Accessibility at work starts before the office doors
We recently hosted members of the New Zealand Disability Employers’ Network (NZDEN) for a hui focused on accessibility in the workplace.
We shared what 25 years of working alongside disabled people and whānau has taught us about accessibility, including the many factors outside the workplace that can affect someone’s ability to participate in employment.
Reliable personal care, support at home, transport and greater independence in everyday life can all affect whether a disabled person — or sometimes a family member supporting them — can get to work, stay in work and participate fully.
The employment story can also begin much earlier, with education. As more neurodivergent young people move through education, tertiary study and training, workplaces will increasingly include people with different ways of communicating, learning, processing information and working.
For employers, this is not about designing a workplace around a particular diagnosis. It is about building enough flexibility into the way we work for more people to succeed.
The hui was an opportunity to share our perspective and hear from other NZDEN members about their own experiences and approaches to workplace accessibility.
Thank you to everyone who joined us and contributed to the discussion.