This is a guest blog by Mahnoor Fawad, student at the University of Salford (MSc in Digital Marketing) and Purpose Coalition Student Ambassador.

People with physical disabilities face numerous challenges in securing employment. Despite many companies promoting themselves as Disability Confident Employers, their actions often fall short of this claim. While they may advertise inclusivity, they frequently overlook the vast diversity of disabilities, each with its own unique set of needs. This lack of recognition and accommodation leaves many disabled individuals struggling to find suitable opportunities in the workplace.

Some companies' actions fall short of their claims to be Disability Confident.

When disabled people have to face frequent rejections, they start feeling useless, and their abilities begin to fade away. This can make the person with a disability feel ignored or underappreciated. It shifts the focus to what they can’t do instead of what they can, leading to feelings of frustration and discouragement.

To create real inclusivity, companies need to do more than just say they support people with disabilities. They must take real action to ensure that individuals with disabilities have equal chances to succeed, grow, and contribute.

Guaranteed Interview Schemes: An Unfair Comparison

Many companies offer a Guaranteed Interview Scheme under the Disability Confident Employer banner, which is intended to ensure that disabled candidates have a fair chance at securing an interview. While this sounds promising, there’s a significant flaw in how it’s implemented. After offering the guaranteed interview, these companies often compare the profiles of disabled candidates with those of abled-bodied individuals, people who have already had access to more opportunities and resources throughout their careers.

This comparison is completely unfair. Disabled individuals are often rejected, despite having the guaranteed interview, because they are being evaluated against candidates who haven’t faced the same barriers or limitations. It’s no surprise that the opportunities for disabled people remain limited when they are constantly measured against those who have had access to far greater opportunities.

What’s the solution?

Companies should not only offer guaranteed interviews but also create separate job opportunities specifically for disabled individuals. These positions should have their own recruitment process, where disabled candidates compete with other disabled candidates. This approach would level the playing field, allowing for fairer evaluations and a true reflection of each candidate’s potential, free from unfair comparisons with non-disabled individuals.

What Needs to Change?

Simply claiming to be a disability-confident employer is not enough. Businesses need to take concrete actions that truly support and accommodate individuals with disabilities. Here are a few solutions that could make a real difference.

1. HR Training: Education on Disability Awareness

The first step toward building an inclusive workplace is ensuring that Human Resources (HR) teams receive proper training on disabilities. This training should go beyond basic disability awareness and cover the vast diversity within the disabled community. HR professionals need to understand how to match individuals with the right job roles, considering their abilities and limitations.

A key component of this training is educating HR on how to adjust recruitment processes to be more inclusive. This includes everything from modifying job descriptions to creating accessible work environments and interview procedures. Furthermore, having someone with a disability manage the recruitment process for disabled candidates could make a significant difference. Lived experience brings empathy, practical insights, and a nuanced understanding of the challenges disabled people face, ensuring that the process is sensitive, informed, and genuinely inclusive.

My Experience: A Lack of Accessibility at One of the Biggest Retail Stores Companies in the UK

I’d like to share my personal experience to highlight the gaps in current HR practices. I applied for a colleague role at one of the largest retail stores companies in the UK, informing the team that I have a physical disability. Unfortunately, the role was not suitable for someone with my condition, as it required physical labour. Due to a lack of guidance from the HR team, I proceeded with the interview process, only to face several challenges along the way.

When I arrived at the store's parking area, there was no accessible slope. This led to me falling out of my wheelchair and injuring myself, both physically and emotionally. Despite being in pain, I pushed forward and attended the interview. Afterward, I had to pay for a taxi to get home, which cost me £45. Adding insult to injury, the company later sent me an automated rejection email, offering no compensation or even acknowledgment of the incident.

This experience was disheartening and demonstrated the urgent need for businesses to provide the right support for people with disabilities.

2. A 1-Year Contract to Empower Disabled Individuals

One potential solution to foster inclusion in the workplace is to create a 1-year contractual role designed specifically for people with disabilities. During this period, employees can explore various job areas that align with their interests and abilities. Based on their performance, they could then be offered a permanent position in the field that best suits their strengths.

This kind of initiative would provide disabled individuals with meaningful work experience and development opportunities, helping them build a long-term career. It’s not just about offering equal opportunities but actively integrating people with disabilities into the workforce. This approach also promotes a more inclusive work environment, where diverse perspectives are valued and where companies are genuinely committed to diversity, not just in policy, but in practice.

3. Long-Term Career Planning: Supporting Disabled Employees

Another crucial aspect of creating an inclusive workplace is offering proper career guidance and long-term support. Unfortunately, this is often lacking, as I experienced in my previous role. I was hired as a Sales Associate, but the talent team failed to inform me about the future prospects of the role or whether it would be suitable for my physical limitations.

Typically, sales roles progress into fieldwork, which involves visiting various markets. When it was time for me to advance in my career, I realized that I couldn’t handle the physical demands of field sales due to my disability. As a result, I had no choice but to leave that career path.

This situation could have been avoided with proper career planning and guidance from HR. For disabled employees, it’s essential that roles are clearly communicated from the start, outlining not only the responsibilities but also the potential challenges and future career paths.

For disabled employees, it’s essential that roles are clearly communicated from the start

Solutions for Better Career Guidance

Provide Clear Role Guidance: HR should clearly communicate the job’s responsibilities, future prospects, and any challenges that may arise due to a disability. This ensures that the candidate knows exactly what to expect in both the short and long term.

Conduct Future Career Planning: HR should work closely with disabled employees to create a personalized career progression plan. This plan should align with the employee’s abilities and long-term goals.

Offer Alternative Career Paths: In roles like sales, which may require physically demanding tasks, HR should explore alternative career paths for disabled employees. This could include roles in strategy, management, or remote client relations, which are more suitable for someone with physical limitations.

Continuous Support and Feedback: HR should offer ongoing support and regularly check in with disabled employees to ensure that their career plan remains relevant and achievable. This helps create a supportive work environment where employees feel valued and understood.

Conclusion: Moving Toward a More Inclusive Future

Achieving equality through diversity and inclusion is not just about meeting a quota or claiming to be disability-confident. It’s about creating a work environment where everyone, regardless of their physical abilities, has the opportunity to thrive. Through targeted HR training, thoughtful recruitment processes, long-term career planning, and a commitment to meaningful diversity initiatives, companies can begin to break down the barriers that disabled individuals face in the job market.

Moreover, companies need to rethink their approach to hiring under disability-confident schemes. Instead of comparing disabled candidates with non-disabled ones, who may have had far more opportunities, there should be separate job openings where disabled candidates compete with one another. This would create a fairer and more level playing field, giving disabled individuals the opportunities they deserve.

By offering real opportunities for growth and fostering an inclusive culture, businesses can empower disabled individuals and build a workforce that truly reflects the diversity of our society.

Achieving Equity through Diversity & Inclusion: Breaking Barriers for Disabled Individuals