Communications Officer Emma Swift, a member of the IS Equality and Diversity Group, writes about the journey to becoming a Disability Confident Employer - and how other organisations can follow our lead.
The Improvement Service recently became a Disability Confident Employer, moving up from our previous Disability Confident Committed status.
There are three levels within the UK-wide Disability Confident scheme, and we hope that the IS can continue to work towards the highest level: Disability Confident Leader.
The scheme helps employers to challenge attitudes and increase understanding around disability among their employees while also ensuring that they are able to recruit from the widest possible pool of talent and retain existing workers. Employers within the scheme can expect to secure high-quality staff who are skilled, loyal and hard-working, as well as improving employee morale and commitment by demonstrating a commitment to fair treatment in the workplace.
These are issues which the Equality and Diversity Group within the IS discuss on a regular basis, in relation to disabilities but also other protected characteristics which might affect the way our colleagues experience the workplace. Equality and Diversity is one of the Improvement Service’s shared values, and we as an organisation believe that by embedding equality, diversity, fairness and respect in all that we do, we will help create more successful communities.
In order to become a Disability Confident Employer, the IS had to complete a self-assessment around two key themes:
- getting the right people for your business
- keeping and developing your people
The IS has taken steps to improve in both these areas, including assisting with job interviews by providing questions in advance or typing questions into the Teams chat for an online interview, as well as asking them verbally. We already offer guaranteed interviews to people with disabilities who meet the basic requirement and have measures in place to support people who would prefer a face-to-face interview.
With regards to supporting our existing employees, the Improvement Service has developed supportive policies relating to flexible working and sickness absence, as well as for those staff returning after a long absence. Managers have a responsibility to take all these policies into consideration when dealing with staff, and they have a checklist to ensure that everyone is aware of all the support that is available. Disability awareness training is available through our partnership with West Lothian Council, and the Equality and Diversity Group regularly raise awareness of key issues through our own dedicated Teams channel.
While we are proud of the progress we have made in this area, there is always room for improvement; and indeed, part of becoming a Disability Confident Employer is the development of an improvement plan to show how we intend to continue and build on our existing good work.
Perhaps the most important aspect of our improvement plan is the need to communicate to our existing staff what it means to be a Disability Confident Employer, and the steps they can take to ensure that they are able to meet their own commitments under the scheme. We also want to promote the value of being Disability Confident to stakeholders, with a view to starting a conversation about these issues, or even encouraging other organisations to start their own Disability Confident journey.