OVERLOOKED FACTORS
Caring for PwD also depends on:
- Stakeholder profit margin.
- Manager competence.
- Advertisements that give all the info!
Stakeholder profit expectations influence Key Performance Metrics (KPI’s), and this will determine what a company can afford, it determines what is reasonable. Often the expectations are so high that any increase in input is unacceptable. The more this reality remains hidden, the less chance there are for employees to realise and highlight the fact that moral values are traded for more financial gains.
Organisations often overlook the ability of people to manage diversity. The fact that diversity is expected by law, does not make people automatically competent to manage diversity. The fact that there are PwD in your team also does not mean you are competent to manage disability. PwD might tolerate these shortcomings, because they are very much dependent on an opportunity. PwD can give input on how to better manage their performance and on what reasonable accommodation they need. But you have to ask, as this differs from person to person. This means that managers must have the courage (vulnerability!) to have this conversation.
Do NOT advertise jobs for PwD but rather make your recruitment process accessible to PwD!
Companies that do this may drive compliance and not care. PwD want to be part of the mainstream where possible! Often advertisements do not give enough information to allow people with impairments to feel safe to apply. If a job is earmarked as a job for PwD there is always this stigma associated with the position. People with impairments are frequently in the limelight because other people want to clarify uncertainty and PwD want to avoid embarrassment if possible. This personal exposure and uncertainty could be avoided if advertisements describe the environment and facilities in more detail.