Disabilities
We are committed to fostering a diverse and inclusive workplace where everyone feels valued and supported.
We are committed to fostering a diverse and inclusive workplace where everyone feels valued and supported.
Understanding the needs and experiences of individuals is crucial. To that end, we are implementing DEI Data Monitoring across our employee lifecycle as well as a DEI pulse survey. These data points will provide us with valuable insights to develop a targeted action plan towards creating a more inclusive environment for all. To ensure we're on the right track, we will partner with a renowned provider to conduct a comprehensive audit of our policies, processes, and systems.
This will help us identify areas where we can improve and develop a rigorous DE&I plan that encompasses all aspects of diversity, including disability. And we will work towards achieving an accreditation for our DE&I and wellbeing initiatives. This accreditation will provide rigour to this important work and validate our commitment to creating an inclusive and supportive workplace for all employees.
We seek to embrace inclusion at all stages of the employee journey.
We ask for reasonable adjustments during interviews and onboarding to ensure that everyone can thrive and succeed in our organization. We believe in data-driven decision-making and have been collecting disability data from applicants for the past year, enabling us to build a DE&I dashboard. This dashboard will provide valuable insights to ensure equity in the attraction, selection, and hiring process of individuals with disabilities.
Embracing neurodiversity is key as we recognize the unique strengths and perspectives that all differences can bring to our workplace including those who identify as neurodivergent.
That's why we have a dedicated action plan being created to support an inclusive and supportive environment where everyone can thrive. We believe that diversity is a strength, and through our strategic choices, we are taking tangible steps towards a brighter, more equitable future.
People with physical impairments – have (different) access needs
People who are sight impaired/severely sight impaired – may find difficulty with getting information (250 people every day in UK diagnosed with sight loss)
Deaf/deaf people (written “D” and “d” because Deaf people don’t necessarily consider themselves disabled, they just speak another language)
People with hearing impairments – may have difficulty with getting information - >70% over 60’s have hearing impairment - 2 million use a hearing aid, 7% have tinnitus
People with speech impairments – may have difficulty with giving information and many assumptions are made about their intelligence
People with learning difficulties - may have difficulty with absorbing/processing information
People with mental health issues (such as anxiety, depression, agoraphobia etc)
People who are neuro-diverse (ADHD, Autism, Dyspraxia, and Dyslexia all fall within the spectrum of “Neurodiversity” and are all neurodiverse conditions)
People with long term health conditions (such as diabetes, asthma, HIV etc)
People with invisible impairments (arthritis, cancer treatment, Crones)
Limited job opportunities.
Barriers to employment.
Stigma and stereotyping.
Inadequate workplace accommodations.
Communication challenges.
Physical and mental health strain.
Financial strain.
Unemployment and underemployment.
Lack of professional development opportunities.
Social isolation.
At the end of 22, I had a full-blown flare up of Rheumatoid Arthritis (did not know that at the time), I was unable to walk, unable to use my hands as they were swollen and inflamed, I had chronic fatigue. I was back and forth to the doctors having blood tests and other tests to ascertain what the problem was, eventually one of the blood tests came back with a rheumatoid factor or 307, way above the levels that would indicate Rheumatoid Arthritis. Eventually I got an appointment (by using the company's private healthcare) with a Rheumatologist who was able to confirm that I had Rheumatoid Arthritis. I was then put on medication that supresses my immune system thus stopping it from attacking the joints and causing inflammation. The first lot of medication did not work for me and started to impact my liver. I am currently on medication that looks like it is stopping the degeneration of the joints, again it is an immune suppressant. Currently I am managing, I have been fully supported by BMT, having gone through an Occupational Health Assessment, I have new equipment that will support me working along with tools (speech to text). I am able to work in a flexible way that supports me and the customer work that I am on.
“I had suffered for a number of years with aches and pains and to be blunt put it down to my age!!"
I am open and honest to my customers about my condition, noting that at times I cannot make the journey up to London and therefore carry out meetings virtually. Not all of my colleagues know about my condition, I do not want to be treated any differently than before, I have a couple of trusted colleagues who will tell me when they think I am overdoing things and I am able to make adjustments.
I never realised until having the Occupational Health Assessment how I would have to make adaptions to my work and home life and I am still getting used to the aspects of my home life that I need to adapt.
Corrina Weller - Principal Consultant, Bath, UK
I have always been a positive person and accepting and making changes have been important to me, I am of the mind, that I can either let the condition control me or I control it. It will come as no surprise that I am not letting it control me, I find ways to do the things that I want to.
“I was 9 years old when my sister Maddison was born, she had a straightforward birth with no complications or issues. Maddison started suffering from seizures from around 2weeks old which caused significant brain damage."
She is now 21, she is unable to talk and requires a wheelchair 90% of the time. Maddison has never been a part of the workforce due to her severe disabilities but none the less has been excluded from societal norms and there have been occasions when my mum has experienced verbal abuse when out with my sister. I also have a younger brother, and growing up our lives were very different than our peers with constant hospital visits, numerous rides in ambulances and living in constant worry and fear. Unless you’ve lived with a disability or lived with / personally know someone close who has a disability, I think it can be difficult to fathom or relate with how hard life is for some in society, especially those with disabilities! Which is why work panels and forums where we discuss disability are so important.
Demi Howell - People Co-ordinator, Bath, UK
I found out in my early 20’s, during my offshore medical that one ear was not hearing as well as it should be, and the other ear was compensating for it. I never realised how bad my hearing was. Then I got hearing aids and for the first time in many years I was able to hear the birds’ tweet and cars go by. I am waiting for an operation to hopefully help with hearing loss as the hearing aids are not working as well as they should be. I find it extremely difficult hearing people who speak quietly, and in turn makes me feel rather embarrassed when I constantly have to ask for them to repeat what they are saying. The other issue I have is too much background noise in an office, as I can only focus on one sound which makes it all a little overwhelming.
"I am a very sociable person and love to attend conferences, but I try to stay clear of this as I feel I'm representing the company and if I cant hear what I'm being asked, i'ts not going to look good for BMT. Hopefully after I get this operation, I will be back to my usual social self 😊"
Diana Turner - Principal Consultant, Aberdeen, UK
