Dialogue Without Limits: A Comprehensive Guide to Workplace Communication for All Abilities
Despite the spread of disability awareness, many people still use non-inclusive language at work. You might hear your coworkers casually dropping slurs. What’s worse is that they’re likely oblivious to the negative implications of their hurtful words.
Whether intentional or not, hate speech is inexcusable. There’s no room for foul remarks in a professional environment. Workplace leaders should foster healthy, respectful communication by setting clear guidelines on the proper way to engage with people with disabilities (PWDs). Everyone needs to learn respectful, inclusive language.
How To Talk to People With Disabilities
Be mindful of how you talk to PWDs. Accommodate their needs without patronizing them, pushing unnecessary help, or treating them like a child. Strive to treat them on equal footing while showing compassion.
Although the idea is straightforward, those who have limited experience working with PWDs might not know how to start conversations. Both being too casual and overcautious could come across as disrespectful. To give you a good starting point, we’ve listed some dos and don’ts when talking to someone with these common disabilities.
Cognitive Impairment
Use a normal tone when talking to people with cognitive impairment. You can pace yourself when speaking but don’t treat them like infants or toddlers who barely understand speech patterns. Be mindful without making them feel inferior or foolish.
Also, refer to them as people with cognitive impairment, learning disabilities, or intellectual impairment. Remove slurs from your vocabulary. Calling them the R-word, slow, or mentally handicapped in any setting is very offensive.
Note: You don’t have to keep confirming whether someone with cognitive impairment understood you or not. Read social cues and analyze the situation. Otherwise, saying “Do you understand me?” at the end of every sentence will feel patronizing.
Physical Disability or Mobility Impairment
Make eye contact when talking to people with mobility impairments—don’t mindlessly stare at their mobility aids. Yes, they’re the first thing you’ll notice. While it’s understandable to feel a bit curious, making the entire conversation about their disability is offensive.
Also, consider sitting down for long conversations. Respect their personal space and talk to them like you would with any non-PWD sitting down in a chair. Avoid leaning into their wheelchair or scooter if they’re using one.
Also, call them people with mobility impairment or wheelchair users. Outdated terms like wheelchair-bound, confined to a wheelchair, limp, lame, or deformed are very offensive.
Speech and Hearing Impairment
When talking to people with hearing impairment, face forward so that they can read your mouth movements. Use a clear, steady tone. Just be careful not to shout or speak unnecessarily slowly; otherwise, it could seem like you’re mocking them.
As for people with speech impairment, speak normally and focus on listening. They won’t be able to deliver words clearly. Some clarifications are understandable, but making them repeat every word they say will feel exhausting and embarrassing.
Please note that you should never call them mute or deaf. You can say people who are deaf/mute because they are people with hearing and speech impairments, but they’re not their disabilities.
Little People
Stop treating adults with dwarfism like kids, or worse, like they don’t exist. Seemingly harmless actions like bending down when talking to them, patting them on the head, reaching for something over them, or sharing a tasteless joke about their height are offensive. Just talk to them like you would with any other person.
Also, remove the words midget and dwarf from your vocabulary. You should refer to them as people with dwarfism, little people, or people of short stature.
Health Conditions
Be careful not to glamorize another person’s health condition. There’s a difference between wishing someone well versus highlighting their situation in some motivational-esque narrative. For instance, you can provide financial, physical, and psychological support if they ask. However, running “awareness campaigns” calling them superhuman, survivors, or battle warriors merely romanticizes their struggles.
How To Talk About People With Disabilities
Use inclusive language whether or not you’re talking to a PWD. Here are some general reminders when talking about or referring to someone who has a disability.
Refer to People With Disabilities by Their Names
Always use people-first language. Referring to PWDs by their disabilities, even if you use respectful language, reduces them to their conditions. Emphasize the person instead of their disability. It’s far more appropriate to refer to PWDs by their actual names than their apparent impairments.
You can only reference someone by their disability if you’re talking about a group of PWDs collectively. Just make sure you use politically correct terms. Of course, use your common sense and best judgment—always prioritize using people-first language whenever possible.
Tip: When in doubt, ask PWDs how you should call them. Most groups of PWDs would want you to use the name of their organization or association.
Only Bring up Disabilities When They’re Relevant
In line with using people-first language, only bring up a person’s disabilities when necessary. Let’s say you work with a wheelchair user. You can raise their condition when talking about accessibility solutions, but it won’t make sense to mention them during work-related meetings. Again, you shouldn’t reduce PWDs to their conditions.
Max Wesman, the founder & COO of GoodHire, advises professionals to separate individuals from their specific conditions. He says, “Carelessly referencing people by their disabilities perpetuates offensive stereotypes and encourages the use of derogatory language. Others might even think it’s okay to label PWDs. Just imagine how embarrassing it feels if the entire office identifies you by a medical condition you can’t control.”
Inclusive Language Extends to People Without Disabilities
Watch how you refer to people without disabilities, especially in the context of disabilities and impairments. Never imply that non-PWDs are superior. You shouldn’t refer to yourself or anyone without a disability as able-bodied, typical, of sound mind/body, healthy, or normal. It implies that PWDs can’t be healthy or normal, which is fundamentally false.
Never Objectify People With Disabilities
People often objectify disabilities in inspiration narratives. Although some might intend to raise awareness, placing PWDs in the spotlight for no reason only embarrasses them. Remember: they want to be treated like everyone else. There are many ways to raise disability awareness without romanticizing others’ struggles through pity fundraisers and programs.
Likewise, please note that it’s not your responsibility to “fix” another person’s disability. Shoving unwanted help onto them is merely patronizing. If you want to help a PWD, confirm if they need assistance and only do what they ask from you.
Tip: Avoid using euphemisms like disAbility, special people, empowered individuals, or differently abled. Although well-meaning, they come across as condescending. Stick to politically correct terms and people-first language instead of romanticized, glorified euphemisms.
Don’t Use Offensive Terms as Insults
This might seem like a no-brainer, but never use offensive terms as insults, even when joking around with your friends. Take the R-word as an example. Using it to describe mediocre performance or foolish behavior associates intellectual impairment with brainlessness. It’s offensive and reductive.
Fostering a Respectful Workplace for People With Disabilities
Foster a respectful workplace for all employees. Everyone, including those with and without disabilities, should feel welcome to express themselves and talk to one another. Don’t let physical, mental, and cognitive disabilities hinder social interactions.
If you don’t already work with PWDs, please consider including them the next time you’re headhunting. In all likelihood, there are several roles in your company that can accommodate them. Sign up for a PWD-inclusive job board like disABLEDperson.com, talk to their specialists about what your workplace needs, and upload your first job listing. Their specialists will guide you through the process of working with PWDs.