Disability and Disclosure - saying the right thing

When someone decides to let their line manager or employer know about a disability, it can be a daunting thing – both for the person disclosing and the line manager themselves.

But it doesn’t have to be!

This blog post is designed to give line managers the confidence to support their direct reports when they share important information about themselves.

What should I do if someone tells me they have a disability?

The way you react when someone tells you they have a disability in the workplace is very important.

As mentioned, they may be nervous or unsure of your reaction. Making sure you feel comfortable to react in a supportive and open way ensures that your direct report feels listened to and helps build trust.

Here are some tips for when someone discloses a disability in the workplace:

1 – Thank them for sharing – For your direct report, it may have been a big deal to share their disability with you. Take a moment to acknowledge that you are happy and grateful that they trust you enough to share this.

2 – Ask them – “What would you like me to know to best support you?” – A helpful place to start might be to ask your direct report what they would like you to know about their disability, particularly how it affects them at work. They might want to share parts of the role they find challenging or ways of working that may be different from what you might expect.

For example, if they have a condition that affects their energy levels, they may tell you that they work best in the morning and tend to schedule less challenging work for the afternoon. They may also want to share parts of the role that they excel in.

If it feels sensible, it might be worth setting up a dedicated 1-2-1 to discuss this question with your direct report. Using something like the neurobox Self-Advocacy Template can help structure the discussion and make sure that your direct report is able to share what they need.

3 – Talk about what support is on offer – It’s your job as a line manager to then support your direct report with what changes your organisation might be able to offer to make sure they can do their job.

While being up to date with your organisation’s policies and procedures in advance is beneficial, no one expects you to have all the answers on the spot. For some ideas, you might be able to put them in place straight away. For others, you can take some time to listen to your direct report before finding out the answers.

You might want to speak to your HR contact, browse your organisation’s Intranet or use reputable online sources to learn more.

What is a disability?

In the UK, the definition of disability is given in a law called the Equality Act 2010.

Under the Equality Act, a person is disabled if they have a “physical or mental impairment that has a ‘substantial’ and ‘long-term’ negative effect on your ability to do normal daily activities”.

The definition of a disability has lots of elements but, in short, whether a person is disabled under UK law tends to be determined by the size of the impact – as well as how long the impact will last – on a person’s ability to do everyday activities.

Remember – it is important to maintain confidentiality and have your direct report’s consent to share any information about their disability with others at work!

How do I know I am saying the right thing?

Often, we can be worried about making a mistake and saying the wrong thing when someone shares more about their disability. However, most people would prefer that you engaged with them in a well-meaning way rather than avoiding the topic all together.

Here are some hints and tips for making you feel more confident when talking about disability:

1- Be Led by your Direct Report – Your direct report is likely to use terminology about themselves. If you are in doubt, ask them what words they like to use to describe themselves or their disability. For example, if someone lets you know about their autism, they may have different preferences about language. For example, Tom might like to say he is an autistic person whereas Jenny might like to say she is a person with autism. Neither one is wrong or right but, it is important to listen to each person and use the language they would prefer.

2- Ask and Research – If you haven’t come across a certain disability before, you might want to research and find out more. Your direct report might be able to signpost you to the best resources too! Your HR team may also be able to give you guidance. Knowing that you are willing to learn is often really important to people and makes them feel listened to and supported. The Business Disability Forum has some great resources you can use.

3 – Avoid Downplaying the Situation – One thing to avoid is trying to minimise the situation or feel as though you need to make the person ‘feel better’.

Examples to avoid include telling the person that you would have “never guessed they were disabled”, telling them “they don’t look sick” or comparing their disability to that of a friend or family member. This isn’t helpful and makes it seem as though you haven’t listened to what they have told you.

4 – Be Respectful – Above all, make sure to be respectful and give your direct report your full attention. Just listening attentively can go a long way to start the journey.

What Should I Do Next?

After listening to your direct report and exploring what they might need, you might be able to start putting in place reasonable adjustments.

What is a reasonable adjustment?

A reasonable adjustment is a change made to the way a job is done to make sure it is accessible to a disabled person. Using our Self-Advocacy Template can help uncover what changes might be supportive for your employee.

Under The Equality Act 2010, if someone lets you know that they have a disability – or you reasonably believe that they could be disabled – you have a legal duty to make reasonable adjustments to help them thrive at work.

In some cases – especially where your direct report might not know what would be beneficial themselves – it can be helpful to get professional advice to ensure you make the right adjustments.

How can neurobox support you?

We can help support you and your direct report to get the right adjustments in place through a Workplace Needs Assessment – a Workplace Needs Assessment is a conversation between your employee and a Workplace Needs Assessor. The Workplace Needs Assessments helps the assessor understand what their working day looks like; their role, responsibilities, tasks, strengths, and any challenges they are experiencing, all so that they can make useful recommendations to support them.

Find out more about our Workplace Needs Assessment and Adjustments.

Disability and Disclosure: How do I say the right thing?

What is Disclosure?

What should I do if someone tells me they have a disability?