Flipping through the news this morning, I came across an article in Fast Company where one of the reporters interviewed two designers at Google. The topic: how to keep accessibility in mind when creating technology. The concept may sound simple, but in reality, it’s not necessarily as intuitive as it sounds.
The statistic stated at the front of the article was part of what really grabbed my attention: The World Health Organization states that 1 billion people worldwide have some kind of disability. Add to that the fact that August of this year will mark the 25th anniversary of the passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act, a landmark that mandating conveniences as designated parking, Braille signage and wheelchair ramps.
But the number of disabled individuals worldwide stands at 1 billion. That number is staggering, particularly when you stop to think of how many of them are actually employed. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, in 2014 the number of Americans with disabilities who were gainfully employed stood at a mere 17.1% of the population. With the designers at Google putting themselves in the shoes of those 1 billion individuals and taking their needs into consideration when designing apps that give cues other than color for those who are color blind, sensitivity toward screen readers for the blind, the proactive approach to equality in design bring to mind another reason why Google is a global market leader: they build capacity for their users by meeting them where they are currently and taking them further than they thought they’d ever go. It’s quite brilliant, really.
Consider if we all had the capacity to think that way. What if we were to add a bit of empathy into our hiring practices and build capacity for our companies by altering our workplaces to accommodate the disabled?
I’m not just talking about ergonomics and desk design. I’m talking about knowing what talent you need to move forward and creating a work environment agile enough to accept them with willing arms and allow them to thrive. Screen readers are just the beginning: Braille keyboards, interpreter software for the hearing impaired in meetings, corporate presentations that are designed to be seen, heard, and perceived in any number of ways. Can your workplace handle wheelchairs or walking implements? How would you handle conference calls with a deaf employee? These questions because it opens your doors to so many incredible possibilities. You have endless agility with these considerations in mind. Don’t consider them later. Think of them now.
Which leads me to another point: are you actively recruiting where the disabled live? Creating an environment that is supportive of all kinds of workers – and advertising it as such – widens your workforce to accept brilliant minds that could take your workplace into the next dimension. Capacity comes from thinking ahead of the problem, and, as I talk about in my forthcoming book, it requires HR to get out of the business of task orientation into forward-thinking solution generation. Start thinking about how to create opportunities to build this workplace now, and look at how it fits your numbers. Disabilities are merely considerations when it comes to corporate workforces. Find a way to make it work. Take your company into a whole new direction, and watch the successes unfold.
Put yourself in the place of those who are considered unable to contribute when, in reality, they are more than up to the task provided a few simple considerations. Be empathic. It could be the keys to a profitable enterprise beyond your dreams. More than that: it’s quite simply the right thing to do.
Rita Trehan is the Founder and Principal of Rita Trehan, LLC, a change management and leadership advisory firm focused on corporate leadership, emerging technology, and cutting-edge organizational design. As a seasoned top executive that has successfully transformed organizations at the Fortune 200 and beyond, she has extensive experience working with CEOs and top corporate management on process and organizational improvement for maximum profitability. A soon-to-be published author, Rita regularly speaks at industry conferences around the world. You can contact Rita on twitter at @rita_trehan and connect with her via LinkedIn. Rita’s blog can be found at www.ritatrehan.com.