In welcoming differently-abled people into their ranks, some companies are making sure their special-needs staff is as comfortable and efficient at the workplace as anyone else, ET reports.
Differently-abled: Some companies make sure their staff is as efficient as anyone else
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Differently-abled: Some companies make sure their staff is as efficient as anyone else
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IBM: Finding the Right Fit
When a visually impaired intern joined diversity head Kalpana Veeraraghavan's team at IBM, there were learnings all around. Not just the intern whose job was to raise claims on the system, the whole team had to get used to the software, that called out instructions as the intern worked. The key takeaway: "If you are willing to give 100% leeway to a regular person, you have to give 150% for someone with a disability," says Veeraraghavan.
IBM has a '3A' approach to engaging with people with disabilities - accommodation, accessibility and attitude. While it puts in the physical and technical infrastructure (transport, ramps, software) to create a more efficient workplace and holds workshops to help managers and peers adjust to the idea, it also takes onboarding of people with disabilities (PwD) seriously.
"We work with service providers and non-profit partners for this," says Veeraraghavan. "They identify the company's skill requirements, and then go back to the PwD talent pool to find the right fit." Sometimes, gaps in skill are made good with training.
When IBM visits colleges for its regular recruitment, it seeks out students with disabilities. It also invites differently-abled youngsters, usually in their last year of college, to intern with it. "The mindset part is the hardest to change," says Veeraraghavan
STANCHART: Buddy Mentors
Everybody needs a friend at work. Someone to help you negotiate hierarchies and processes, or even join you for lunch. At Standard Chartered, employees with disabilities get their own buddy-mentor: a colleague, preferably from the same team, especially if they're visually or physically challenged.
"Much of our training is self-managed e-learning," says Dominic White, regional head (HR), India and south Asia. "Since we don't have audio modules for these, a visually-impaired person would have to rely on a colleague to walk her through the content. That's why we pick buddy-mentors who know the content well, but are also approachable and generous with their time."
A critical aspect of engaging with special-needs staff is to respect that many of them have a level of independence they would like to carry to the workplace. "You need to combine that independence with the nature of the job, to make it a happy partnership," adds White.
The bank allows more time to get such employees acquainted with workspaces, the cafeteria, toilets etc. There are special door security systems for people in wheelchairs, and elevators that call out floors. "When everybody gets more comfortable at the workplace, behaviours change," says White. "People become more thoughtful, more aware of things they take for granted. It leads to a more blended workforce."
CISCO: Keeping them on
The Disability Awareness Network at Cisco, CDAN, runs on multiple tracks. Groups of employees within the 25-member core team, are assigned to manage different functions that help integrate differently-abled staff with the workforce. One team engages with NGO partners and organises workshops to sensitise the rest of the staff. "Advocacy involves furthering the cause of people with disabilities," says HR head Subash Rao.
A second group looks at products and services — mainly tech support — that special-needs employees can use to make their work-life easier. A third, the accessibility team, looks at facilities that make the office disability friendly.
But Rao warns of the pitfalls of clubbing together all persons with disabilities saying different needs means different adaptations. Business dynamics permitting, Rao says a company must readily embrace PwD, because not all disabilities are an impediment.
"In an IT environment, an amputee or someone with a marginal hearing or mobility impairment is hardly a hindrance," says Rao. Cisco has recently instituted a voluntary disclosure survey, seeking feedback about what more the company can do. "The idea is to create a comfort level for people to disclose that they have a disability without feeling discriminated against," says Rao.
Source : The Economic Times , 26th October 2013
IBM: Finding the Right Fit
When a visually impaired intern joined diversity head Kalpana Veeraraghavan's team at IBM, there were learnings all around. Not just the intern whose job was to raise claims on the system, the whole team had to get used to the software, that called out instructions as the intern worked. The key takeaway: "If you are willing to give 100% leeway to a regular person, you have to give 150% for someone with a disability," says Veeraraghavan.
IBM has a '3A' approach to engaging with people with disabilities - accommodation, accessibility and attitude. While it puts in the physical and technical infrastructure (transport, ramps, software) to create a more efficient workplace and holds workshops to help managers and peers adjust to the idea, it also takes onboarding of people with disabilities (PwD) seriously.
"We work with service providers and non-profit partners for this," says Veeraraghavan. "They identify the company's skill requirements, and then go back to the PwD talent pool to find the right fit." Sometimes, gaps in skill are made good with training.
When IBM visits colleges for its regular recruitment, it seeks out students with disabilities. It also invites differently-abled youngsters, usually in their last year of college, to intern with it. "The mindset part is the hardest to change," says Veeraraghavan
STANCHART: Buddy Mentors
Everybody needs a friend at work. Someone to help you negotiate hierarchies and processes, or even join you for lunch. At Standard Chartered, employees with disabilities get their own buddy-mentor: a colleague, preferably from the same team, especially if they're visually or physically challenged.
"Much of our training is self-managed e-learning," says Dominic White, regional head (HR), India and south Asia. "Since we don't have audio modules for these, a visually-impaired person would have to rely on a colleague to walk her through the content. That's why we pick buddy-mentors who know the content well, but are also approachable and generous with their time."
A critical aspect of engaging with special-needs staff is to respect that many of them have a level of independence they would like to carry to the workplace. "You need to combine that independence with the nature of the job, to make it a happy partnership," adds White.
The bank allows more time to get such employees acquainted with workspaces, the cafeteria, toilets etc. There are special door security systems for people in wheelchairs, and elevators that call out floors. "When everybody gets more comfortable at the workplace, behaviours change," says White. "People become more thoughtful, more aware of things they take for granted. It leads to a more blended workforce."
CISCO: Keeping them on
The Disability Awareness Network at Cisco, CDAN, runs on multiple tracks. Groups of employees within the 25-member core team, are assigned to manage different functions that help integrate differently-abled staff with the workforce. One team engages with NGO partners and organises workshops to sensitise the rest of the staff. "Advocacy involves furthering the cause of people with disabilities," says HR head Subash Rao.
A second group looks at products and services — mainly tech support — that special-needs employees can use to make their work-life easier. A third, the accessibility team, looks at facilities that make the office disability friendly.
But Rao warns of the pitfalls of clubbing together all persons with disabilities saying different needs means different adaptations. Business dynamics permitting, Rao says a company must readily embrace PwD, because not all disabilities are an impediment.
"In an IT environment, an amputee or someone with a marginal hearing or mobility impairment is hardly a hindrance," says Rao. Cisco has recently instituted a voluntary disclosure survey, seeking feedback about what more the company can do. "The idea is to create a comfort level for people to disclose that they have a disability without feeling discriminated against," says Rao.
Source : The Economic Times , 26th October 2013
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