How to Help Employees With Disabilities Thrive | The Way We Work, a TED series

All around the world,

Traducteur: Kate Yewon Han Relecteur: Ilayda Gokgoz

Dans le monde entier,

les inégalités d’emploi des handicapés sont grandes,

there's a huge disability employment gap.

In most countries,

Dans la plupart des pays,

the unemployment rate for people with disabilities

le taux de chômage des personnes avec un handicap

is twice that of people without disabilities.

est le double de celui des personnes sans handicap.

Often it's as high as 80 percent.

Il atteint souvent 80 pourcent.

There are over a billion people in the world living with a disability.

Plus d’un milliard de personnes souffrent d’un handicap dans le monde.

To have 80 percent of us unemployed,

Laisser 80 pourcent d’entre nous sans emploi

that's so much untapped potential.

représente un grand potentiel inexploité.

[The Way We Work]

[Notre manière de travailler]

As someone with a paralyzed arm and living with a mental health disability

En tant que personne avec un bras paralysé et vivant avec un handicap mental

who's worked in the financial sector and entertainment and tech,

qui a travaillé dans les finances le divertissement et la tech,

I know that having a disability doesn't bar you from doing good work.

Je sais qu’avoir un handicap ne vous empêche pas de bien travailler.

So it's shocking to me that this disability employment gap

Je suis donc scandalisée que ces inégalités d’emploi persistent autant.

is so persistent.

In the US, the Americans with Disabilities Act

Aux Etats-Unis, la loi sur le handicap

interdit la discrimination à l’embauche

prohibits discrimination in hiring

and requires employers to provide reasonable accommodations.

et requiert des aménagements adaptés fournis par les employeurs.

And studies show that companies who prioritize disability inclusion

De plus, des études montrent que les entreprises qui

priorisent l’inclusion du handicap sont en général plus rentables.

are more profitable overall.

So what exactly is the problem?

Quel est donc le problème ?

Recruiters, human resources staff, managers,

Les recruteurs, les Ressources Humaines, le employés, les chefs

they tend to think of hiring people with disabilities as a social good

tendent à voir l’emploi de personnes avec un handicap comme une bonne action

or as something they have to do to meet a quota.

ou ce qu’ils doivent faire pour respecter un quota.

But they should be hiring disabled people because of our strengths

Alors qu’ils devraient les employer pour leurs atouts

and all of the value and innovation we can bring.

et la valeur, l’innovation qu’ils apportent.

Here are three things every workplace can do

Here are three things every workplace can do

to truly welcome people with disabilities.

to truly welcome people with disabilities.

It's not comprehensive, but it's a start.

It's not comprehensive, but it's a start.

First, stop making assumptions.

First, stop making assumptions.

Our culture tends to treat disability as a medical diagnosis,

Our culture tends to treat disability as a medical diagnosis,

a tragedy or a charity case.

a tragedy or a charity case.

And all of these things are rooted in pity.

And all of these things are rooted in pity.

They prevent us from being seen as peers and equals.

They prevent us from being seen as peers and equals.

These assumptions lead to a lot of avoidance.

These assumptions lead to a lot of avoidance.

People tend to not ask us about our lives and hobbies outside of work

People tend to not ask us about our lives and hobbies outside of work

or don't invite us to company social outings.

or don't invite us to company social outings.

There's so much fear about saying the wrong thing,

There's so much fear about saying the wrong thing,

that instead people say nothing at all.

that instead people say nothing at all.

They treat disabled people like we're invisible

They treat disabled people like we're invisible

when all we want is to be seen and heard and accepted

when all we want is to be seen and heard and accepted

like anyone else.

like anyone else.

These assumptions also make people jump to conclusions

These assumptions also make people jump to conclusions

about what we can and can't do without even asking.

about what we can and can't do without even asking.

For me, assuming I can't type because I can't use one of my arms

For me, assuming I can't type because I can't use one of my arms

or assuming a blind person can't be an engineer.

or assuming a blind person can't be an engineer.

When to succeed at work, you need to have people who see your full potential

When to succeed at work, you need to have people who see your full potential

because without that, nobody wins.

because without that, nobody wins.

So please, take the time to get to know us, invite us to things,

So please, take the time to get to know us, invite us to things,

ask us the same kind of questions you would of any colleague.

ask us the same kind of questions you would of any colleague.

What drew you to this work? What are your goals?

What drew you to this work? What are your goals?

What do you hope to do from here?

What do you hope to do from here?

And listen to our answers but also respect our boundaries.

And listen to our answers but also respect our boundaries.

If there's something we're not comfortable discussing,

If there's something we're not comfortable discussing,

we'll let you know.

we'll let you know.

And any time you feel unsure, just ask us privately

And any time you feel unsure, just ask us privately

so we can make those decisions.

so we can make those decisions.

