Action 6.1A Design guidance and support for managers and teams which encourages clear communication and supportive engagement.

Guidance

Creating an environment of clear communication and supportive engagement within teams, and between managers and their direct reports, is essential for effective and inclusive people management.

All managers have their own individual approaches to getting the best from their employees and that is to be welcomed. However, it is useful to provide managers and teams with the right guidance and support to foster an inclusive and productive workplace and ensure company values are upheld.

“I prefer working with a manager individually, not working with a team. I also like a quiet work environment. This type of “on the ground management” suits me, with patience, professionalism, fairness, and good communication”.

WIDE Consultation Participant – Disabled Person

Depending on the size and scope of your organisation, it might be useful to involve employees in providing input to the development of internal company values and the shape of the guidance emerging. Organisations with a Disability Employee Resource Group can tap into their expertise in supporting guidance around inclusive management approaches.

Guidance developed should aim to provide managers and employees with the answer to the question – what is my role in contributing to an inclusive, respectful and effective team environment (see example from AHEAD in Resources)?

Some elements which are important to cover in the guidance include:

1. Effective and Diverse Ways of Working and Communicating: Encourage discussions with staff about preferred modes of communication. Managers should work with employees to establish clear and effective communication channels that suit individual/team preferences and needs. Be open to employees communicating in different ways and who seek to approach tasks in a different way. There are likely many different paths to achieve your team’s goals so try to be open to different ways of doing things.

“Presentations (can be) difficult for people who communicate best in other ways, who may have to manage large amounts of sensory input, (or) anxiety – (the) workplace allowed her to do presentation with audio voiceover and present as a video rather than live presentation.”

WIDE Consultation Participant – Disability Organisation

2. Clarity on Tasks and Outcomes: Provide clarity on tasks assigned and desired outcomes. Managers should ensure that employees understand their responsibilities and the expected results. This includes setting clear, achievable goals and providing regular updates on progress. Discussing and adapting how tasks are communicated and monitored is an effective way to get the most from the relationship. Often this can involve making small changes to approach such as using a shared file to document tasks/priorities and deadlines and updating this live in 1 to 1 sessions between manager and staff member. Small changes like these can ensure there is clarity on what is expected of employees and both manager and staff can refer back to individual/team priorities at any time.

“Sometimes, I’m asked to take up different roles in my work. And I think that that this is because they don’t seem to think I can do my job properly. When this happens, I feel like I don’t belong in the job”.

WIDE Consultation Participant – Disabled Person

3. Providing Space for Reciprocal Feedback: Establish regular opportunities for reciprocal feedback between managers and employees. This can include one-on-one meetings, team discussions, and if relevant, more anonymous feedback channels as appropriate for your organisation. Encouraging managers to request feedback from their employees about their communication approach or how you work with them sets the right tone for an open engagement where employees feel comfortable sharing their thoughts and concerns.
4. Guidance on Effective and Constructive Feedback: Offer guidance for managers on how to give effective and constructive feedback. This training should cover techniques for delivering feedback in a way that is clear, actionable, and supportive. Emphasise the importance of focusing on specific approaches and outcomes rather than personal attributes or personality.

“Open and reliable communication and feedback channels foster an inclusive environment and support ongoing development.”

WIDE Consultation Participant – Disabled Person

5. Creating a Supportive Team Environment: Provide guidance on how to create a supportive team environment. Ensure that managers understand the importance of equipping their teams with the necessary tools to perform their tasks effectively, and the necessary flexibility to manage their work-life balance. Encourage managers to regularly check in with their teams to assess their needs and address any barriers to performance. Promote a culture of peer-to-peer support by asking team members to share skills with each other and act as a bounce board for developing their work.
6. Strengths-Based and Development Focussed Approach: Include guidance on celebrating and leveraging the unique strengths of each team member to contribute to team goals and providing opportunities for development where skills-building is required. Leverage the existing skills within your team for no-cost development opportunities to build stronger team bonds (e.g. skills-sharing sessions).

“Look for each individual’s strengths and weaknesses. Ask yourself “How can I support the person and how can I help the person utilise all their strengths”.

WIDE Consultation Participant – Employer

7. Differentiating Performance and Disability-Related Issues: Offer guidance on how to differentiate between performance issues and those related to disabilities. Managers should be encouraged to identify when an employee’s performance may be impacted by a disability and how to address it appropriately, including providing reasonable accommodations. It’s the manager’s/employer’s job to provide support and create the best platform for the employee to perform, so once you have done that, manage the performance of disabled employees like you would any other.

“Bias is everywhere and there are still many negative presumptions about what disabled people can do. Sometimes this deficit thinking can lead to low expectations and patronising behaviour.”

WIDE Consultation Participant – Disability Organisation

By designing guidance and support for managers and teams that encourages clear communication and supportive engagement, your organisation fosters a positive and inclusive workplace culture. This approach enhances employee well-being and productivity, promoting a collaborative and high-performing environment.

“Strengths should always be focused on. For some people with disabilities, there are certain things that we cannot do but then there are certain things that we are very good at. This is what should be focused on”.

WIDE Consultation Participant – Disabled Person