The necessity to work from home during lockdown has proved difficult for many, but for the disabled workforce it could result in monumental change for future employment, says The Instant Group.

According to the real estate specialist, over 19% of the UK and US workforce is disabled (totalling 34 million people) yet very few companies target this pool of talent. Many businesses fall short of the demand for accessible workspace simply because they are unaware of the disabled experience. So, what exactly are these obstacles?

The Instant Group suggests:

Public transport
Commuting can be arduous for most workers, but for those with disabilities commuting can become impossible. Major cities are not designed for a disabled workforce.

Parking spaces
Disabled parking spaces are often limited to one or two spaces, and many locations still result in a significant walk to the main office.

Accessibility
The Equality Act of 2010 states that a company must make ‘reasonable adjustments’ for disabled staff members, but these adjustments can often lead to backdoor solutions that are demoralising and divisive, exacerbating the sense of otherness in those who need to use them.

Exhaustion
Many workers with disabilities can become physically exhausted by the process of commuting and moving around the office, and/or mentally exhausted by a demanding social culture.

Privacy
Although we live in a world that champions pride in disability, some continue to struggle with self-confidence. So, whether asking for workspace adjustments or attending regular medical appointments, feelings of being a nuisance are still rife in the disabled community.

Many of these benefits reflect wider societal issues, but businesses can make small (or big) changes that will make a huge difference. But what exactly are these?

Many businesses have begun to consider an agile workplace, which provides the ability to adapt quickly and easily to global changes. However, this new strategy will also give the disabled workforce freedom of choice. What would this include?

The Instant Group says:

Innovative workspace
Modern, collaborative workspaces that go beyond ‘reasonable adjustments’ by factoring in wellbeing, accessibility and beautiful designs. An accessible workspace should provide a central creative hub for team gatherings, that also includes technology that is inclusive of remote workers.

Choice of environment
A company structure that gives disabled workers the option to choose whether they work from home, the main office or even a suburban hub. This can help prevent excessive exhaustion, reduce commuting time and maintain the individual’s privacy, which ultimately benefits staff wellbeing and overall performance.

Smart working
A company culture that embraces smart working allows employees to optimise their time and abilities. Smart working allows disabled workers to integrate fitness and wellbeing activities into their workday, better manage their energy around client/collaboration time, travel to work at a time of day that is less congested, and takes the pressure off getting to a location by a specific deadline.

Ultimately, says The Instant Group, the pandemic has forced us to make work accessible everywhere, but now business leaders have the choice to make it permanent. In both the UK and US, adults with disabilities are twice as likely to be unemployed, but could this new normal finally level the playing field?

John Duckworth – Managing Director UK & EMEA, The Instant Group, says:

“While many companies may claim to have disabled facilities, many businesses fall short when it comes to providing an accessible workspace because they are unaware of the entire disabled experience: e.g. public transport, parking spaces, accessibility, exhaustion, privacy.

“COVID-19 and the subsequent working from home experiment has completely levelled the playing field for disabled workers – but not because working from home has become the new norm. The pandemic has forced many businesses to consider more agile and innovative workspaces which provide the ability to adapt quickly and easily to changes – this might be working from home, working from a central office or a suburban hub – it’s most likely to be a combination of all three. It gives disabled workers more freedom of choice and our hope is that this shift to more agile working means we are likely to see an uprise of job opportunities for disabled workers.”