You post a position. A week later, you receive a stack of qualified applicants. You see a resume that looks intriguing, and you think, “I have to bring this person in.” You find a phone number on the resume, and when you call it you hear a voice saying, You will now be connected to an interpreter.
Wait…what?! Your focus changes abruptly. Instead of connecting with an intriguing candidate, you’re about to have a conversation, through an interpreter, with a person who has a disability. You start second guessing yourself and wonder why you even made that phone call.
You’re not alone. Many managers, supervisors, and human resources professionals often find themselves in situations like this – a situation where they find a potentially great candidate who has a disability – and they don’t know what to do.
Disabilities affect about 10% of Americans of working age, and many of those disabilities are hidden. There’s a good chance that, without even realizing it, you already work, play, and live life with people who have disabilities. Disability is not the defining aspect of a person; it is just one facet of the many qualities and experiences that shape us all.
The best way to interact with a person with a disability is the same way you would interact with someone who does not have a disability. Here are some easy strategies to help you communicate with everyone, regardless of disability.
- Be flexible and, when in doubt, ask the person what works for them.
- Use “person-first language.” This puts identity before impairment. It tells what the person "has" and not what they "are."
- Be aware of unconscious bias. In the workplace this can have a negative impact on recruitment decisions, slow down employee development, impair diversity, and drive up attrition.
- Most people prefer concrete and specific communication. There is less stress on everyone when we know what is expected.
- Speak clearly, at a normal volume, pitch, and speed, and allow processing time.
- When you make a mistake apologize and move on.
- In person, always introduce yourself, maintain eye contact (even if they are unable to), never assume someone needs special attention, and never pet a guide dog without asking first.
- Understand that nonverbal communication may look very different for a person with a disability, so never judge a book by its cover.
- Be creative, there are many accommodations for communication. These vary greatly from low- to high-tech solutions.
- Following these tips and being inclusive in your communication will allow you to attract, hire, and retain your organizations most valuable resource: qualified workers. This will allow you to exchange information in a way that allows everyone, no matter their background, to feel they belong.
Without the ability to communicate, much of the work we all do would stop. To guide this crucial aspect of the workplace, we created a module for businesses to help foster inclusive communication. This is just one module in a series. We encourage you to watch all the modules in the Disability Inclusion Bite-Sized Learning for Employers. The goal of these modules is to further your workgroup's understanding of various disability topics and ways of creating an inclusive work environment to successfully hire, onboard, and retain talented employees with disabilities.
