Oftentimes we think of workplace accessibility only in relation to hiring new employees. But it is just as crucial to ensure our workplace is accessible for current employees. It is not unusual for employees to be impacted by temporary or permanent disabilities due to age-related issues, a stroke, diseases, or perhaps a sports injury or car accident.
Making your workplace accessible shouldn’t be done only when it’s desperately required. Be prepared and showcase your organisation as an employer of choice by ensuring your workplace is as accessible as possible.
For existing workplaces rather than new builds, here’s how to adjust your dwelling so that your employees can perform at their best while being supported.
Accessibility adjustments for people with mobility impairments
Mobility impairments don’t just affect our limbs; they include dexterity impairments that affect employees’ hands.
- Ramps
- Scooter
- Stair lifts
- Speech-recognition (speech-to-text) software
- Automated doors
- Accessible bathroom
- Accessible lift
- Handrails
- Accessible computer keyboards, computer mouses
- Adapted office furniture or equipment
- Height-adjustable workstations
- Work vehicle modifications
Accessibility adjustments for person who are deaf or hard of hearing
- Hearing loops, also called audio induction loop systems or audio-frequency induction loops
- Video phones
- Vibrating or visual alarms
- Text Telephone (TTY) or Short Message Service (SMS) text messaging
- Live captioning
- Auslan interpreters
Accessibility adjustments for people who are blind or have low vision
- Screen-magnification (e.g. ZoomText) or screen-reading software (e.g. JAWS)
- Magnification software for Personal Digital Assistants (PDA) and mobile phones
- Braille machines and printers
- Video magnifiers for reading printed material
- Tactile Ground Surface Indicators (TGSI)
- Contrasting work surfaces or trays
- Braille or tactile maps
Accessibility adjustments for people with a mental health condition
- Flexible working arrangements to accommodate working from home, working part-time, change of start/finish times, etc.
- Regular, supportive meetings with supervisors
- Partitioned area or private office to reduce noise and distractions
- Longer or more frequent breaks
- Division of large projects into smaller tasks
Accessibility adjustments for people with learning disabilities
- Screen-reading software (e.g. JAWS)
- Speech-to-text dictation software
- Smartphones or PDAs, to assist with memory and planning
- Task cards
Everyone’s different, so if you have an employee with a disability, the most important thing you can do is ask them. Most workplace adjustments to improve your accessibility cost very little and funding may be available to reduce your cost.
Call Code Consulting today to learn more about how we can make your workplace more accessible.