International Day of Persons with Disabilities (IDPD) 3rd December 2023

International Day of Persons with Disabilities aims to promote an understanding and focus on the dignity, rights, and well-being of persons with disabilities. It seeks to increase awareness of gains to be derived from the integration of persons with disabilities in every aspect of political, social, economic and cultural life. The theme of the 2023 International Day of Persons with Disabilities (IDPD) is United in action to rescue and achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) for, with and by persons with disabilities (2023 International Day Of Persons With Disabilities - IDPD | Division for Inclusive Social Development (DISD) un.org).

The Equality Act 2010 defines a person as ‘disabled’ if they have a physical or mental impairment which has a substantial and long-term adverse effect on their ability to carry out normal day-to-day activities. In the UK, around seven million people of working age with a disability or long-term health condition, yet only about half of them are in work (Disability & Employment | Factsheets | CIPD).

In their report on Disability and employment in the UK, the Office of National Statistics (ONS) found that between 2013 and 2019, the disability employment gap reduced; with the latest data showing roughly half of disabled people were in employment (53.2%) compared with just over four out of five non-disabled people (81.8%) based on the Labour Force Survey results (Disability and employment, ONS). When looking at only disabled people in work in 2019, more than a third cited their main impairment as a condition affecting the musculoskeletal system and more than one in five working disabled people cited a mental health condition as the main cause of their disability, consisting of depression, bad nerves or anxiety, mental illness, or other nervous disorders.

Anyone can be affected by a disability, so it is important to ensure all employees understand the importance of accessibility to cultivate an inclusive culture. Below are some of the ways to build a more inclusive work place and acknowledge IDPD.

Create an accessible work environment

Allow disabled people to have the same access to the workplace as their non-disabled colleagues by making reasonable adjustments such as wheelchair ramps/lifts, quiet rooms for noise sensitivity, Braille signage, adaptive desks/chairs and investing in Digital Accessibility Tools such as screen readers or speech recognition software, colour contrast checkers etc.

Review recruitment methods

Consider advertising jobs on websites and in publications designed for disabled people and make the adverts accessible, e.g., use text that a screen reader can understand instead of an image with text embedded into it, and use a large font in print adverts. Consider including a reasonable adjustment statement by offering documents in a more accessible format i.e., candidate briefs. Guarantee disabled people an interview if they meet the minimum criteria and publicise this in the advert with the two ticks symbol. 

Maintain a flexible approach

Consider working hours, location, homeworking and hybrid working arrangements and make the necessary adjustments at home or in the office. The Employment Relations (Flexible Working) bill has received Royal Assent, meaning millions of UK workers will have more flexibility over where and when they work from 2024. Alongside the Act, the Government announced that workers will have the right to request flexible working from day one of a new job. However the earliest date that the day-one right to request is likely to come in is 6 April 2024, but this will be confirmed until nearer the time (What does the Employment Relations (Flexible Working) Act 2023 herald for UK workers? | CIPD). Until then, it’s still at the discretion of employers if they want to offer the right to request flexible working from day one of employment but they can start preparing for when the new right will be law, by exploring the CIPD guidance on how to manage flexible working requests.

Promote and tap into the Acas advice hub 

Ensure employees with disabilities get the best support at work by accessing guidance and expertise (Disability at work | Acas).

Join the Recruitment Industry Disability Initiative (RIDI)

This initiative aim to create disability confident employers by raising awareness and removing barriers to reduce the UK disability employment gap. You can use their resources and Disability Inclusion Calculator to see how you measure up and calculate your disability employment gap. Using the Clear Kit online toolkit and Clear Assured self-assessment framework will also help you identify and remove any barriers in recruitment processes (https://ridi.org.uk).

Sign up to the Disability Confident Scheme and display the badge on adverts

This scheme was developed by employers and disabled people’s representatives to provide guidance, good practice and resources to help employers recruit from the widest possible pool of talent and demonstrate how all employees are treated fairly (Disability Confident - dwp.gov.uk).

Host a training session

Ensure all employees understand the importance of accessibility and support line managers to navigate conversations with employees and implement reasonable adjustments. The Chartered Institute of Personnel Development and the Department for Work and Pensions Disability Confident Scheme published a practical guide on recruiting, managing and developing people with a disability or health condition (Disability Confident and CIPD: guide for line managers - GOV.UK).

Arrange a talk, interactive workshop, or panel discussion

Provide your employees with the opportunity to hear from inspirational figures who have overcome physical and mental hurdles to thrive in their respective sectors. View the profiles of these Disability Awareness Speakers | The Diversity & Inclusion Speakers Agency.

Spread the word on IDPD:

• Follow on Twitter @UNDESASocial, @UNDESA and on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/undesasocial
• Use #DisabilityDay and #IDPD as the main hashtags
• Other hashtags: #EveryoneIncluded, #GlobalGoals and #CRPD

Everyone should have the opportunity to demonstrate and realise their full potential.

Lizzy Turek

Client Research Associate