Research finds greater support needed for disabled employees

New research indicates it is more difficult for disabled people in the UK to stay in employment, with close to half of them stating that this is the case.

This is the finding of a survey conducted by the Business Disability Forum that spoke to over 1,000 people. Nearly half said the conditions they suffered from were the reason why it was tougher for them to maintain their employment. In addition to this, 46% of the disabled people who responded to the survey stated their disabilities limited their prospects for career progression.

When asked what they thought organisations and HR departments could do to remedy this, a number of ideas were proposed. Greater positivity towards those with disabilities during the recruitment process, more understanding of the issues and flexible working were among them.

BDF CEO Diane Lightfoot told Personnel Today that:

“Making sure that HR teams and line managers are trained to understand the needs of disabled people and the barriers that disabled people can commonly face is an important first step.”

Most in-house HR teams will not have that level of expert knowledge and training. This is why some organisations are looking to outsourced HR services in Bedfordshire that can offer depth of expertise.

Lightfoot went on to add that the task was for organisations to build cultures that are inclusive and this required commitment from all members of staff. She pointed out though that HR and those in senior roles need to be the ones who are setting the right example.