Invisible Disabilities In The Workplace | Disabled Person
Not All Disabilities
Are Visible: Understanding Invisible Conditions in the Workplace
It’s easy to recognize a disability when you can see it,
such as when a coworker uses a wheelchair or other assistive equipment or
devices. However, not all disabilities are visible. So, it’s
essential to understand and know how to respond to or accommodate invisible
conditions in the workplace.
As Invisible Disabilities Association executive director
Jess Stainbrook explained, you cannot see the mental, neurological, or
physical condition that constitutes an invisible disability. But that doesn’t
mean the condition doesn’t affect the person’s activities, movements, or
senses. She also said that the importance of understanding unseen conditions is
highlighted by the fact that statistics indicate a significant number of your
employees or coworkers are likely to have one.
Delve into the subject of invisible disabilities in the
workplace with us.
Examples Of Invisible
Disabilities
According to the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), a
person has a disability if they have a mental or physical impairment that
significantly limits their ability to stand, sit, sleep, and/or perform other
major life activities. The act adds that the person would have a record of the
impairment and/or is regarded as having the impairment.
Although the ADA’s definition is legal rather than medical,
it indicates clearly that the term is not limited to physical disabilities you
can see.
Examples of invisible disabilities include:
●
ADHD, dyslexia, and
other learning and thinking differences
●
Arthritis
●
Bipolar disorder
●
Depression
●
Diabetes
●
Epilepsy
●
Lupus and other
autoimmune diseases
●
Post-traumatic stress
disorder (PTSD)
Invisible In Other
Ways
They are known as invisible disabilities because those
conditions aren’t visible or immediately apparent to others. As a 2017 Center for Talent Innovation study
showed, they’re also invisible in other ways.
30% of white-collar employees who were college-educated have
a disability. Of those, only 3.2% self-identify as a person with a disability
to their employers. 62% of all employees with disabilities have an invisible
disability.
People with disabilities do not disclose their condition or
identify as someone with a disability for various reasons:
●
They’re afraid of
discrimination
●
They’re worried people won’t believe they have a disability
●
They don’t want their
disability to influence how people see them
●
If they’re job
seekers, they may be afraid that having a disability will reduce their chances of
getting hired
Any discussions around visible or invisible conditions in
the workplace require compassionate handling. Those discussions can be
challenging, but they are absolutely necessary.
Tips For
Understanding Invisible Disabilities At Work
Use the following tips for understanding and accommodating
invisible disabilities in the workplace:
1. Help employees to
feel comfortable
One of the singular most important things you can do for
your employees or coworkers is to make them feel comfortable enough to feel
confident about disclosing their disability. The HR department, manager, CEO,
or owner should let every employee know about the company’s disability inclusion
efforts.
The Center for Talent Innovation study mentioned above found
that employees who were open about their invisibilities were twice as likely to
feel content at work than those who did not tell anyone.
2. Offer support for
employees with disabilities
Create a disability-focused employee resource group (ERG) as
a forum wherein employees with invisible disabilities and their allied
coworkers can network and empower one another. You can show support by ensuring
that mental health coverage is part of the company insurance plan and promoting
employee benefits such as free services like stress-reducing health coaching.
3. Offer meaningful
accommodations for people with disabilities
Review how your company accommodates people with disabilities
by engaging those employees and making adjustments as necessary. According to
the ADA, those employees are entitled to reasonable accommodations.
A Job Accommodation Network survey found that
the average one-time cost of accommodating employees with disabilities was
$500. The survey also found that 58% of accommodations did not cost anything.
Examples of low-cost accommodations include flexible work
hours or break times for employees with chronic conditions. Other examples
include giving written instructions to an employee who may struggle to remember
verbal instructions due to a poor working memory caused by a learning
disability.
4. Be mindful of
language
Be mindful of the language used in discussions around
disabilities in the workplace. Use people-first language, such as the term “a
person with epilepsy.” Saying “he has epilepsy” is not people-first language,
as it subtly places the focus on the invisible condition rather than on the
person.
Most discussions about invisible disabilities in the
workplace are likely to focus on inclusivity and performance. When it comes to
the latter, consult employees with conditions and find solutions or
accommodations together. Don’t assume their condition will negatively affect
their performance.
5. Maintain
Confidentiality
Maintain confidentiality about your employees’ medical
conditions. Ensure that all supervisors and other employees understand that
respecting privacy is essential. Do not disclose an employee’s condition to
anyone, especially if they’ve only told management. All supervisors and
managers should be familiar with the HIPAA privacy requirements.
The Benefits Of
Support
The employees with invisible disabilities that you support
in the workplace are not the only ones who benefit from that support. A 2018
Accenture study found that companies that use best practices for hiring and supporting
such employees achieved:
●
Double the net income
of peers
●
30% higher economic
profit margins
●
28% higher revenue
The benefits of inclusive workplaces don’t end with profits.
Other benefits include:
Improved logical
thought and reasoning—Studies have found that feelings
of being excluded, even temporarily, can affect people’s ability to
think clearly. Inclusion can stimulate cognitive improvement.
More social behavior—A
study found that people engage in more
pro-social
behavior when they feel included. Group members who felt included
were more willing to cooperate with the rest of the group, help others, and volunteer
for various tasks.
Greater self-care—Research
shows that people who feel included prioritize
self-improvement and are more likely to make healthier choices.
An Inclusive Future
Being invisible doesn’t make disabilities any less impactful
than visible conditions. An invisible disability can have just as much effect
on someone's working life and lifestyle as a clearly visible
one.
In a world where a greater sense of humanity wouldn’t go
amiss, understanding and supporting people with invisible disabilities in the
workplace can make a significant difference.