition was for my volunteer role advocating for inclusion, challenging the disability employment gap, supporting peer-to-peer disability networks devising and championing policy with disabled leaders.? The Disability Power 100 is about creating change. ?Every year since 2014, it has become a platform for pioneers, changemakers, and influencers.? It recognizes the 100 most influential disabled people living and working in the UK – it celebrates their ambition and achievement and provides much-needed encouragement to the leaders of tomorrow. But more, it plays a vital role in changing society, demanding the strengths and talents of disabled people are recognized and participation is determined by capability and competence.

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Now as I enter the first few days in November, I think about International Day of Persons with Disabilities (IDPD.? This annual event is observed globally on December 3rd each year and is a globally recognized observance dedicated to promoting the rights and well-being of persons with disabilities. This day highlights the importance of inclusivity, accessibility, and equal opportunities for individuals with disabilities, while also celebrating their achievements and contributions to society.? This date provides an opportunity for governments, organizations, and communities to come together to raise awareness, promote inclusion, and take action to improve the lives of persons with disabilities.? It was established by the United Nations to raise awareness about the challenges faced by persons with disabilities and to promote their full and equal participation in all aspects of society.? It serves as a platform to advocate for the rights and dignity of individuals with disabilities.

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Many of the barriers we face whilst living with a disability arise from inflexibility coming from a traditional single-sized solution trying to fit everyone into the same-sized box.? Flexible working is defined as “a way of working that suits an employee’s needs, for example having flexible start and finish times, or working from home”.? It means arranging your work into a pattern that suits your needs.? This could mean changing your hours or working from home. ?Flexible working does not always mean working part-time. ?However, every employee is unique and not an island.? Be they, a consultant, contractor, or client, we depend on each other in collaboration.? The culture of any workplace must ultimately revolve around engaged, inspired, and compassionate people collaborating on projects.?

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Therefore, every individual needs to feel accepted and valued for who they are.? Being a neurodiversity and disability Advocate is a rewarding journey, but it comes with its challenges.? Daily, I must strike a balance between advocacy and self-care, hoping to make a lasting and meaningful impact on society.? Yet, I often think that exposing and removing barriers is still much harder than it needs to be.? Sometimes change takes place slowly and incrementally - more of an evolution.? Then there are the occasions when the speed and scope of change make it nothing short of a revolution.? Often, the bigger the change, the fiercer and more entrenched the resistance.? This happens because one group with one set of information (people promoting the change) views a situation one way. In contrast, another group without that information (everyone else) views it another way.

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The World Health Organization (WHO), states everyone will experience some form of temporary disability in their lifetime and 1 in 6 will experience a significant disability (with 80% occurring during the working lifetime). ?An estimated 1.3 billion people – about 16% of the global population – currently experience significant disability.? This number is increasing due in part to population ageing and an increase in the prevalence of non-communicable diseases.? The UK Department for Work and Pensions’ Family Resources Survey indicates that 16.0 million people in the UK had a disability in the 2021/22 financial year. ?This represents 24% of the total population.? This could be you one day so it's always worth remembering to treat others how you would want to be treated in that situation.? And while cures for cancers and diseases are certainly important—the reality is that disabled people like me will always exist; with impairments and with treatment to stabilise conditions not to fix us.? We deserve full, happy, liberated lives right now. ?And we live in a world, striving for the full liberation of disabled people—a world in which we can thrive with full rights, justice, and access—as worthwhile at all.

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That said, disability, is still a forgotten diversity despite being the largest diversity segment.? Disabled voices are often silenced and ignored, and sadly exclusion and subtle microaggressions are more often a norm than an exception.? Attitudes towards disability affect the way people think and behave towards disabled people. They also impact on outcomes for disabled people in the way they are treated and able to participate in society. The attitudes disabled people experience inevitably affect the way disabled people interact with others. So often people make assumptions about what someone is capable of based on information about their medical condition, for example using internet searches.? I believe it is best for people to talk openly to others about their needs and experiences and the barriers they face.? But it is very concerning the recent UK’s Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) report on the United Kingdom’s Government’s progress against the eleven recommendations made by the United Nations in 2016 to improve the rights and lives of disabled people shows little and no change in seven years:

