This International Day of Persons with Disabilities (3 December), new research commissioned by Maximus UK highlights that managers do not feel fully equipped to support disabled employees.
Our study showed that one-in-five managers were not confident they would know what to do if an employee came to them with an issue related to their mental health, while 14 per cent said the same for a physical disability.
Almost two fifths (39 per cent) said their business could do with more training and resources to help them support disabled employees. And more than one-in-10 said their business provided none.
Similarly, only 45 per cent of managers said their business has the right systems and facilities in place to accommodate employees with a physical disability, while half of managers (49 per cent) said their organisation doesn’t get any specialist advice or follow any guidelines on employing people with a disability.
Margaret McNab, Managing Director, Health Division, said: “Employers have a duty of care to make sure their workforce feels fully supported.
“That’s why it’s really important that businesses have the right level of information, resource and support in place to allow their management teams to be in a position to fully accommodate any disabled person in their business.”
