Search Results for: disability

December 3, 2019

Manifesto calls for action on disability inclusion as pay gap for disabled people widens

A leading non-profit disability and business organisation is calling on the future Government to commit to a series of actions to support businesses to deliver on disability inclusion. Business Disability Forum published its ‘Manifesto for Inclusive Change’ today (3 December) to mark the United Nations International Day of Persons with Disabilities. The manifesto calls for action in seven areas to ensure that the role businesses play in disabled people’s lives is enhanced, not inhibited, by government policy. To read Business Disability Forum’s ‘Manifesto for Inclusive Change’ go to www.businessdisabilityforum.org.uk . Follow the debate at #DisabilitySmart. (more…)

March 20, 2019

RNIB launches new focus for Disability Confident scheme

by Mark Eltringham • News, Workplace

The Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB) has launched a new suite of resources that will help employers support blind and partially sighted people in the workplace. The resources have been created as part of the DWP’s Disability Confident scheme, the nationally-recognised Government accreditation that supports businesses to attract, recruit and retain disabled employees.

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January 10, 2019

Disability and age discrimination are top concerns for UK employees

by Sara Bean • News, Wellbeing, Workplace

More than half of employees say the inclusion of disabled people is an area that requires the greatest improvement within their organisation; with the diversity of age groups coming in a close second at just under half. This is according to the latest findings from Wildgoose’s Diversity and Inclusivity in the Workplace survey. The results suggest a shift in the areas that employees prioritise when it comes to creating a diverse and inclusive workplace and raises the concern that dual discrimination based on disability AND age is common practice in the workplace. Other significant findings from the research show that nearly half (47 percent) of male employees don’t consider the gender pay gap to be a major issue, in comparison to the three quarters of females that do; a statistic that is particularly concerning given the recent publication of major organisations’ gender pay gaps and continued media coverage of the issue. Interestingly, the gap between men and women narrows when it comes to equal promotional opportunities.

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August 4, 2017

Three in five of UK employees with a disability have experienced bias from employers

by Sara Bean • Legal news, News, Wellbeing, Workplace

Over half (51 percent) of people with a physical disability say that they had taken pains to hide their condition from employers when applying for a job, with that figure increasing to 60 percent when it came to those suffering from a mental health issue, a new survey has claimed. The reason, suggests the research from Badenoch & Clark – is that three in five (60 percent) UK employees with a disability have experienced bias in the workplace, in comparison to just 35 percent of those without a disability. Worryingly, the report, ‘Inspiring Inclusion in the Workplace’, also found that two thirds of those with a mental disability (65 percent), and 45 percent of those with a physical disability believe that their organisation does not offer an inclusive environment. Unsurprisingly then, the research further revealed that around half (48 percent) of disabled candidates have either left a job or not applied for a role or promotion due to workplace bias, in comparison with just one in five (20 percent) of those without a disability.

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October 20, 2016

Built environment still creates barriers for people with a disability ⁰

by Sara Bean • Facilities management, News, Wellbeing, Workplace

A huge response to the Women and Equalities Committee’s inquiry into disability and the built environment indicates how lack of accessibility is an ongoing issue for many people. Over 150 individuals and organisations have submitted evidence to the inquiry, which aims to explore the extent to which the needs of people with a disability are considered and accommodated in the built environment, and asks whether more could be done to increase the accessibility and inclusivity of both new and existing properties and spaces. (more…)

May 19, 2016

Where is the data for disability on boards – and do businesses care? ⁰

by Neil Barnfather • Comment, Legal news, Workplace

When it comes to diversity on boards, I would confidently say that disability comes in a poor fourth behind gender, age and ethnicity. It’s something I take a great interest in as a blind person, a senior executive who sits on boards and as a start-up champion. While acknowledging a limited perspective, over the years I have noted a lack of disabled representation at board level and when I joined the NonExecutiveDirectors.com recruitment platform, we had a conversation about this. The result was that the organisation and its partners decided to commission some research into the issue. The research involved the Office of National Statistics, EU Equality and Diversity Commission, Department of Business Innovation and Skills, leading academic experts in disability, in social policy and in work and employment, Trade Union Congress (TUC), business surveys, policy documents and more.