1. Cumulative impact assessment - No progress
2. Rights based welfare reform - Limited progress
3. Legislation and policy change - Some progress
4. Public budgets - Some progress
5. Accessible communication - Some progress
6. Access to justice - No progress
7. Consulting and actively involving disabled people and their representative organisations - Some progress
8. Reducing negative or discriminatory stereotypes - Little progress
9. Considering disabled people at risk in the implementation of policies and programmes - Limited progress
10. Establishing mechanisms and indicators to monitor impact - No progress
11. Responding under the Optional Protocol - Some progress

According to the recent UK’s Office for National Statistics (ONS) Labour Force Survey, 9.6 million people of working age (16 to 64) reported that they were disabled in January to March 2023, representing 23% of the working-age population.? In the same period, an estimated 5.1 million disabled people were in employment; this works out as an employment rate of 53.7% compared to 82.7% for non-disabled people.? Disabled people are more likely to be unemployed, and the gap is widening, and the public perception of disability, to recognise strong, successful, influential people who are leaders in their field is still required.? Without role models, the strengths and talents of disabled people who are pioneers, changemakers and influencers, this gap will sadly continue.?

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However, the reality is up to 50% of disabilities are a non-visible disability; this is a disability or health condition that is not immediately obvious. ?It can defy stereotypes of what people might think disabled people look like.? This can make it difficult for people with non-visible disabilities to access what they need. The impact of living with a non-visible disability can be slight, or can have a huge effect on someone’s life.? Therefore, sharing and telling (disclosing) about disability at work is a personal choice, but for others, it is not an easy choice.? It needs to be done in a psychologically safe environment where you feel safe to talk, share, and raise concerns without fear of negative repercussions or pressure to be like everyone else.? If you choose to share, do it on your terms and feel empowered by your decision.? Sharing and being authentic can be made harder for others with a hidden disability who are forced to mask (camouflage) in the workplace for several reasons.? Yet, some neurodivergent people experience their differences as disabilities but others do not.? It is important to honour these individual realities, and be mindful of language, to lift up the entire community – and not just part of it.

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Talking to others, it becomes clear why neurodiversity is defined differently by others.? Neurodiversity represents the differences in the way we all think, move, process and communicate and these can change throughout your life.? To many diagnosticians being neurodivergent is a specific learning difficulty.? To some, it's a learning difference.? To others, it's a learning disability.? But to others, it's a genetic impairment; some see it as a weakness; some as a barrier; and some, even, as a set of "incompetencies".? And there are people (mainly in the UK and the US) who see it as a "superpower".? Some think of it as congenital; some as hereditary; some as constitutional; some as neurobiological; some as genetic; and others as developmental. It is not obvious that these are all the same.? The truth is, that being neurodivergent is looked upon differently around the world.? If we do not take this into account, we don't stand a chance of helping people understand it.

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Furthermore, the reasons why masking exists, unfortunately, these reasons still stem from stigma and prejudice and can be because of the following: fear of teasing or harassment, concerns that their relationships with coworkers will change, worries that their manager might see them as lazy or less capable, or fear that their career progress will stall as a result.? Some have no choice but to disclose.? Some wear this aspect of their identity for the world to see.? Employees in this group may use a wheelchair, rely on a seeing-eye dog, or have a prosthetic limb.? By choice, I wear a Sunflower lanyard as a signal that I am affected by several conditions that others might not be able to see but need to be aware of.? It is a simple way to demonstrate to others that I might need help for example during commuter wrestling to obtain a seat in an overcrowded early morning train or providing a little bit more time is a way to demonstrate that although we are all equal, we are not all the same. I may feel I might need to wear it one day, and not wear one the next; that said more often than not than not I choose to wear it to raise awareness and dispel the myth I am a florist with a pretty lanyard.

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That said, collectively our awareness campaigns must go somewhere, but acceptance is the key to unlocking the skillsets in people with heightened neurodivergent traits such as those associated with autism or ADHD try and conceal the symptoms. ?Consequently, I see my role as helping to create a world where neurodiversity and disability in all their forms are celebrated and accepted by all.? Celebrating strengths and minimizing challenges is good for everyone in society so they can contribute and engage!? For example, nothing in the workplace should not function as a disability inclusion barrier.? And because neurotypical humans tend not to notice barriers that do not impact them, inviting neurodivergent and people who are disabled voices to the decision-making is a must. If an aspect of life that is not made better for everyone when it is made more accessible? For example, flexibility at work, which benefits all.?

