Money can say a lot about underlying beliefs. It’s much more than a medium of exchange: it shows you what a society prioritises, what it respects and who it values. The monetary value ascribed to something or someone often speaks volumes of society’s views. So, what then of the disability pay gap?

The news towards the end of 2019 was, of course, interesting for everyone in Britain. But, in terms of what The Ability People passionately care about, it was appalling. Yet, in many ways it was unsurprising. Indeed, we were given a great deal of food for thought as we headed into the Christmas season. Especially with regards to the disability pay gap.

In December, the ONS released their figures on the disability pay gap which revealed disabled people face a pay gap of 12.2%, on average, rising as high as 15.3% in London. This news was swiftly followed by outrage at a local hustings, where one parliamentary candidate stated that ‘people with learning difficulties should be allowed to work for less than the minimum wage’ and that ‘some people with learning difficulties, they don’t understand about money’. Both these examples starkly highlight through money, society’s hard-to-shake belief that disabled people are on some level worthless – so we are worth less.

These figures and quotes are easy to point out as disgraceful but they don’t exist in isolation. They’re merely examples of the destructive narrative, pervading every area of society, which says that disabled people’s skills and talent can’t compare to those of non-disabled people. This belief is also illustrated by the reductive representation of disabled people in the media and the massive disability employment gap which still exists, currently standing at 28.6%in the UK. Everywhere, the same message is repeated: that disabled people’s difference is a weakness and our work is of lower value.

It is now 2020 and we cannot allow this message to carry into a new decade. But, it is important to understand, challenging these beliefs isn’t about taking pity on disabled people or doing us a favour. It’s in everyone’s best interests.

Organisations and employers across the country need to realise that truly understanding the value of disabled people and our work increases the worth of their work. Ignoring disabled talent due to the myth we’re less productive means they’re missing out on the unique skills and qualities we bring: our resourcefulness, resilience, adaptability, creativity and tenacity. It means shutting the door on one fifth of the UK’s disabled population and the untapped potential there. It means missing out on richness and diversity.

The onus can’t be on us, however, to challenge disability myths and end our devaluation. It’s the structures creating these conditions which need to change. It’s a vicious cycle: disabled people aren’t valued so no effort is made to be inclusive, which means disabled people are shut out of spaces and the myth around our worthlessness increases. Our work and ourselves are devalued even more, and the cycle continues.

Breaking this cycle requires action on the part of every organisation in the UK. Every business, government body and NGO needs to take a long hard look at their disability inclusion strategy and investigate how it works in practice. What’s the disability pay gap and disability employment gap in your own company and how can you close it? When you’re adding to your team is every stage of the hiring process authentically accessible and inclusive? Is the language you use to talk about disability reinforcing any dangerous, false beliefs?

Disabled people do ‘understand money’ – and we know much more. We know that our work is more than equal to that of non-disabled people. We know that our difference is an asset, not a weakness. And we know that, together, we can all come to understand this.

Want to find out more about how you can identify and remove the barriers in your workplace? Get in touch with the team at TAP – we’d love to talk.

The question “what do you say to disabled people?” should not be a question that needs asking.

Disabled people don’t type “what do you say to able-bodied people?” into Google. Why would they? (I’ve just tried it, the results were fascinating).

It is estimated that approximately 15% of people across the globe have some form of impairment. That percentage is, probably, much higher than many people believe. Especially when we consider the levels of disability awareness and acceptance most of us experience.

If you spoke to disabled people around the world, you’d notice that they all have at least one thing in common. They all have numerous stories of being asked strange questions, experiencing inappropriate comments, or being judged purely on the basis that they are disabled. You see, non-people are often so caught up by disabled people’s differences that they forget the individual side of things.

Thanks to stereotypes, people often have visions of what disabled people look like, sound like, do, go and, even, think. Stereotypes teach us what disabled people’s IQs are like, our abilities (or lack of), our interests, and the list goes on.

But, in reality, every single person with an impairment is different. Aside from the impairment, speaking to a disabled person should be no different from speaking to a non-disabled person.

