Treat Every Employee as an Individual
A lot can go wrong when an individual employee is treated as part of a
"Group" - especially when much of the notions held about that group are rife
with misinformation and/or misgivings.
The majority of employees with disabilities require no special treatment at
all - nothing different than your other employees. Often, however, employers
will treat them differently because they are "disabled" - and all kinds of
problems can arise from that.
Frequently, in such situations, productivity standards are unnecessarily
lowered and/or
disciplinary measures are curtailed.
As a result, the individual feels that he/she is not valued as much as
other employees and/or they lose self-respect. There can also be a backlash from
other employees who perceive "favoritism" and resent the "special treatment".
What begins as a good intention can easily take a disastrous turn.
There have been instances where well-meaning employers have unnecessarily
purchased adaptive equipment on the assumption that the employee would need it.
(i.e. purchasing the "best" voice-activated software for an individual who was
already quite adept with an entirely different program.)
I was once prepared to replace all the four-drawer file cabinets with lower
two-drawer ones for a new employee who used a wheelchair - only to discover
that, while she couldn't walk, she was quite able to stand up.
Skill # 1: Toss out all your group-based
assumptions and treat your employee as a unique individual.
Value Every Employee as an Individual
Unfortunately, discrimination against people with disabilities is alive and
well. To effectively employ people with disabilities, you will probably have to
take some proactive action to rid your workplace of the erroneous information
and poor attitudes that spawn discriminatory behavior.
In a 1999 survey of 1400 employers, 22%
cited supervisor/co-worker attitudes and stereotypes as barriers to the
employment of people with disabilities in their companies.
In another recent survey, 15% of non-disabled
respondents reported that they did not feel comfortable working for, or nearby,
a person with a disability.
If these kinds of numbers hold true for your workplace, it is unlikely that
your employees with disabilities will feel that they are in an environment that
encourages them to excel. More likely, you will experience an unusually low
retention rate - as you lose talented employees to companies with corporate
cultures that embrace diversity and value uniqueness.
Skill # 2: Make sure that each and every employee feels like a valued member of
your team.
© Rob McInnes,
Diversity World, 2001. Used by
permission.
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Interviewing Courtesies for Effective Communication
Interviewers need to know
whether or not the job site is accessible and should be prepared to answer
accessibility-related questions.
The following basic guidelines
can be useful for effectively interviewing individuals with commonly-encountered
disabilities.
Interviewing a person using Mobility Aids
- Enable people who use
crutches, canes or wheelchairs to keep them within reach.
- Be aware that some
wheelchair users may choose to transfer themselves out of their wheelchairs
(into an office chair, for example) for the duration of the interview.
- Here again, when speaking
to a person in a wheelchair or on crutches for more than a few minutes, sit in
a chair. Place yourself at that person's eye level to facilitate conversation.
Interviewing a person with Vision Impairments
- When greeting a person with
a vision impairment always identify yourself and introduce anyone else who
might be present.
- If the person does not
extend their hand to shake hands, verbally extend a welcome.
(Example:
"Welcome to the City of San Antonio Planning
Department, Disability Access Office.")
- When offering seating,
place the person's hand on the back or arm of the seat. A verbal cue is
helpful as well.
- Let the person know if you
move or need to end the conversation.
- Allow people who use
crutches, canes or wheelchairs to keep them within reach.
Interviewing a person with Speech Impairments
- Give your whole attention
with interest when talking to a person who has a speech impairment.
- Ask short questions that
require short answers or a nod of the head.
- Do not pretend to
understand if you do not. Try rephrasing what you wish to communicate, or ask
the person to repeat what you do not understand.
- Do not raise your voice.
Most speech impaired persons can hear and understand.
Interviewing a person who is Deaf or Hearing
Impaired
- If you need to attract the
attention of a person who is deaf or hearing impaired, touch him or her
lightly on the shoulder.
- If the interviewee
lip-reads, look directly at him or her. Speak clearly at a normal pace. Do not
exaggerate your lip movements or shout. Speak expressively because the person
will rely on your facial expressions, gestures and eye contact. (Note: It is
estimated that only four out of ten spoken words are visible on the lips.)
- Place yourself placing the
light source and keep your hands, cigarettes and food away from your mouth
when speaking.
- Shouting does not help and
can be detrimental. Only raise your voice when requested. Brief, concise
written notes may be helpful.
- In the United States most
deaf people use American Sign Language (ASL.) ASL is not a universal language.
ASL is a language with its own syntax and grammatical structure. When
scheduling an interpreter for a non-English speaking person, be certain to
retain an interpreter that speaks and interprets in the language of the
person.
- If an interpreter is
present, it is commonplace for the interpreter to be seated beside the
interviewer, across from the interviewee.
- Interpreters facilitate
communication. They should not be consulted or regarded as a reference for the
interview.
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