Disability Pride insights for disability equality

Driving the Disability Confident agenda

As we celebrate Disability Pride Month, AdviserPlus is proud to reaffirm our status as a Disability Confident Leader. We were delighted to be ‘Highly Commended’ at the Disability Smart Awards, a testament to our commitment to creating an inclusive workplace for disabled employees.

The Government’s Disability Confident Scheme helps employers build inclusive workplaces, making them more accessible and offering better opportunities for disabled individuals. At AdviserPlus, we’re dedicated to supporting businesses in their efforts to achieve these aims, ensuring inclusivity and accessibility are at the heart of workplace development.

Embracing disability confidence: A conversation with AdviserPlus

What does it mean to be a Disability Confident Leader to you personally and to AdviserPlus as an organisation?

For AdviserPlus and the Empowering People Group, being a Disability Confident Leader means drawing from the widest pool of talent; attracting and retaining dedicated, committed, and loyal individuals. We take immense pride in the positive impact it has on employee morale.

Working for an organisation that genuinely cares about its people and treats them fairly is essential. Being a Disability Confident Leader sends a strong message of inclusivity and fairness to our team, and we are proud that AdviserPlus embodies this commitment.

Why is it important to have diverse representation in companies?

Diverse representation is crucial because it brings creativity. The broader the talent pool within an organisation, the more creative and innovative it becomes. This continuous creativity drives growth and progress, benefiting everyone involved.

What strategies can we employ to educate and engage employees across businesses about disabilities?

One effective strategy we implemented is a workshop called “Raising the Game on Disability,” which was attended by everyone from our executive team to our managers and employees. This short session covered the world of disability, access issues, and allowed open, confident discussions in a safe environment.

We have a Wellbeing Plus forum with representation for disabled employees, and we use a personal passport system. This document allows employees to confidentially record their disability and requirements, facilitating smoother transitions when changing roles.

What barriers might organisations face in supporting disabled employees, and how do we overcome them?

A common misconception is that supporting disabled employees is costly and time-consuming. In reality, most barriers can be overcome with simple adjustments, like offering more flexibility. Digital communication advancements have also been a breakthrough, enabling better support for employees with disabilities.

What does the recent mention of disability employment support in the budget mean practically?

Practically, it ensures that disabled benefit claimants can seek employment without fearing the loss of financial support. This change encourages disabled individuals to engage with the employment market and gain financial independence, promoting fairer opportunities and improving independent living.

Adviser Plus was highly commended at this year’s Disability Smart Awards. What is your advice for other organisations aspiring to be leaders in disability equality?

Our advice is to focus on small wins rather than huge steps. Identify gaps, take small steps to address them, and document progress. Disability Confident Leader organisations like ours are willing to offer support and guidance. By helping each other, we can collectively improve the world of work and recruitment for people with disabilities.

We believe in practicing what we preach, and our commitment to inclusivity and empowerment is reflected in the tangible steps we take to make a difference. In recent webinars, we’ve added British Sign Language (BSL) translations ensuring that our content is more accessible to the deaf community. This commitment extends beyond a one-time effort; it’s a pledge to consistently incorporate BSL translations wherever possible going forward.

We hope this conversation inspires momentum and change towards disability equality in the workplace. For more information on the Disability Confident scheme and the support AdviserPlus can offer, get in touch.