FIVE REASONS WHY BUSINESSES SHOULD DEVELOP DISABILITY AWARENESS There are numerous benefits that disability awareness training will bring to your business. Here, Chris Jay- the Managing Director of Bascule Disability Training- gives Team BRIT readers five...
1 GROW YOUR MARKET Did you know that the spending power of people with disabilities continues to increase and is currently estimated to be worth £274 billion per year to UK businesses? Gaining disability awareness is the first step in making a change, and with a few basic alterations to the way you operate, your business could appeal to a whole new market.
4 ENHANCE YOUR WORKPLACE CULTURE In a recent poll conducted by Scope it was revealed that 53% of people with disabilities have been bullied or harassed in the workplace because of their impairments. Also- 1 in 3 people see people with disabilities as being less productive than non-disabled people. Raising awareness in the workplace will unify your team, develop understanding and empathy, whilst also encouraging those who haven’t ever disclosed their disabilities, to feel they can openly discuss them with their line managers and co-workers, should they want to.
2 GAIN NEW CUSTOMERS AND EMPLOYEES Developing your awareness of disability will not only increase your appeal to a whole new customer base- it will also attract a whole new group of talented staff members. Becoming an openly inclusive organisation will clearly demonstrate your commitment to inclusivity, as both an employer and a business, which will inevitably improve staff and customer loyalty.
3 IMPROVE MORALE AND INCREASE PRODUCTIVITY If you feel your business is unaffected by disability, you might want to think again. There are 14.6 million people with disabilities in the UK (one in five), and vast numbers of people have what are known as non-visible disabilities- such as depression and mental health conditions, epilepsy, diabetes, sensory impairments, cognitive impairment, autism spectrum conditions- to mention just a few. So, it’s quite likely you already employ a team member with a disability, that you don’t even know about.
5 IMPROVE THE WAY YOUR BUSINESS INTERACTS WITH THE PUBLIC In 2014, it was discovered that two-thirds of the British public (67%) admit they feel uncomfortable talking to people with disabilities (Scope). This means your customer or client facing staff could potentially display a sense of awkwardness to as many as one in five of your customers. Awareness training directly addresses this, and a firmer understanding of all areas of disability - such as correct use of language, customer service, etiquette and communication- can be developed.
If you are interested in improving your organisation’s disability awareness you can book onto Bascule’s online training courses via the website or contact them to commission a bespoke session for your whole team or certain departments of your organisation
Furthermore, it is also worth considering that disability is something that can occur - in fact, only 17% of people are actually born with a disability, 83% acquire it later in life. Being an inclusive organisation will allow the people who work for you to feel comfortable in disclosing their disability- as well as create a more understanding and empathetic workforce. If your company develops awareness and inclusivity, staff will be more likely to work to their full potential and bring their best selves to the workplace.
/TeamBRIT
/TeamBRITRacing
Upcoming open sessions can be found on www.bascule.com use the code ‘BRIT’ and receive 33% discount.
TeamBRITRacing
TeamBRIT
15
