Rachael Mole
Rachael Mole is a disability & inclusive work culture expert. In this conversation, you can ask Rachael all about disability disclosure, reasonable adjustments, team member support...
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Who is classed as disabled in the workplace?
Anyone can be classed as disabled in the workplace if that's an identity that they want to claim. That can be a new starter. Age 1618. Just entering the workforce or a workforce veteran age doesn't matter. But also important to remember is that not everybody claiming the identity of being disabled in your workplace will need the same reasonable adjustments or even any reasonable adjustments at all.
Do you need a diagnosis to be disabled?
You don't actually need a diagnosis to be disabled. Disabled is something that is inherently in a person. Having that rubber stamp of, yes, this is a condition you've got, doesn't magically change anything really. Also, it is important to recognise that waiting times for diagnosis are really long sometimes, and that not everybody has the resources or ability to get a fast diagnosis. Just because someone doesn't have that diagnosis for a number of years doesn't mean that they're not going through the challenges that being disabled brings, and therefore they should be entitled to receive the same support as somebody who has that diagnosis.
What is an example of physical reasonable adjustments?
Physical reasonable adjustments at its most basic form is something that's tangible, like an office chair, like a desk, a light extra monitors, an adaptive keypad, something that you can order in and have physically in the office that will make a change in a positive way for an individual who requires that change.