Beyond Accommodation: Advice for Building More Inclusive Organizations
We all benefit from clarity of expectations and information accessibility.
By Virginia Bauman and Casey Gipson
Accommodations for disabilities are the legally recognized floor for creating a work environment that complies with the ADA. Accommodations are, in many cases, a reactive step to keep in compliance with the law.
This post is written for leaders who are interested in understanding the role of accommodations, how they serve to make your workplace more inclusive, and the benefits of taking a more proactive approach.
Some examples of ADHD accommodations are:
- Provide a quiet workspace
- Work from home if no effective accommodations in the office environment
- Meetings to discuss expectations
- Access to proper documentation
The word “accommodate” makes it sound like we must go out of our way to modify our work environment for the person who needs the accommodation. And yet, the striking thing about these accommodations is that they would benefit more than just the ADHD employees. This is not to be taken for granted.
Job accommodations are often a warning sign. The warning is that an individual’s needs aren’t being considered. There are likely others who have the same needs but are too afraid to speak up. Accommodations can be signals of poor communication and a challenged flow of information throughout the organization. The neurodivergent people are just the frogs in your environment that feel the pain first.
The opportunity here is to make changes that benefit everyone. It’s a shift in mindset from making exceptions to building acceptance. Who wouldn’t benefit from providing quiet work spaces, clearly communicated expectations, or access to proper documentation?
Here are some questions to reflect on:
- Where do people not have access to materials, resources and systems?
- How can information flow more freely within the org?
- How accessible are the results of meetings?
- What processes aren’t fully documented?
- Where can you remove ambiguity or assumptions?
While everyone benefits from clarity of expectations and information accessibility, neurodivergent communities may benefit the most.
At the end of October, we have two ADHD-related workshops that delve deeper into some of these concepts. You can find out more here.
