Action 2.3A Communicate with staff through a variety of methods on the importance of an inclusive workplace and the availability of supports.

Guidance

Consistently and clearly communicating the importance of inclusive workplace behaviours, and the availability of supports for disabled employees, can help to build a culture of inclusion and destigmatise the process of accessing supports.

“Good quality internal communications make a big difference to how inclusive an organisation feels to employees. When a company is clearly communicating support processes & initiatives like disability employee networks, from the top to bottom, it helps build trust.”

WIDE Consultation Participant – Employer

To reach all your staff with this messaging, it’s important to communicate through a variety of methods and channels that are appropriate to your business context and size.

Here are some dissemination channels which might be considered:

• Company Website/Staff Portal: Provide a dedicated section on the company website and/or staff portal detailing the supports available for disabled employees and how to access them. Prioritise plain English presentation of information and supplement text with images and/or video.
• Induction Handbooks: Include clear and comprehensive information about available supports in induction handbooks for new employees, emphasising the benefits of sharing accessibility needs and ensuring the confidentiality of information shared.
• Staff Newsletters/Comms Channels: Share periodic information about inclusion initiatives and the availability of supports through staff newsletters or other appropriate communication channels such as Teams or Slack.
• Policies and Procedures: Clearly outline the available supports for disabled employees in company policies and procedures, ensuring that all employees are aware of their rights and the resources available to them (see Action 1.2B).
• Meetings: Regularly communicate ongoing inclusion initiatives and the availability of supports during large meetings and company-wide gatherings. As well as direct information about the availability of supports for employees, ensuring meeting/events Chairs/MCs share accessibility information about the meeting itself (e.g., availability of captions, encouragement to take breaks, availability of quiet space, location of accessible bathrooms etc.) can help to indirectly communicate the importance of inclusion within the company culture.

 “Good internal communications around disability and available supports is a game changer for belonging and retention of employees – it normalises support.”

WIDE Consultation Participant – Disability Organisation

By using a variety of communication methods, your organisation can ensure that all employees get clear and understandable signals about the importance of inclusivity and the range of supports available to them, fostering a more inclusive and supportive workplace. It’s important that you consider the approach to the accessibility of internal communications themselves to reach all employees (see Action 2.3B).

“Creating an inclusive environment for employees with disabilities is paramount. If people with disabilities feel accepted in the workplace, initiatives such as the WIDE framework will have achieved their ultimate outcome. This will only be achieved by education, training and access to information thereby gradually changing the engraved paradigm”.

WIDE Consultation Participant – Disabled Person