According to a recent survey done in BC, many people with disabilities and different accessibility needs feel that their workplaces are letting them down.
This survey, conducted by a BC-based statistics firm called Research Co., found that one-third of the province’s residents who live with a disability face barriers “all” or “most” of the time.
Some disabilities are visible and some are not, either way, those who live with them constantly face either attitudinal or physical barriers in their everyday activities because many places are not designed to meet their needs.
When it comes to workplaces, 60% of British Columbias say they are “satisfied” with the accommodations their workplace makes to people with disabilities.
Meanwhile, among British Columbians who live with a disability, that satisfaction rate drops to 46%.
A mean of 55.5% of those living with disabilities in the province who took the survey say that universities, parks and beaches, stores and malls, their municipality, Canada and the province have satisfactory infrastructure and programs in place for them.
According to Research Co., many of the issues workers with disabilities face are related to:
- Devices or technological platforms not being accessible to those who require assistive devices – 23%
- Lacking consideration for individuals with sensory disabilities, such as hearing, seeing or learning – 27%
- Architectural or physical issues like elements of buildings or outdoor spaces creating barriers – 28%
Ableism in the workplace is often not a conscious choice by those who are in charge, but the impacts of their decisions where disabled persons are involved are felt within those communities.
As far as a solution to this issue goes, the onus is on all workers to vouch for each other to all have access and the ability to work at a fair and even level.
What do you think about your workplace? Does your employer go far enough to ensure all workers have proper accessibility and the resources to succeed? Let us know in the comments!