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Workplaces are only now, several years after the pandemic are slowly unlocking the advantage of a flexible workplace helps to redefine the sense of belonging for the workforce.? Flexibility provides employees the freedom to thrive and flourish.? For instance, what is good practice and collective workplace adjustments for neurodivergent employees is generally good for neurotypicals too. Flexibility is a powerful opportunity for unlocking the power of neurodiversity inclusion.? A lot of neurodivergent employees find traditional office settings unwelcoming because of too much stimulation, such as bright lights, excessive noise and constant interaction with people. ?

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All of these can have the potential to be overwhelming for many neurodivergent people; to others who are called neurotypicals, may find these distraction, a minor distraction and can be debilitating for someone like me who is autistic. Working from home makes it much easier to regulate sensory input, supporting focus, productivity and well-being.? Companies can employ a more inclusive policy by actively supporting remote work while fostering positive employee experiences.? It is also crucial for the much-needed intersectional inclusion – it is particularly important to women, disabled people, and carers, and can be a major factor in their ability to work.

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Flexibility in the workplace has always existed.? For a long time, however, it was allotted out to the privileged few or acquired with much effort via adjustment requests.? Where and when we work is important to some, and several remote and hybrid working models are feasible and beneficial for many organizations/companies and their employees alike.? Often, neurodivergent and disabled people were denied flexibility – it was not seen as a “reasonable” adjustment.? However, the pandemic exposed just how possible the supposedly “impossible” levels of flexibility, in fact, were.? Since then, flexible working has become an essential point of conversation about the future of work.?

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However, the pandemic disruption revealed that the “rare luxury” of flexibility was, in many cases, a fake scarcity. With excuses out of the way, the increased flexibility had benefited neurodivergent and disabled employees, for whom unemployment went down due to remote and hybrid work opportunities.? Being neurodivergent and a person with a disability, I have different needs and preferences when it comes to my work environment and schedule.? ?For example, it allows me time to recover from social interactions or bursts of hyperfocus.? Allowing employees to work at their peak productivity hours and build in moments of recovery is one way to prevent burnout and exhaustion.? Therefore, flexible working can be an appropriate and reasonable adjustment (accommodation), as it can also allow neurodivergent employees to: choose their work location, adjust work hours, manage work-life balance and provide access more opportunities for career development.

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In some areas, and some employment sectors, these gains appear to be threatened in the post-pandemic work environment.? Yes, some companies chose to become all-remote, all-flexible.? But several others are trying to return to pre-pandemic norms – which results in employee resentment and turnover and threatens the gains in disability employment.? Others may argue that the return to a pre-pandemic, less flexible way of work is that it is “better for productivity and organizational culture.” This is done by creating space for alternative ways of connecting, including written and asynchronous collaboration. Teams can then have open discussions about how they can support different communication styles to be at their best together, based on trust and mutual understanding.? Consequently, if flexible working arrangement are done in right manner, it has been shown to be a powerful tool for companies looking to attract and retain top talent, boost productivity, and increase employee engagement, satisfaction, and morale.

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And flexibility does not have to threaten the workplace culture – in many ways, it can improve it, making organizations more diverse and people-centric.? In the media, it has been reported that some companies are trying to force office workers back using an argument that since production and customer service employees “can’t” have flexibility, defined as remote work, the office workers should not have it either.? This argument is also greatly flawed.? There are many types of flexibility that can align with different job types, employee needs – including neurodivergent needs – and company policies.? Productivity is not supported by trying to force sameness on people in different jobs, life situations, and with different talents and needs, even if it is framed as the (misguided) pretense of “equality.” It is more productive to pursue equity and ways to introduce forms of flexibility that can support different types of employees.

With open-minded leadership and goodwill, companies and organizations alike, regardless of size, can support all employees with various forms of schedule, continuity, and workload flexibility.? Despite its numerous advantages for employees, flexible working presents challenges for managers in supporting neurodivergent colleagues working remotely.? Some of these challenges identified are: communicating effectively, providing adequate training and resources, and maintaining engagement and motivation for neurodivergent staff.? In conclusion, flexibility in the workplace; can make a tremendous difference for those who are disabled or neurodivergent employees alike, but it also benefits organizations.? Improved employee motivation means improved retention translates into substantial savings, and increased productivity contributes to the bottom line.? That said, managers need to develop and adopt a truly flexible and individualized approach to managing neurodivergent employees and those who are disabled working remotely.? Flexibility is one simple way example of how inclusion means recognizing we are all different and making sure we can all be able to engage at work in the way that works for us.? Genuine flexible working can be a win-win arrangement for both workers and employers.