A new survey, conducted by GreatWithDisability.com reveals the reluctance of graduates to be open about their disabilities or health conditions to potential employers.
‘Openness: Understanding Why Students Are Reluctant To Be Open With Employers About Their Disability’, a survey of more than a thousand disabled students and graduates, found that 76% are concerned about being open about their disability or condition with employers with 77% fearing being discriminated against.
Of the respondents, those with mental health issues were the most reluctant to be open about their condition (78%), while those in a wheelchair showed the least concern (39%).
Founder of Greatwithdisability.com and expert in disability and graduate recruitment, Helen Cooke, said: “This issue is of great importance to graduates and employers as well as the UK workforce. An employer is unable to make the adjustments or provide the support an individual may need to navigate the recruitment process if they are unaware of their disability or health condition. As a result, organisations often miss out on top talent, and individuals miss out on the opportunity to display their skills and achieve their potential.”
The role of employers
Indeed, employers have a large part to play in solving the issue with 71% of respondents saying that they would be encouraged by seeing examples of current disabled employees at an organisation that had benefitted from being open about their condition, while 70% said they would be more likely to be open if there was a dedicated member of staff to whom they could talk to during the recruitment process.
Of course, it isn’t just about ‘doing the right thing’, it’s about sharing best practice which given the nature of business, can sometimes be a challenge. Saying that, we’re not talking about opening up secret files but merely suggesting ways in which more talented young people can be encouraged to apply for jobs. The survey paints a picture of talent being stifled by a fear of rejection even though legislation through the Equality Act 2010 protects the rights of disabled people in the workplace. This is a matter of culture and perception.
Four out of five respondents said that more encouragement, specifically about which organisations were ‘disability confident’ would encourage them not only to apply but also to be open about their disabilities. The sadness is that without such basic information, talented individuals are not being supported and are not given the best chance of success, because they don’t ask for simple reasonable adjustments from their employers.
Helen Cooke added: “The problem cannot be solved by employers alone. Universities and the support networks of disabled graduates, whether they be friends or family, need to do their part too. Universities and employers need to work together so that students and graduates receive appropriate and helpful advice about the benefits of being open and the best ways to do so. Friends and family of graduates should educate themselves about the benefits that might be available to a recruit who is open about their condition. Such benefits could include additional support in interviews or in the workplace itself. In addition, it must be acknowledged that in today’s world, disability does not mean hindrance.”