Yet, some of the things said to us, would never be said to a non-disabled person. The presumptions, assumptions and intrigue are simply not as prevalent.

It is important to remember, if you work with a disabled person, you are working with an individual. They are simply a person, like yourself, with an identity (away from the impairment) and they are your colleague on merit not just to tick a box.

13 Things Not to Say to Disabled People at Work

What happened to you?/ What’s wrong with you? 

Don’t get us wrong; lots of disabled people are happy to spread awareness of disability by sharing their story. However, these two questions are rude and unlikely to be conducive to a positive conversation.

For example, if I were to be asked these questions, my answers would be “I was born” and “absolutely nothing”.

However, if I am asked about my impairment in a curious yet positive manner, I will happily tell you. “I have Cerebral Palsy due to a lack of oxygen at birth, and this simply means that my muscles don’t always work they ordinarily would”. See the difference?

You don’t look disabled

In the same way no two people are the same, no two impairments are the same. There is no standard impairment “look”. People with Autism, for example, may look “non-disabled” but that doesn’t mean they do not have an impairment. Not all disabled people use wheelchairs.

You are so inspirational/amazing

Imagine, for a second, getting out your car to get on with your day and someone saying, “well done! You’re amazing!” Or imagine doing the most mundane, boring, things in the world and being told you’re inspirational.

Just like non-disabled people, some disabled people do some amazing and inspirational things. However, if they are just getting on with they’re job or life, there is no need to make it into something it isn’t.

Clever girl/boy!

Personally, I get this a lot. I have a First Class Degree and a Masters Degree.

Think about this for a second. If any other colleague completed every day, standard tasks, would you tap them on their shoulder and say, “aren’t you clever!” in the same way you would do to a child? Probably not.

Never underestimate the intelligence and awareness of a disabled person. This is something that happens more often than you’d think.

If you have a colleague with an impairment, it is safe to assume that their intelligence and awareness is on par with yourself.

It must be so hard for you!

There are two things to consider if you find yourself wanting to say this:

•  If the person has been disabled since birth, then life is what it is. Chances are, it is not as hard as you think. In the same way you (possibly) learned to walk as a child, the person will have learned to do everything else. Disabled people, in general, are fantastic problem solvers. We may not do things in the same ways as others, but this doesn’t necessarily mean everything is hard.
• If the person has acquired an impairment, is it appropriate to point out that their life might be harder than yours?

I know how you feel (about having an impairment) 

Again, there are two things to consider if you find yourself wanting to say this:

• Do you? In what sense? Think about this before speaking.
• I (the author of this post) have had Cerebral Palsy since birth. I genuinely don’t know how it feels not to have my impairment. But at the same time, I don’t know how it feels to have anyone else’s impairment either. For me to say otherwise would be untrue and unnecessary.

I have a disabled friend/uncle/brother/grandma/book club buddy – do you know them?

If someone has an impairment, they are not immediately introduced to every other disabled person within a 50-mile radius.

Ask yourself if there is any reason, other than being disabled, your colleague might know this person.

I’ll pray for you.

While well-intended, this could be taken the wrong way. Your colleague may feel like you’re saying, “there is something wrong with you; you must be fixed”. Some disabled people don’t want to be “fixed” – acceptance and awareness is the aim of the game.

If praying for people is what you do, then, by all means, go ahead. But be aware of how you tell the person and how they might feel about it.

Are you a Paralympian?

Are all non-disabled people Olympians? No.

The increased interest in the Paralympics is terrific. But only 1% of disabled people (maybe even less) are Paralympians.

You’re quite talented, considering.

Considering what?

Not all impairments affect intelligence or brain function. This is a prevalent misconception.

As with number 4, if you have a colleague with an impairment, it is safe to assume that their intelligence and awareness is on par with yourself.

You won’t be able to do that.

Never assume you know what your colleague can or cannot do especially if you don’t know them that well. As I mentioned in number 5, above, disabled people, in general, are fantastic problem solvers. We may not do things in the same ways as others, but it doesn’t mean we can’t do things.

Who is to say your disabled colleague hasn’t found a better way of doing something than you have?

Do you have any special powers/special abilities?

