What is the percentage of disabled staff in your organisation?

A quick scan of published equality information reports on websites reveals a worrying figure for the number of disabled staff – between 2% and 6% on average. Since 20% of people of working age are covered by the definition of a disabled person, this is a significant equality ‘gap’, and a key equality objective for your organisation to address. What are you doing about this? 

The specific duties require you as a public sector education body to publish equality information on students, and also on staff if you have more than 150 staff employed. 

If you have between 2% and 6% disabled staff at your organisation, then it is likely that the gap is partly caused by under-representation and partly caused by under-declaration. So if you want to close the gap, you are going to need to identify actions for both of these issues. 

As a starting point, under-representation actions could include:

• checking that marketing materials including your website indicate that you are an inclusive organisation that welcomes disabled people
• reviewing all recruitment and selection processes, to ensure they are ‘disability friendly’ and actively encourage application
• asking advice from disabled staff in your organisation on the barriers that need to be dismantled, and actions to advance disability equality
• becoming a ‘two ticks’ disabled people employer – a word of caution here. Many organisations display the symbol, but do not implement the five requirements. For example, you need to have a mechanism in place that allows you to automatically shortlist for interview, all disabled candidates who meet the minimum criteria for the job role. But at the same time, you need to be careful not to breach the requirements of Section 60 of the Equality Act 2010, which prohibits the use of certain health and disability-related questions during recruitment and selection. Click here to see more information on section 60 regulations.

As a starting point, under-declaration actions could include:

• implementing a process to ensure staff have opportunities on a regular basis to update their personal information (70% of people will acquire an impairment during their working lives)
• embedding opportunities for disability disclosure within staff induction
• creating a series of ‘success stories’ of how disabled staff have and are supported within the organisation
• establishing a focus group of staff who have disclosed,  to get their advice on actions the organisation can take to create an environment where people feel safe to disclose a disability or medical condition
• identifying a named member of staff as a ‘disability equality champion, who can act as a source of advice and support.
• ensuring that staff appreciate what impairments, learning difficulties and medical conditions are covered by the definition. Do they know, for example that allergies, excema, HIV, cancer, diabetes, depression, phobias, dyslexia, are likely to be covered? Click here to see examples from case law that illustrate the wide definition of a disabled person, including the above examples

Do get in touch if I can support you to take this area forward in your organisation. For example, I am often asked to spend half day with HR staff to support equality impact assessment of recruitment, selection and induction practice, or to work with equality champions and E&D managers to identify appropriate actions and activities to address gaps. I also meet with focus groups to identify key issues and opportunities for moving forward.