Enabling potential or just accommodating difference? "the distinction lies in “the involvement of and responsibility placed on the person being accommodated.” Says Amanda Morin, Educational and Neurodiverse Consultant.
This is a great discussion - and one that should be brought out into the open.
In our work with employers, we often see the fine balance between accommodating someone with different needs in the workplace and the various approaches taken depending on a decision-maker’s understanding or experience with workplace adjustments.
Employment for people with disability can sometimes be seen as challenging - often due to the fear that co-workers will need to pick up tasks perceived as “too difficult” for someone requiring adjustments. That’s a fair concern. But perhaps it’s time we reframe this thinking.
Many organisations, particularly those with little lived experience working alongside people with disability tend to make assumptions about what’s required. But time and again, we’ve seen that when inclusion is genuinely embraced, innovation follows - often with benefits far beyond the original intention.
A great example of this comes from an inclusive employment project we ran with a large employer. We worked closely with them to build confidence and capability in implementing simple adjustments. One of the employees involved in supporting our participants during the work immersion program later took on a new role managing a team. In their new workplace, staff were required to produce and submit typed reports within tight timeframes. These reports were key performance indicators for the team. Among the staff was an older gentleman with deep expertise and experience, far beyond that of the newer graduates. However, he couldn’t touch-type, and the speed and volume of his work lagged behind others. The gap was growing, and performance concerns were raised. Because of the manager’s experience with our program, they chose not to rush to performance manage him. Instead, they brainstormed solutions and introduced a voice-to-text tool.
As a result, this staff member now matches his peers in output, and keeps his job. Without that perspective shift, and a bit of inclusive thinking, this valued employee might have ended up out of work.
Neurodiversity Consultant, Amanda Morin says “When you’re accommodating, the person is not only involved in identifying and understanding there’s a need to accommodate, but also in brainstorming and implementing solutions,” Morin wrote in an email. “They’re an active participant … [in] developing the skills to manage these needs and function autonomously. ”By contrast, Morin says, enabling “removes their involvement in managing their own stuff.” A boss who consistently intervenes when deadlines are missed or a co-worker who feels obligated to become a de facto assistant may think they’re fixing the problem when they’re actually prolonging it, with resentment as a by-product.
If you’re asking this question, you’re already on the right track. Inclusion doesn’t mean giving people special treatment, it means providing fair access to opportunities and supporting each person to contribute meaningfully. If you'd like to learn more about how this can work in your workplace, or are interested in running an inclusive workforce project of your own - get in touch today. Call 03 9967 8742 or email hello@equallyu.com.au
Extracts taken from the following article from Credit: Ninemsn, Work Advice: How far should I go to accommodate a neurodivergent colleague?