Employee trust is key to understanding the needs of staff with disabilities worldwide, according to new global research published by the Business Disability Forum today.
Organisations wanting to gain an accurate picture of their disabled workforce need to work on building trust, given that almost half of global employees (45%) do not feel comfortable sharing data, said the membership organisation. Employers need to be clear about the purpose of any data collecting activity; and how employees will benefit from sharing information about a disability.
‘Collecting Global Employee Disability Data: The challenges and enablers for disability-smart organisations’ looks at the experiences of 51 leading global organisations around gathering employee disability data. The research aimed to understand why global organisations gather employee disability data; the challenges they face; and how these can be overcome.
GROWING IMPORTANCE OF DISABILITY DATA
The research found that the importance of collecting employee disability data at a global level is growing. The findings revealed that 67% of organisations are already collecting global employee disability data in some form. Amongst those organisations that are not currently collecting data, 44% said they intended to do so within the next 18 months. The top three key reasons for collecting data, include:
- Advancing the inclusive culture of their organisation (89%).
- Understanding how many employees have a disability (86%).
- Encouraging more employees to share that they have a disability (84%).
However, many organisations also identified the multiple challenges around collecting data. Key challenges included:
- Employees not understanding the value in sharing data (65%).
- Employees not feeling comfortable sharing data (45%).
Organisations that had been collecting employee disability data for some time, expressed the importance of being clear from the outset about the purpose of the exercise; and the benefits that it would bring to the employee.
GLOBAL COMPLICATIONS
The research found that collecting data at a global level often added to the complexities and challenges. In-country laws and quotas, along with language and terminology, greatly affected what data is collected. Data capture approaches also varied significantly across a global organisation, with local approaches created to meet local data requirements. Around 42% of organisations reported the ‘lack of a consistent global definition of disability’ as a key challenge. Another 40% highlighted ‘challenges with mapping local data with globally consistent categories.
Commenting on the research, Diane Lightfoot, CEO of Business Disability Forum, stated: “Employers need an accurate picture of their workforce so they can provide the best support and opportunities for their employees and help close the disability employment gap. When it comes to gender, it is clear that measurement drives transparency, scrutiny and ultimately, results. But measuring disability is inherently much more difficult. Over 90% of disabilities are not immediately visible; and how to encourage your workforce to share is one of the most frequently asked questions of our Advice Service. Fear of being treated differently is one of the key reasons why employees do not share information about a disability or long-term condition. If we want to improve the working lives of disabled people, we need to create cultures built on openness and trust, where disabled employees feel safe to share with their employer.”
KEY RECOMMENDATIONS
Based on the research, Business Disability Forum has developed the following four key recommendations for global organisations looking to collect employee disability data.
Purpose: Develop a clear and compelling reason, or set of reasons, why employee disability data collection is important; and what it is intended to achieve.
Fundamentals: Establish globally consistent and locally resonant terminology, systems and resources, which makes global employee disability data collection work.
Leadership: Seek sponsorship, role modelling and accountability at the most senior level(s), which positions disability inclusion as a ‘call to action’ that impacts everyone.
Culture: Promote an organisational culture of psychological safety and trust, which enables employees to talk openly about disability and lived experience; without fear of detriment.
The research, sponsored by HSBC, includes insights from organisations such as Accenture, GSK, HSBC, Shell and Unilever. For further information about about the report click here.
Sign up for our newsletter