This is a question frequently posed to people on the autistic spectrum. The idea that people with Autism have “special abilities” comes from TV shows and films, such as ‘The Good Doctor’ and ‘Rain Man’.

Put simply, not everyone on the autistic spectrum has a so-called unique ability. It is inadvisable to base your knowledge of impairments on fictional characters.

‘I understand…’ (guessing what people say) Or ‘I can’t understand you’ (then moving on)

If your colleague has a speech impairment, the chances are they are well versed in repeating what they say to ensure they are understood. Speaking from personal experience, they would rather repeat themselves five times than have someone guess what they are saying.

Imagine if you guessed wrong and they were suggesting something you were fundamentally opposed to, but you said “yes” because you didn’t take the extra 5 seconds to clarify.

According to Hidden Disabilities Sunflower Lanyard Scheme®, the concept of the Sunflower Lanyard “originated in 2016 when London Gatwick Airport asked “How can we recognise that one of our passengers may have a non-obvious disability?”. The answer was to create a lanyard with a simple sunflower design on a green background.

The lanyards intended to be a subtle but visible sign enabling airport staff to recognise that the wearer (or someone with them) may require some extra help, time or assistance when moving through the airport.”

The scheme was a great success at Gatwick Airport. So much so that other UK airports, UK Rail providers and the NHS followed suit.

Interestingly, however, following trials in 2018, the past few months have seen a number of UK supermarkets, stores and banks adopting the scheme. Those who have adopted the scheme include: Marks and Spencers, Sainsbury’s, Argos, Tesco and, most recently, Nationwide Building Society.

Here at The Ability People, we have been in deep discussion regarding the pros and cons of using the Sunflower Lanyards in supermarkets and stores.

On one hand, the scheme, feels like a slight win for disabled community. Of course, in theory, it’s a good thing to recognise that extra support or adaptations might be useful for disabled people. The more awareness we can raise that disability isn’t always visible, the better.

On the other hand, however, we wonder how disabled people would feel about wearing a Sunflower Lanyard whilst doing their weekly shop. We also wonder whether it should be us that wears them, or whether a better approach would be to improve the standards of disability awareness training for all members of staff. Perhaps, staff members could wear a Sunflower Lanyard to show that they are there to help.

What do you think?

As we say, a number of high profile retailers have recently adopted the sunflower lanyard that have worked so well for Gatwick Airport. We would like to know what you think given that shopping and passing through an airport are such different experiences. Does ‘one size fit all?’

Please let us know your thoughts on Sunflower Lanyards by completing the very quick survey below.

Today marks the International Day of Persons with Disabilities, which for us, as an organisation made up of disabled people, has a particular resonance and significance. Breaking down barriers and consulting on the needs of disabled people in the workplace is fascinating, but not always straightforward.

Here at The Ability People, we are thrilled to show off our brand new, fully accessible website. What better day to do so!

It has always been one of our goals to have a website that is accessible for all. Thanks to a little tool from Recite.me, we have easily achieved this goal. In fact, during recent conversations, our co-founder Steve Carter said:

“There is no reason why every website cannot be accessible. Companies have no idea how much business they are losing out on by not making a few minor changes.”

Why is our new website essential? Throughout our journey, we have gained a lot of insight and knowledge around what the business world assumes the needs of disabled people to be. Interestingly, these “needs” are often born from a list of old fashioned, stereotypical views of disability.

Our new website is important because it is fully accessible. That is, not all disabled people will need to use the accessible features, but many non-disabled people will find them useful. You don’t need to identify as a disabled person to find accessibility helpful.

International Day of Disabled Persons was proclaimed in 1992. It aims to:

“Promote the rights and well-being of persons with disabilities in all spheres of society and development, and to increase awareness of the situation of persons with disabilities in every aspect of political, social, economic and cultural life.”

Re-evaluating the needs of disabled people

What people tend to forget is that an accessible world is helpful to everyone, not just disabled people. If you’ve ever used an elevator when you are able to use the stairs, you know what we mean.

