Support Employees with Disabilities
Learning Objectives
After completing this unit, you’ll be able to:
- Enable and support open employee resource groups (ERGs), available to people with or without disabilities who may want to focus social or volunteer work on issues of importance around disability
- Ensure meetings are accessible.
- Support accommodations as needed.
As you learned in the first two units, it’s vital to ensure that hiring and onboarding practices are equal, fair, and consistent—and that they allow everyone to bring their best selves to work. But what does that mean for employees after they’ve been hired? How can you continue to offer resources and accommodations that empower people with disabilities to do their jobs? In this unit, you learn how to support employees with disabilities on a long-term basis.
A great system of support your company can implement are Employee Resource Groups (ERGs). At Salesforce, our ERGs are called Equality Groups, and these are employee-led organizations that are open to all and focus on building community, educating allies, and driving equality. These groups can serve as powerful platforms to allow people with common experiences and interests to amplify their voices and effect change.
Because ERGs are employee-led and employee-organized, they reflect the heart and soul of the communities they represent. For instance, an ERG focussed on neurodiversity sparks dialogue around common life experiences and background, and can be a vehicle for education of your entire workforce. At Salesforce, we currently have 16 different Equality Groups that are open to all.
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Abilityforce
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Arabiaforce
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Asiapacforce
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BOLDforce
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Earthforce
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Faithforce
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Genforce
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Indigenousforce
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Latinoforce
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Neuroforce
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Outforce
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Salesforce Parents and Families
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Salesforce Women’s Network
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Shalomforce
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Southasiaforce
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Vetforce
Maybe your company has similar groups—or maybe none at all. The best part about ERGs is that they can pop up at any time! If your company doesn’t already have ERGs, share examples of ERGs and how they can benefit the organization. If possible, offer resources and funding to help cover group events and initiatives. You may have employees with specific interests and experiences —just waiting for leadership support.
Once you share these opportunities, create a feedback channel and regular check-ins with leadership. Employees make up the heart and soul of ERGs, but they need leadership support to help evangelize and accomplish their goals. The more you support ERGs, the more you can also share available ERGs with new hires and others interested in meeting other employees who may share similar lived experiences or interests or who want to learn about or support them. ERGs can be a great way to help new hires feel comfortable and part of a community.
Employee Benefits
Benefits are important to everyone—and they should be robust enough to support people with disabilities. Anyone could become someone with a disability at any time.
While specific benefits vary from company to company, it’s important to encourage all employees, regardless of disability, to take advantage of mental health days, wellness days, PTO, and all other opportunities that allow for personal growth and self-care.
Digital and Physical Accessibility
Accessibility should be a top priority in both digital and physical spaces. Have discussions with your facilities and real estate teams to make sure they’re in the loop for accessibility guidelines. Go beyond ADA requirements; it’s essential to stay compliant, and that should always be your baseline, but if you’re trying to build the most accessible environment, you might need to do things not required of you.
For example:
- Create a fire evacuation plan that alerts people with specific disabilities of the danger (flashing lights as well as audio alarm)
- Add low counters in the break room, and stack items vertically in the fridge (ensuring wheelchair users can access all items at a lower height).
- Make accessible and timely announcements about any building construction.
- Automatic doors, adjustable desks
Let’s Wrap It Up
Remember that making your workplace more accessible and supportive is an ongoing process. It’s important to regularly ask for feedback from employees. Remember, all feedback is a gift! Create surveys on at least an annual basis, if not more frequently, to give employees the chance to share feedback about whether they feel supported and how well their disabilities are being accommodated.
At Salesforce, we’re committed to building a more equal world. This includes striving to deliver equal access to our products, workplaces, customers, and employees—so that everyone is empowered to do the best work of their lives, without barriers. We’re committed to furthering this mission both in our organization and out in our communities and are here to support your efforts.
Resources