Self-Advocacy in the Workplace: Key Tips for Adults with Disabilities
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Self-Advocacy in the Workplace: Key Tips for Adults with Disabilities
Do you have a problem with self-advocacy?
Self-advocacy in the workplace is difficult for everyone, but adults with disabilities often have a more difficult time. Between unfair societal stigmas, the desire to not "cause problems," and general anxiety, it's stressful to be your own advocate!
It's important for you to be able to learn how to advocate for yourself if you want to have a successful career. We want to help.
Keep reading to learn all about how to advocate for yourself in the workplace, regardless of your disability.
First: What Is Self-Advocacy?
Self-advocacy in the workplace isn't as complicated or threatening as it sounds.
In short, you're standing up for yourself, but that doesn't mean that you're facing a threat or even opposition. It means that you're setting boundaries and making your needs heard.
By advocating for yourself, you're creating a roadmap for your success. You're going to be able to reach your goals and get any accommodations that you're looking for instead of fading into the background.
Keep in mind that no one knows what's going on inside your head. If you don't speak up for yourself and ask for what you need, no one can give it to you. Don't automatically assume that people aren't willing to help if you haven't yet told them that you need it.
Self-advocacy is only as hard as you make it, but here are a few tips.
Understand Your Worth
Before you start trying to advocate yourself, you need to remember that you're worth that advocacy. This can be difficult for many people who feel undeserving.
What you want and need matters.
When you're having these difficult discussions, remember that your voice is the most important. No one else gets to tell you what you need.
Also remember that, in most cases, people will be more than happy to listen to you if you give them a chance. They see you as worthy, but you also have to see yourself as worthy.
Know Your Goals
What are you trying to accomplish from this self-advocacy session?
If you don't know your wants, goals, and needs, it will be hard for you to convey them to the people at your workplace. Even a vague idea isn't quite enough if you want to successfully self-advocate.
Make a list of the goals that you want to achieve, the things that you feel that you're lacking, and how you plan on making changes.
Know Your Rights
You also need to know your rights as an employee.
Employees with disabilities are covered by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). This offers employees special protections against discrimination and allows them to get accommodations in the workplace.
These accommodations can include physical aids (like safety rails), speech-to-text programs, and more. Because you're entitled to those things, it's more than okay to advocate for yourself and ask for them!
Take a look at the ADA website to make sure that you know what you deserve as an employee with a disability. Different jobs may have different available accommodations, and sometimes the best accommodation is finding a different position.
When you know your rights ahead of time, you'll be prepared for whatever the other party says to you.
Plan It Out
Speaking of preparing, it's a good idea to plan out what you're going to say in-depth, especially if you're someone that suffers from anxiety. You can even jot down notes to make things easier for you. Don't be embarrassed about reading them during your meeting.
When you're planning out your "speech," take the previous sections into account. How are you going to talk about your goals? How do those goals connect to your rights?
Do you have potential solutions in mind, or do you want to work together to find something that works for both you and your employer?
You don't have to write out every word that you're going to say, but cover all of your key points and prepare for any follow-up questions that could happen.
Speak With Confidence
The most important thing that you can do when you're working on self-advocacy is to speak with confidence.
When you go into your meeting, you'll likely feel uncomfortable. That's normal, but try to quash that feeling. Remember, you deserve to say these things, and the other party is hearing you out.
If you meet opposition, speaking with confidence might be the difference between getting what you need and leaving disappointed.
If you have trouble with this, consider having someone join you for the meeting to back you up, especially if it's the first time that you've ever tried to advocate for yourself.
Keep a Paper Trail
Keeping a paper trail is crucial for any workplace conversation.
Even if you trust your employer to meet your requests, having a paper trail allows both of you to make sure that things happen in a timely fashion and that nothing is forgotten.
You don't have to record your conversation, but make sure that you follow up with an email containing an overview of the conversation, the things that you're requesting, and how the other party responded.
This keeps everyone accountable and makes for a smoother process later on.
Self-Advocacy in the Workplace: Can You Do It?
Self-advocacy is crucial if you want to have a happy and successful career. It's easy to assume that you won't get what you want, but you know that you won't get it if you don't ask for it.
Talk with confidence, know your goals, and plan out what you're going to say. Remember, you deserve this!
Are you looking to find your new career? We want to help you. Build a resume with us today and we'll help match you with a job that works for you and your disability.