In our world today, just complying with the ADA’s rules and regulations isn’t enough. Here are some ways you can make your workplace disability friendly:
Educate Your Employees Start to include disability-related materials in your new employee on-boarding sessions. Have that information available and easy to access for everyone. You could even form a disability support group. Start to build awareness and invest in training, like having employees take a mental health first aid class which are usually free and offered by a local hospital.
Invest in Assistive Technology Assistive technology, which includes apps and online tools, helps employees with disabilities be able to carry out their job responsibilities without restrictions. Some technology includes: color-coded keyboards, refreshable Braille displays, screen-reader software, assistive listening devices, and speech recognition and sign language apps. But, these technologies are only useful if the disabled employees receive the proper training. The training should be a crucial part of the entire on-boarding process.
Make Your Environment Accessible Making the environment accessible includes: disabled-friendly parking, wheelchair accessible doorways, ramps at entries and exits, wider doors and hallways, and accessible bathrooms. Meeting rooms and other common areas like the cafeteria or break rooms need to be made accessible as well.
Focus on Health and Overall Well Being Everyone’s job is stressful, and stress can lead to headaches, irritability, elevated blood pressure, chest and back pain, and so on. To de-stress as a group, try organizing office yoga, running groups, healthy lunch potlucks, healthy snacks at the office, or fitness classes after work.