Finding A Cultural Fit: The Impact of Company Culture on Disability Support
The above picture shows a man in a wheelchair at his work desk with a co-worker looking on. From Pixels.com
Finding A Cultural Fit: The Impact of Company Culture on Disability Support
According to the
Bureau of Labor Statistics, 21.3% of people living with a disability
were employed in 2022. Of these individuals, 30% were employed part-time.
Although it’s great to see individuals living with disabilities employed,
they’re still much less likely to find work than people who aren’t living with
a disability.
This could be because many companies lack the
support and resources needed to accommodate employees living with a disability.
They can’t guarantee an environment that accommodates and empowers these
employees.
If you’re looking for indicators that a
company can support you and your disability in the workplace, look no further
than its culture.
Want to
Know If a Company Can Support You? Look at Their Culture.
Company culture is a set of values, behaviors,
and standards that set the tone for how a business and its employees are to
function. A company’s culture can impact how employees perform and how
successful a company is overall.
For instance, a negative company culture
prioritizes results over employee wellness. Managers at such a company often make
employees apprehensive, and they fail to cultivate a culture of teamwork. This
type of culture can lead to disengagement, and the high-pressure environment
will lead to burnt-out employees who can’t produce. And that, in turn, affects
the company's ability to achieve its goals.
On the other hand, a positive company culture
puts the needs of employees first and ensures the workplace is inclusive and
supportive. An environment like this makes employees feel welcome regardless of
their abilities, backgrounds, or experiences. It also provides the tools and
resources employees need to do well in their roles, fueling a productive
operation.
A company that can accommodate your needs will
have a positive company culture with dedicated resources and support for
employees living with disabilities. But to find the right one for you, you
first need to define what you need.
Define
What You Need First
Each person’s experience with their disability
is unique to them. You have specific needs that, when accommodated, make work
and life much easier to navigate. Define what those needs are so that you can advocate for yourself in the workplace.
For example, people living with a chronic
health condition or disability tend to need the following to succeed in their professions:
●
Time for self-care
●
The option to work remotely
●
An open dialogue with managers
●
A manageable workload
●
Clear boundaries in the workplace
If these are your needs too, they should be on
your list of requirements for jobs and companies you plan to work for. If a
company doesn’t check off all or most of your boxes, it isn’t the right fit for
you.
How to
Assess a Company’s Culture
Thoroughly assessing a company’s culture is
necessary to ensure it can genuinely support you and other individuals
working with a disability. Start your evaluation with a deep dive
into the company’s online presence.
Dive
Into the Company’s Online Presence
You can get a lot of insight into a company’s
culture through its online presence. You can find out about its foundation,
who’s currently on the team, and what kind of resources and support they have
for employees.
Start with their website. Visit the About page
and make notes about the company’s core values, mission, and team. Any
information about social responsibility commitments is helpful too. Visit the careers
page as well. There will be more in-depth information about the company
culture, benefits, and what candidates can expect when they’re hired.
Social media is also worth exploring. Good
companies share content that gives a glimpse into a day in the life of
employees. You’ll also get to see what the company is working on and how
they’re contributing to the community.
Finally, read over any articles or
publications the company’s been featured in and take a look at any events the
company’s leadership team has been a part of.
Lean On
Current and Former Employees
Current and former employees are some of the
best sources to tap into to find out about a company’s culture and its ability
to support individuals living with disabilities. Lean on them to learn about
the work environment.
LinkedIn is a good starting point for this. If
you type in a company, it usually tells you who of their employees are on the
platform. You can befriend them and eventually spark up a conversation about
what it’s like to work at the company.
You can also visit job review sites like
Glassdoor to comb through what former employees said about their experience
working at the company.
Does the
Culture Align With You?
A company could have good core values, a
commitment to inclusion, and a relatively positive workplace environment. But
does what they have to offer truly align with who you are and what you need?
You want to work for a company that doesn’t
just accommodate your disability needs but also allows you to be your authentic
self.
Once you learn of the values, standards, and
behaviors that make up a company culture, compare them to your core values,
standards, and how you define appropriate behavior in the workplace to see if
they align.
Consider
Other Options if You Can’t Find a Suitable Company
Searching for a job as a person living with a
disability can prove incredibly difficult. It can be so challenging that you
end up not finding a suitable company after scouring many job ads. If it comes
to this, don’t be afraid to consider other options, like transitioning to self-employment.
When you work for yourself, you’re in charge.
You can create the company culture you need to thrive.
For instance, you can set your pay and ensure
you’re able to cover your bills and healthcare costs without issue. You can
also set a schedule that allows a healthy work-life balance to ensure your mind
and body are well taken care of.
If you can’t find a company that adequately
supports your needs right now, try entrepreneurship. You can always resume your
job search if it doesn’t work out.