Feature
Afterthought In Workplace Design The government published its National Disability Strategy1
By Lesley Kelly, Studio Lead and Principal, Design at workplace creation experts Unispace in
July 2021, which outlined recommendations to create a more accessible workplace for employees with disabilities, including mental wellbeing considerations. Though there were several recommendations included within the Strategy, three core highlights stand out for employers: • Introducing workforce reporting for larger businesses
with more than 250 staff, to report the number of colleagues who identify as having special needs • Launching a one-stop online advice hub, providing
information and advice on disability discrimination in the workplace, flexible working, and obligations around reasonable adjustments
• Piloting an Access to Work passport, capturing
the in-work support needs of individuals with disabilities, and empowering them to have confident discussions about adjustments with employers
The Strategy signals further progress on the UK’s existing efforts to improve workplace accessibility, in line with regulations such as the 2010 Equality Act, which mandated employers to make “reasonable adjustments” for staff, and the Mental Health Discrimination Act (2013), which removed the last significant forms of discrimination on the grounds of mental health.
Yet there is more still to be done. According to recent statistics, less than half (48%) of the 14,000 employed people who identified as disabled and responded to the UK Disability Survey2
agreed
or strongly agreed that their employer is flexible and makes sufficient reasonable adjustments. So, while it is positive to see an increasing visibility of accessibility topics on the corporate agenda, it’s clear to see that a holistic approach to accessibility is still needed.
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Indeed, the British Council for Offices (BCO) published a briefing note6
in April 2021 to its members with guidance on
how to design and manage buildings for health and wellbeing. It suggests that a multisensory approach to workplace design can help improve workers’ mental health.
Considering Non-Visible Disabilities
It’s crucial that all employers take into account that not all disabilities are visible. Amongst the working population, a quarter (25% or 8.4 million) adults, identify as having a disability – and of this number, 70% are defined as ‘hidden’ disabilities3
It’s therefore imperative that businesses ensure workplaces are equally accessible to support colleagues with non-visible considerations.
In addition to accessible entries, for example, many businesses are considering lighting and noise adjustments – looking at solutions to optimise lighting for ease of working, managing noise levels in different zones, and providing adaptable workstations. These design adjustments are taking into account mental wellbeing and should be fully integrated from the start of the design process – not added in later as an afterthought.
Mental Health And Wellbeing Initiatives
Mental health is increasingly – and rightly – being acknowledged as an integral workplace design consideration by nearly all organisations. Research from the Office of National Statistics4 has recently attributed over 12% of sick days to mental health conditions, and according to a 2019 survey from Penketh Group5
66% of 25-34-year-olds want more work settings designed to support mental health. Mental wellbeing was a prominent part of building an inclusive workplace pre-pandemic, but is even more important now.
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Accessibility Must Not Be An
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