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People with disabilities find relief when work-from-home jobs become a widely available option. However, they struggle using tech. The use of digital communication tools allowed people to accept instructions and work in the comfort of their homes. It also even made them sociable.
Today, technology is undoubtedly still lacking in inclusion. However, your business can set your disabled remote employees up for success. Below are some of the ways to do so:
#1 Determine their needs
As an employer, you need to determine the specific needs of your employees. This way, you will be able to make reasonable adjustments, particularly to the workspace. Ask your employees to help you determine the areas where they face challenges. Since people with disabilities are wrestling with issues different from one another, asking them directly is the easiest way to determine the best solution.
Accessibility overlay is one of the things that can make your business accessible for people with disabilities. It provides options that set changes on a website and allows users to navigate the page easier.
#2 Remote communications
When choosing a way to communicate with your employees remotely, consider disabled people. You should determine if the platform works for disabled individuals, particularly those with hearing or visual impairments. Good thing that some video-conferencing platforms today allow users to add closed captions to the system. This option works for hard-of-hearing and deaf individuals.
Other platforms also enable video conferencing with blurred backgrounds. This feature helps people who lip-read during calls to concentrate without background interference. The immersive reader is also available on some platforms, reading text aloud.
#3 Redesign their physical workspace
Some individuals may find it difficult to use a mouse for a long time. In such cases, voice dictation might be helpful. There are applications online that allow voice dictation, which turns speech into texts. You may also add punctuation marks and even smileys using voice commands.
#4 Regular breaks
For some individuals, working remotely makes them forget to take breaks. In addition, people with multiple sclerosis face the problem of fatigue every day, making the issue more difficult for them. For this reason, the importance of regular breaks should be emphasized. You can find many apps that promote regular breaks online.
#5 Keeping organized
Some employees are accustomed to work-from-home setups. However, people experiencing it for the first time may find it challenging, even more for people with disabilities. For example, individuals with dyslexia might find it hard to organize themselves. Encourage your employees to list tasks before beginning the workday. Among the best apps that can help with this is mind mapping software.
Final thoughts
Overall, remote work shouldn’t be a struggle but a relief for people with disabilities. As an employer, you should impose a working setup optimized with accessibility features, apps, and even strategies to help your employees. Equality in workplaces should be practiced even when designing your work setup. Besides, bright minds are not limited to those people who are able.
