Talking to Managers about Disability: Communication Tools

Most organizations have done the work to develop policies and practices that support disability inclusion in the workplace. Managers and supervisors play a key role in implementing these policies, and research has shown that one of the most important factors in how they do that is their belief that top management thinks disability inclusion is important.

This presentation will review critical topics in communicating about disability and an organizations belief in including people with disabilities to managers.  We will also introduce the Communication Tools to Support Disability Inclusion toolkit which allows workplace leaders (HR, Diversity and Inclusion, Company Owners or Executives) to send out the right messages to the right people in the right way. Here is what we mean:

• The right messages focus on the importance of disability inclusiveness to business success.
• The right people are managers and supervisors. They set the tone for disability inclusiveness in their own teams and across the organization.
• The right way is to use short burst messages that are simple, clear, relevant and engaging.