Disability

This Carer’s Week we should take time to recognise and gain understanding of those supporting people with disabilities, long-term health conditions, mental health conditions, or who need extra support as they get older. Especially family and close friends who spend time caring for someone. The challenges for these individuals are often overlooked in the workplace, but we know that caring can have a huge impact on a person’s working and personal life. Carers have developed a whole range of skills that are an asset to any organisation, and we should focus on how we can support, retain and uplift carers in the workplace.

Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) is a condition which can have debilitating impacts on a person’s life. It has two main components: obsession, such as intrusive thoughts, and compulsion, such as the need to doing something repetitively or in the exact same way every single time. It is diagnosed by the effect it has on a person’s day to day life, relationships and mental health.

There are many misconceptions and much stigma relating to OCD and employees who experience OCD may face significant challenges in the workplace. There are many accommodations we can make to support colleagues with OCD.

You have probably heard the term autism or phases like “on the autism spectrum” but do you really know what autism is and how it affects people? Autism is a neurotype characterised by communication challenges, sensory issues and repetitive behaviours, among many other traits. Autism can mean that individuals may need some support or accommodations in the workplace to work to the best of their abilities. The aim of the webinar is to build confidence in having conversations about autism in the workplace and gain top tips on where you could change your recruitment, line management and working practices to enable a inclusive workplace culture.

Neurodivergent people often face challenges in the workplace. Due to negative stereotypes and stigmas, neurodiverse conditions and traits are not always recognised as opportunities in the workplace. This not only creates barriers for neurodivergent people in progressing, but prevents employers from accessing the best skills, knowledge and ideas that neurodivergent people have to offer. In this webinar we will highlight the many benefits of having neurodiverse employees and showcase examples where neurodiverse people have contributed to their organisations.

With an estimated 11 million Deaf or Hard of Hearing individuals in the UK this webinar is aimed to increase our understanding and awareness of D/deafness and to support those in our organisation who are D/deaf or hard of hearing.

We will explore the barriers to gaining employment, and the challenges and barriers faced once within the workplace, as well as providing you with top tips and guidance to develop a truly inclusive workspace for those with hearing loss.