6 Tips For Working With People With Disabilities

Today, many organizations are becoming inclusive by hiring people with disabilities. That said, staff members should be sensitized to different ways of interacting with fellow disabled colleagues. Doing so will help workers interact with them without unintentionally offending them. According to the disability rights laws, hiring people with disabilities is beneficial as it helps reduce stigma and discrimination. On the other hand, organizations and companies hiring abled-differently people paint a good picture of their name as they demonstrate the saying that disability isn’t inability. 

For many years, the disability community has been viewed as people requiring care and help instead of inclusivity and collaboration. This notion has negatively impacted these individuals, making most of them accept this point of view as their own. The low expectations of society make people with disabilities lack high expectations for themselves. However, the world is transitioning, and the sooner people understand that, the better since they should learn to work and interact with disabled people. This post outlines various tips for working with people with disabilities. Take a look.

1. Learn Disability Etiquette

There are many disabilities affecting people, which include blindness, psychiatric disabilities, low vision, hearing, speech, and health impairments. Therefore, it’s essential to learn the specific etiquette of each disability to treat the disabled with dignity.

For instance, when it comes to people with hearing and speech impairments, you should speak to them directly and not their companion or sign language interpreter. Tap them on the shoulder or wave to get their attention. Try being expressive using body language, facial expressions, and gestures. 

For blind people, offer arm support when leading them and place the person’s hand on the back or side of a chair when directing them to a seat. Provide specific and explicit directions if needed, but avoid terms such as ‘over there’ or ‘turn this way.’ Lastly, remember that it’s offensive to imitate or pretend to have a disability. You can learn about all these disability etiquettes online or ask for help from a Disability Support Worker.  

People with speech impairment require keen attention when communicating. Let the person finish their statement instead of correcting them. In the case of an interview, ask questions that need short answers or a nod of the head. 

For people with mobility impairment, avoid touching or moving equipment like wheelchairs, walkers, or canes without permission, as they’re part of their personal space. Place yourself at the same eye level by sitting down if you’re having a lengthy conversation with a person in a wheelchair. Finally, beware of features that may cause difficulty for people with wheelchairs, like thin doors and staircases.

2. Be A Mirror

To effectively work with people with disabilities, help them see themselves for who they are and how they operate in the world. Disabled people often encounter negative statements like ‘you can’t do it’ or ‘you need help,’ which affect their self-worth, self-esteem, and confidence. However, helping and encouraging themselves as part of the community, rather than lone wolf advocates, empowers them, making them feel useful and more productive to an organization. 

Also, ensure to emphasize these people’s abilities rather than dwelling on their disabilities. It means helping them discover their strengths and how they can benefit an organization. Instead of pointing at their weaknesses, help them work to overcome them. There are many skilled and talented disabled people, so avoid underestimating their abilities.

3. Ask Before You Help

Many people think that disabled people always need help. However, with technological advancements and learning, disabled people can carry out their activities without an extra hand or help. Even if they’re struggling, they’re used to it, so ask them before offering to help. If a disabled person declines your help, don’t be offended; encourage them to boost their morale. 

4. Avoid Assumptions

Many disabilities are invisible, for instance, autism, epilepsy, deafness, and mental illnesses. People with these conditions suffer in silence because others can’t see their ailment. Therefore, never assume you know what a person is going through; if appropriate, ask politely and respectfully what a person is encountering and how you can help. The struggle of people with invisible disabilities is more complex, as they must verify and validate their impediments while trying to avoid discrimination.

5. Educate Yourself

When working with a disabled person, it’s essential to let your guard down, set aside your perspectives and learn about their struggle. There are many disabilities. If you know your co-worker’s disability, you can learn how to interact with them online. Educating yourself on various disabilities improves your interactions with disabled co-workers, which helps boost morale and productivity.  

The Bottom Line

Generally, the most important thing when working with disabled people is to be patient with them while at the same time being kind. Empathy encourages positive vibes and boosts self-esteem. While no one is perfect, we should strive to change how our society views people with disabilities, especially in the workplace.