It’s very important that every member of your team feels valued and respected at work, which is why all businesses need to strive to make sure their workspaces are accessible and inclusive. Whether it’s making structural changes to the physical office space or looking at how employees with disabilities are treated within the team generally, there are lots of things business owners can do to make their offices more accessible.
Mobility Lifts
The building where your offices are located might already have passenger lifts, but you should look at speaking with your building management teams about how to improve wheelchair access if this isn’t the case. Platform lifts are ideal for wheelchair users and are better for traveling up shorter distances, but you can look online to find examples of the right solution for your specific office needs.
Automatic Doors
Automatic doors are useful for everybody, but they are specifically great for those who might struggle to open doors for themselves. If you’re worried about security, you could always get disabled access buttons installed that will automatically open doors instead.
Wheelchair Ramps
If the entrance to your office building is raised from ground level, it will be difficult or impossible for wheelchair users to gain access to it. Again, this might be something you need to speak to your building management team about if you don’t own the property, but asking them to install wheelchair ramps or step lifts to make it easy for wheelchair users to enter the building is important.
Disabled Toilets
Getting a wheelchair in and out of a standard toilet cubicle isn’t going to work, so you will need to have a disabled toilet that is big enough to get a wheelchair in and out of the office. It will also need to be kitted out with support bars so the user can get on and off the toilet with ease and an emergency alarm just in case.
Staff Training
While all the modifications mentioned above are a good step towards a more accessible office, making sure there is adequate training for your employees about how to support team members with disabilities is key. It’s not just about people who might have limited mobility, but also for those who have mental disabilities as well. Your staff must understand the rights ofworkers with a disability and know the appropriate way to work with them, so no one feels discriminated against or undermined in your offices.
Technology
Finally, consider what technology is available that can help a person with a disability manage their daily tasks more efficiently. Things like dictation software, altering computer settings for those who might have difficulty hearing or reading, voice recognition software, and ergonomic keyboards are all examples of useful tech your office could use.
All businesses must make sure all employees and potential candidates are given the right support and are presented with the same opportunities as anyone else. As a business owner, you will always have work to do to make sure this is happening in your offices, but the above are all good places to start if you haven’t done so already.