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May 12, 2016

Ageing and overweight workforce fuel rise in US disability claims ⁰

by Sara Bean • News, Wellbeing, Workplace

Overweight or obese workers and an ageing workforce mean that disability claims for joint disorders and musculoskeletal issues have increased significantly over the past ten years in the United States, according to data from Unum. Trends over the last decade show a 33 percent increase in long term disability claims and 14 percent increase in short term disability claims for musculoskeletal issues; with a 22 percent increase in long term disability claims and 26 percent increase in short term disability claims for joint disorders. “Two particular trends are driving this experience,” said Greg Breter, senior vice president of benefits at Unum. “Aging baby boomers are staying in the workforce longer, and more than a third of US adults are classified as overweight or obese.” The US Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates that by 2022, more than 30 percent of people ages 65-74 will still be working, up from 20 percent in 2002.

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December 4, 2015

New Acas guidance aims to prevent disability discrimination at work ⁰

by Sara Bean • Facilities management, Legal news, News, Workplace

A new guide to help employers and managers identify, tackle and prevent disability discrimination in the workplace has been published by Acas. The new free guide ‘Disability discrimination: key points for the workplace’ helps employers get to grips with what disability means, how it can happen and how to prevent and manage complaints in the workplace. Iver the past year, the Acas helpline dealt with around 12,000 calls on disability related discrimination. Over four out of ten disabled people seeking work found that misconceptions around their capability to work were the biggest barrier to getting hired. According to Acas’ Head of Equality, Steve Williams: “Disability is a complex area of employment law that can encompass many conditions or situations that employers may not be aware of. HIV, cancer, depression, phobias, diabetes or an impairment caused by obesity are all conditions that could be considered as a disability.”

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December 4, 2025

Call for accessible design for laboratories to make sure organisations don’t miss out on talent

by Neil Franklin • News, Workplace design

The Royal Society of Chemistry has called for urgent changes to the design and culture of laboratory spaces after a new report revealed widespread barriers facing disabled researchers. The organisation warns that the chemical sciences could lose out on major discoveries unless universities, industry and policymakers act to create more inclusive environments. The Disability-Inclusive Laboratories in the Chemical Sciences report draws on contributions from more than 400 chemists and sets out a detailed picture of the physical, cultural and organisational obstacles that shape disabled scientists’ careers. According to the findings, almost a third of disabled chemists have experienced bullying or discrimination linked to disability, while more than a quarter say they do not feel a sense of belonging at work. Three-quarters report a lack of awareness among colleagues about their support needs. (more…)

December 4, 2025

Health Secretary orders review into acceleration in mental health diagnoses

by Neil Franklin • News, Wellbeing

The UK government has commissioned an independent review into the rise in mental health and neurodevelopmental diagnoses, reflecting growing concern about the number of people leaving the workforce because of conditions such as depression, anxiety, autism and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. The announcement signals a renewed focus on welfare spending and the wider economic impact of long-term sickness, with ministers arguing that too many people are becoming detached from work for reasons that may not always require formal medical intervention. (more…)

December 2, 2025

Flexible working continues to be the enduring theme of workplace conversations

by Neil Franklin • Flexible working, News, Wellbeing

Economic uncertainty and rapid technological change are reshaping expectations for both employers and employees, with flexible working continuing to be underlying theme of most workplace conversations. According to the 2025 Global Workplace Report from WorkL based on feedback from more than half a million employees across over one hundred countries, there are also widening divides between generations, differing attitudes towards career ambition and a continued rise in anxiety linked to automation. (more…)

November 5, 2025

Government report warns of growing health-related economic inactivity

by Neil Franklin • News, Wellbeing

The Government has published its final Keep Britain Working report, warning that the United Kingdom faces a continuing rise in economic inactivity linked to ill health, disability and long-term sickness. The report, issued by the Department for Work and Pensions and the Department for Business and Trade, sets out evidence that more people are leaving the workforce because of health conditions, reducing productivity and increasing costs for employers and the state. (more…)