You can even start by saying,

You can even start by saying,

"I'm still learning how to get better at talking about disability."

"I'm still learning how to get better at talking about disability."

Second, rethink accessibility and accommodations starting now.

Second, rethink accessibility and accommodations starting now.

Disability takes so many different forms.

Disability takes so many different forms.

It can be about someone's sight, hearing or mobility.

It can be about someone's sight, hearing or mobility.

It can be ADHD, dyslexia or chronic pain.

It can be ADHD, dyslexia or chronic pain.

About 62 percent of employees with disabilities

About 62 percent of employees with disabilities

have ones that are not apparent.

have ones that are not apparent.

So even if you don't think there are people with disabilities

So even if you don't think there are people with disabilities

in your organization, there probably are.

in your organization, there probably are.

And that's why I strongly recommend that workplaces create spaces

And that's why I strongly recommend that workplaces create spaces

with disability and accessibility in mind.

with disability and accessibility in mind.

That way you're paving the way for future employees,

That way you're paving the way for future employees,

clients and customers

clients and customers

who might benefit from accommodations, too.

who might benefit from accommodations, too.

At one of my first jobs at an investment bank,

At one of my first jobs at an investment bank,

the company did something cool.

the company did something cool.

Within a month of starting, I and all other new hires

Within a month of starting, I and all other new hires

got an ergonomic assessment of our workstations.

got an ergonomic assessment of our workstations.

They actually had a person thinking about my access needs in multiple ways,

They actually had a person thinking about my access needs in multiple ways,

like getting a foot rest and keyboard wrist pad,

like getting a foot rest and keyboard wrist pad,

which a lot of colleagues got,

which a lot of colleagues got,

to asking if I might benefit from speech to text technology

to asking if I might benefit from speech to text technology

because I type with one hand.

because I type with one hand.

I've always tried to find these little hacks

I've always tried to find these little hacks

to make my work environment more comfortable,

to make my work environment more comfortable,

but the fact that this person offered so many options proactively,

but the fact that this person offered so many options proactively,

it made me feel so welcome

it made me feel so welcome

without making me feel like my needs were "special."

without making me feel like my needs were "special."

It would be amazing if every employer could do some version of this.

It would be amazing if every employer could do some version of this.

I mean, why not?

I mean, why not?

But there are also more simple things that can make an impact.

But there are also more simple things that can make an impact.

Like, what about listing accessibility information

Like, what about listing accessibility information

if you're hosting an event?

if you're hosting an event?

Or automatically turning on captions for video meetings?

Or automatically turning on captions for video meetings?

Another way to think about this is:

Another way to think about this is:

What do my employees need in order to thrive?

What do my employees need in order to thrive?

It starts with equipping people with a variety of tools.

It starts with equipping people with a variety of tools.

Third, embrace flexibility,

Third, embrace flexibility,

like disabled people have had to do our whole lives.

like disabled people have had to do our whole lives.

People with disabilities have been advocating for remote work environments

People with disabilities have been advocating for remote work environments

and flexible hours for decades now,

and flexible hours for decades now,

and it took a pandemic for the world to realize it could happen.

and it took a pandemic for the world to realize it could happen.

All of a sudden, this thing that seemed so wild

All of a sudden, this thing that seemed so wild

has become commonplace.

has become commonplace.

And this isn't the first time I can think of

And this isn't the first time I can think of

when an accommodation for people with disabilities

when an accommodation for people with disabilities

ended up improving life for society at large.

ended up improving life for society at large.

Audiobooks, curb cuts, closed captioning, even electric toothbrushes.

Audiobooks, curb cuts, closed captioning, even electric toothbrushes.

Disability is so often the root of innovation.

Disability is so often the root of innovation.

So as we get back to the office,

So as we get back to the office,

let's remember that all of us can thrive with flexibility.

let's remember that all of us can thrive with flexibility.

For people with disabilities,

For people with disabilities,

let's provide the option to work remotely

let's provide the option to work remotely

at the hours when we can be the most productive

at the hours when we can be the most productive

from wherever works best.

from wherever works best.

I mean, some of us do great working from our bed.

I mean, some of us do great working from our bed.

And really, let's hold on to the openness that we can work around everyone's needs.

And really, let's hold on to the openness that we can work around everyone's needs.

Let's keep finding ways to embrace flexibility

Let's keep finding ways to embrace flexibility

as part of our company's culture.

as part of our company's culture.

We know that companies need to work harder on hiring us, retaining us,

We know that companies need to work harder on hiring us, retaining us,

promoting us, paying us fairly and amplifying our efforts.

promoting us, paying us fairly and amplifying our efforts.

To do that, we need to stop making assumptions,

To do that, we need to stop making assumptions,

rethink accessibility and embrace flexibility.

rethink accessibility and embrace flexibility.

That is what will help close the disability employment gap.

That is what will help close the disability employment gap.