The Key To A Great Workplace: Weave Inclusivity into the Fabric of Your Organisation.

Welcome to the latest edition of Work Explorer! In this issue, we delve into a topic that resonates deeply in today's environment: the importance of cultivating an inclusive workplace. The journey toward understanding and implementing disability accommodations is ongoing, and society has made significant gains toward eliminating biases and increasing accessibility thanks to the contributions of medical professionals and passionate activists. While formalised procedures for requesting reasonable accommodations have undoubtedly opened doors to countless individuals, the speed at which our knowledge is unfolding usually outpaces institutional and organisational policy response and practice integration.

As we stand at the intersection of progress and possibility, a pertinent question arises: future proof our workplaces and prepare our employees to easier adapt? Let's look at Long Covid as a prime example.

Understanding Long COVID As A Disability And Its Impact On Workplace Accommodations

Long COVID is a growing problem that affects those who have recovered from the acute phase of COVID-19. ?According to this research from Nature Reviews, Microbiology, 65 million people suffer from Long Covid, and the number is growing. ?While most people experience mild or moderate symptoms during the first infection, a sizeable group goes on to develop persistent and debilitating symptoms that can last for months or even years. ?These symptoms range from extreme fatigue, cognitive difficulties (brain fog), and shortness of breath to joint pain, heart palpitations, and mental health issues such as anxiety and depression.

As the understanding of Long COVID as a disability grows, the conversation naturally shifts to how this recognition will affect disability accommodations in the workplace.? Employers, policymakers, and advocates are grappling with important questions about the nature and extent of accommodations needed to ensure that individuals with Long COVID can thrive in their professional lives.

The Job Accommodation Network provides this list of symptom-based accommodations specifically for Long Covid, but the overarching themes of these accommodations would also be appropriate for many other ‘invisible’ disabilities.

Flexible Work Arrangements: One of the primary challenges faced by individuals with Long COVID is unpredictable symptom patterns. ?Employers can adapt to this by offering flexible work arrangements, including remote work, adjusted hours, and part-time options.? Such accommodations not only provide relief to employees with Long COVID but also set a precedent for inclusivity that extends to others with chronic health conditions.

Physical Modifications: Some individuals with Long COVID experience physical impairments that may require workplace modifications.? Ergonomic seating, assistive devices, and alterations to workstations, provide a range of work settings and configurations, and a range of environmental features that allow individuals to choose the settings that suit their needs.? These things and many more features can play a vital role in accommodating their needs.? Employers should collaborate with affected employees to agree on the most suitable adjustments.

Accessible Communication: Cognitive difficulties, such as memory and concentration problems (such as brain fog), are common symptoms of Long COVID.? Employers should adopt clear and concise communication methods, including written instructions, visual aids, and regular check-ins to ensure that employees can stay informed and engaged.

Mental Health Support: The emotional toll of dealing with Long COVID's uncertainty and ongoing symptoms can be immense.? Employers can help employees manage any psychological challenges for example by facilitating access to counselling services and advising them on flexible leave policies.

Job Redesign: For some people, Long COVID may require a complete redesign of job responsibilities and hours worked in order to contribute productively to the organisation.? This could involve reallocating tasks that are particularly challenging for an individual due to their symptoms, and adjusting workload or changing their role to focus on an employee's.? These are obviously significant changes requiring substantial discussion between the employee, manager, human resources and potentially a health care professional.

Integrating inclusive practices into the fabric of our workplaces

This 2020 survey by The Job Accommodation Network reported that 49% of employee accommodations cost nothing to implement and that just under half (43%) required a one-time payment of around UD$300. Most accommodations described are core principles in leading workplaces, which confirms great workplaces usually have inclusivity built into their organisation structure rather than being just a box to tick.

But the ability to provide these accommodations is only half the battle to fully supporting employee needs.? The large hurdle for any employee is feeling they are in a safe enough environment to reach out and ask for help in the first place, and there is nothing as demoralising as having your serious concerns and needs dismissed.? While official documentation has historically been necessary and will continue to be important in protecting employee rights, we can reframe what asking for reasonable accommodations might look like in a truly inclusive workplace.

Rather than relying solely on medical evidence, an inclusive workplace prioritises open communication and collaboration between employees and employers.? This approach fosters an environment of trust and understanding, where employees feel comfortable discussing their needs without the fear of being questioned or doubted. This conversation may never even touch the subject of the employee’s disability but rather just ‘suggestions of things that make working easier for me and my teammates’, such as:

“I’ve found a new online tool that helps to transcribe our meetings and automatically summarises the topics with action items.? I’d find it helpful to have additional notes on top of mine to refer to”.

“I’ve been having some trouble typing for long periods of time recently, to help me stay on top of my work I’ve been using dictation tools to get a lot of my work done but I don’t want to disrupt my colleagues while I’m in the office.? I might need some extra WFH days so I can stay on top of my tasks.”

The two examples given here is what asking for accommodations can look like.? The employee is proactive about finding a solution, respectful of their peers and most importantly: feels safe enough to ask their managers and teammates for help. ?The ability for employees to request these smaller accommodations signals to others that more complex accommodations are also likely to be taken seriously because there is a track record of this being a trustworthy, empathetic, and understanding workplace.

The Path Forward

Recognising disability accommodation is not just a matter of legal compliance; it's a step toward building a more inclusive society where individuals with chronic health conditions can participate fully in all aspects of life.? We all benefit when our peers can be understanding of the fact that everyone has different capabilities and some of us need a handicap to keep up and contribute to the best of our ability. The workplace, being a significant sphere of daily life, plays a vital role in this journey.