For example, if businesses were more open to employing disabled people, then everyone would benefit. Many of the needs of disabled people in employment will not just help them be productive. Instead, flexibility and accessibility, if extended across the company, is likely to improve the productivity of the entire workforce.

TAP’s mission is to create a business world whereby all differences are acknowledged and appreciated, traditional measures of performance are redefined, and every individual can achieve their full potential.

We do understand that when it comes to employing disabled people, there are a few issues that cause businesses a great deal of apprehension.

We work with businesses across the UK and beyond to help them create workforces that are authentically inclusive and full of talented individuals, regardless of differences. Our goal is to encourage our clients to discover and understand the pool of untapped talent that is out there. By tapping into this talent pool, remaining unfazed by the needs of disabled people, and becoming authentically inclusive, our clients see an increase in productivity and profit.

This blog post has been written and put together by someone with cerebral palsy, someone that many people would consider to be severely disabled. Can you tell?

The world is made up of people who are all different. Sometimes you can see the differences; sometimes you cannot. Some people are disabled; some are not. Sometimes we understand the differences; sometimes we don’t.

Whatever the differences are, it is essential to remember that there is more to life than meets the eye. The needs of disabled people do not define them. If a person needs a wheelchair because they cannot walk, it does not mean they are not highly intelligent and not capable of doing a job well.

If we do not understand the needs of disabled people applying to work for a company, we must not assume. We must be curious and aim to find out more.

People with impairments are not disabled by definition. They are disabled by the barriers that society puts in their way.

When it comes to employing disabled people, we have to open our minds and stay curious. By this, we mean asking questions, of ourselves and others, as a means to continuing to broaden our understanding. This is why the International Day of Persons with Disabilities is so important, as it reminds us to take stock and to renew our curiosity.

The needs of disabled people are not just about wheelchair and ramps. They may be about starting work at 10 am instead of 9 am!

Also, Happy birthday to our co-founder Liz Johnson!!

Would your company benefit from The Ability People consultants speaking to your team? We’d love for you to get in touch – simply visit our Contact Us page.

Diversity and inclusion are typically prescribed in the workplace as a singular practice, as opposed to two separate considerations. The main consequence of this is that too often, one is applied without the other. As increased diversity in the workplace offers a more visible marker of success, it’s no surprise that companies opt to diversify their workplace through proactive hiring, with little care for inclusion practices. This careless implementation of diversity without inclusion can result in a number of issues. Just earlier this month, top FTSE companies were criticised for their ‘one and done’ approach to diversity and inclusion, which has fuelled feelings of tokenism among minority workers. If companies continue to hire individuals who visibly increase the workplace’s diversity levels, but fail to implement adequate inclusion policies, they reap the benefits on paper only.

The first hurdle to overcome is the assumption that diversity and inclusion are the same thing. In fact, diversity is concerned with achieving a varied workforce which is representative of wider society. This can be achieved by hiring women, people of colour, religious, LGBTQ+ and disabled employees, who all bring vital skills and insights to any workplace. Inclusion on the other hand is concerned with the practices enforced to make the workplace more inclusive of these individuals. For example, it would be no use to hire a devout Muslim woman without the inclusion of a prayer room. Or to hire a wheelchair user without adequate wheelchair accessibility features in the workplace. Real change is impossible if employers only see diversity and inclusion as one.

However, it is important to note that inclusion goes beyond just physical accessibility. The attitudes within the workplace must also be inclusive to ensure no worker is left feeling like a box checked. Taking the extra step in educating the workplace about the different beliefs and needs of those they employ would result in a more understanding workforce that values its employees and their differences. There are also many structural changes employers can make. For instance, using the previous examples, an employer could make their work socials more inclusive to those of other religions by foregoing the occasional happy hour social for a non-drinking activity. And for a disabled employee, inclusive practice could be offering flexible working hours and the ability to work from home where needed. These actions, derived from a heightened understanding of others, go far in achieving an authentically inclusive workplace. Inclusion is also vital in  maintaining and increasing diversity levels as employees from marginalised groups won’t stay if they are internally excluded.

