For most people, a day at the office can be a lackluster, though achievable, task. We show up by car or train, grab some coffee, and spend eight hours in our PC-equipped cubicles and on conference calls with coworkers.
But for a large number of Americans, the daily grind is a daily headache. For these folks, the computer may not be navigable, the telephone may not be useful, and the commute could take twice as long. I’m talking about the more than 20 million people of working age with disabilities.
Disabled workers today have stronger workplace rights, thanks to the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), but they still struggle with the physical aspects of their handicaps as well as barriers that prohibit their full participation, such as trying to cope with technology that’s designed for the able-bodied. It’s no surprise, then, that the disabled working-age population holds the country’s highest unemployment rate, according to U.S. Census data.
As baby boomers age, U.S. employers are projected to face a shortage of 12 million skilled workers by 2010 and 20 million by 2020. With that in mind, employers have taken impressive steps in the last few years to make it easier for the disabled to assimilate into the workplace.
Companies’ investments in telecommunications have allowed technology such as instant messaging and home networking to flourish, giving the disabled more flexibility to do their jobs in less-conventional ways. The ADA, which requires that employers supply “reasonable accommodations” to help a disabled worker perform his or her job more effectively, is now a much larger part of the private-sector lexicon. Some companies, like Google and Pepsico, also include disability inclusion in their hiring strategies.
If you don’t already work side-by-side with someone who has a qualified physical or mental disability, you’re likely to in the near future. To help further their chances of professional and social success in the workplace, follow these basic rules of disability etiquette:
1. Say hello. Treat the person as any other individual, not as someone who needs pity or special treatment. If you can, try to orient yourself to their specific needs.
2. Refer to the person first. In conversation, say “the person who is deaf” instead of “the deaf person.”
3. Use everyday words. It’s completely acceptable to say “It was good to see you” and “See you soon” to a person who is blind.
