This Disability History Month, we were pleased to welcome an external HR professional and lived experience speaker, Debaraj Dutta, to speak to us about how workplace environment and supportive management can improve quality of life for people with disabilities. Download the event slides here.

This blog highlights some of the key takeaways and action points covered in the session. If you have any questions or would like to discuss disability inclusion for your team in more depth, please email diversity@bath.ac.uk.

Introduction

We were pleased to have University of Bath Director of HR, Richard Brooks, open the session for us. He highlighted key areas of importance for us as a university:

• As an organisation we want to increase understanding of disability inclusion and boost managers’ confidence in supporting it.
• Commitment to follow through on support offered during recruitment and induction, in partnership with HR, is important.
• Recognising early signs that adjustments may be beneficial helps ensure everyone thrives at work.

The facts

Debaraj highlighted some key figures that show how important disability inclusion is in the UK today:

• 1 in 4 people live with a disability, that is 16.1 million people in the UK.
• The employment gap between disabled and non-disabled people is around 25%.
• The poverty rate for disabled people is about 30%, which is nearly twice that of non-disabled people.

Why inclusion matters

Inclusion in the workplace is beneficial to both staff and employers:

• Ensure fairness in the employee experience: Promote equity and consistency across all stages of employment.
• Enhance wellbeing and engagement: Reduce stress, boost productivity, and create a positive work environment.
• Unlock the full talent pool: Attract top talent and improve staff retention through inclusive practices.
• Leverage the power of diverse teams: Drive innovation and better performance through varied perspectives.
• Strengthen competitive advantage and brand reputation: Position the organisation as a leader in inclusion.
• Mitigate risk: Reduce legal and reputational exposure through proactive compliance and best practices.
• Deliver long-term financial returns: Access the UK disabled consumer market and expand market reach.

Types of disability

There are several different types of disability. Click on the links below to learn more about each:

• Visible
• Invisible
• Situational/temporary

It is estimated that 80% of disabilities are invisible, so it is important to create a culture where people feel safe to be open and disclose.

There are two ways to look at disability:

• The medical model: Where emphasis is placed on the individual as someone to be ‘fixed’ or ‘cured’. This can lead to stigmatisation.
• The social model: Where emphasis is put on the removal of physical and systemic barriers to enable full participation of those with disabilities.

You can explore these concepts and learn more here.

Lived experience

Debaraj shared his personal experience of disability and having a neurodivergent condition, and how this played out in the workplace:

“Asking for what I need is not weakness, it is self-awareness.”

He highlighted that he has learnt over time that disability is not static and that his needs have evolved as circumstances changed. He emphasised that it is important to recognise how the quality of support given in the workplace will affect an individual’s experience greatly.

Workplace adjustments

Debaraj gave some top tips on how best to implement adjustments for staff:

What not to do

• Avoid delays in implementation: Postponing adjustments can cause unnecessary hardship, reduce productivity, and increase staff turnover.
• Don’t rely solely on formal diagnoses: Obtaining a diagnosis can be challenging in some circumstances. Focusing on proactive barrier removal aligns with inclusion principles.
• Empowerment is key: Managers should feel confident approving reasonable adjustments without lengthy approval procedures.
• Move beyond tokenism: Offering surface-level gestures without systemic change risks creating cynicism and disengagement among disabled employees.

Best practice

• Inclusion is everyone’s responsibility: You don’t need to be an expert to make a difference.
• Empower employees as experts on themselves: Avoid assumptions or imposing solutions. Ask questions like:
  • “What would help you work most effectively?”
  • “What would make this process easier for you?”
• Use workplace adjustment passports: These are called an ‘Agreement for adjustment’ plan here at the University. These documents streamline support, reduce the disclosure burden, and speed up implementation. Treat them as a living document by reviewing and updating regularly.
• Normalise flexibility: Embrace practices such as flexible working and assistive technology to support diverse needs.

Practical actions you can take going forward

1. Ask, don’t assume: Start the conversation with “What do you need to thrive?”
2. Audit your team’s accessibility: Review online platforms, physical spaces, and meeting practices. Identify any gaps and address them proactively.
3. Take individual accountability: As a manager, use your influence to model inclusive behaviours.
4. Leverage workplace adjustment passports: Respect individual dignity and meet legal obligations whilst streamlining support.
5. Commit to continuous learning: Engage with disabled voices, stay curious, and challenge assumptions - your own and others.

Make a personal commitment

Debaraj closed the session by emphasising that individual accountability enhances inclusion. With this in mind, we encourage you to choose one action from the list above and make a commitment to implement it within the next month.

“You can’t change the world until you start with you.”

Disability can happen to anyone at any time, but it shouldn’t have to happen to you for it to matter to you.