Furthermore, there is evidence that enforcing diversity without inclusion can impact employee mental health. The Harvard Business Review reported last month about employees with ‘invisible’ disabilities opting not to disclose them so as not to feel like a burden, which can result in anxiety and isolation. It’s this idea that difference is a drawback that needs to change. Businesses need to create a work environment which actively accepts and works through difference, understanding that normal is a construct which limits creativity and potential. Our co-founder Liz Johnson spoke to the Metro earlier this month to outline how to create an inclusive environment for disabled people, highlighting how even small changes in language can make a colossal difference. Pushing for inclusion in one area, such as disability, helps create a culture shift and acceptance which benefits other marginalised groups too.

However, our attitude to diversity needs rethinking too. People ultimately don’t want to be defined by their disability or any other feature of their identity. Doing so can run the risk of tokenism in the workplace, where employees are valued only for their ability to diversify the team. What needs to occur is a balance between embracing the differences amongst staff and pigeonholing an employee. This balance will allow for all staff to be included as a valued part of the workforce, and not simply a token. This shift in positive attitudes towards diversity and inclusion can also lead the way to improvements throughout the business.

Overall, careless implementation of diversity and inclusion practices in the workplace has a detrimental effect on the workforce as a whole. Whilst there is a focus on increasing diversity levels across all sectors, workplaces must not fall victim to implementing a ‘one and done’ approach, or placing too much focus on physical accessibility. For diversity to be beneficial, it must go hand in hand with inclusion and workplaces must enforce a culture which both embraces and understands the differences of its employees. At TAP, it is our ambition is to support companies and leaders to ‘live’ inclusion and not simply prescribe it when needed. Only then is it possible to create a culture where equality is no longer talked about but has become ‘business as usual.’

It’s been a busy summer for everyone at TAP. In the lead up to our official launch, we were delighted to receive a huge amount of media attention, successfully putting TAP on the map as the UK’s first ever disability-led recruitment consultancy.

From national newspapers to business publications, everyone’s talking about TAP. In this blog, we’ve out listed some of our latest press coverage both so you can find out more about us as an organisation and so you can see the public’s positive reaction to TAP.

The Independent

TAP’s Co-founder and Managing Director, Liz Johnson had the pleasure of being interviewed for a feature in national newspaper: The Independent. Throughout this piece, Liz speaks frankly about her own experiences as a disabled individual, while also sharing her personal motivations and aspirations for TAP.

Read the full article here.

Able Magazine

We were delighted to have one of the UK’s leading disability lifestyle magazines, Able Magazine cover TAP’s exciting launch. The article details the nature of the business, as well as featuring quotes from Ben Weston (Head of Business Services for Guidant Group) discussing Guidant Group’s partnership with TAP. Check out the full feature here.

Since the article was published, we’ve also become members of Able Magazine’s ‘Be The Difference’ Employment Initiative. Through this exciting collaboration, TAP will be advertising particular jobs we’re recruiting for on Able Magazine’s website in the hope of encouraging employers to increase diversity in the workplace.

SME Magazine

At the beginning of August, we were delighted to be featured in well-known online business publication, SME Magazine. The article – written by Liz herself – explored TAP as a new business, focusing on what we hope to achieve as we take on the stereotypes rooted in both the recruitment industry as well towards disabled individuals in the workplace. Read the full article here.

Huffington Post

It wasn’t just Liz the world wanted to hear from; TAP’s specialist NextGen consultant, Adil Ghani featured on the popular news and blog site, Huffington Post. In Adil’s honest blog he details his experiences as a severely disabled individual looking for a job. He also shares what he hopes to achieve while working at TAP, acting as a role model for young people with disabilities. Read the full blog here.

In addition to those publications mentioned above, we’re also honoured to be featured in the following:

• The Sunday Times
• City A.M.
• Enable Magazine
• U Can 2
• Disability Talks
• Motability’s Lifestyle Magazine (p.28)
• HR Magazine
• Recruiter (September issue)
• Recruitment Grapevine
• OnRec
• My Entrepreneur Magazine

We’re all extremely grateful for the public support we’ve received, so on behalf of everyone at TAP – thank you!

Keep an eye out on our social media for future press coverage. You can also follow us on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn.