When you have a small to medium-sized business, there is a lot to consider relating to employees.
These kinds of settings are usually more intimate, with many instances of the boss being the manager, as well as working on the shop floor. So, you will be more likely to know the staff that you work with well, and hopefully, this will improve communication.
One thing that the majority of staff report having concerns about in the workplace is accessibility, so if you have a workplace that hasn’t had an upgrade in a while, here are the signs it may be time to have an accessibility audit.
Employees Request Accommodations
The kind of accommodations that may be requested will differ based on the setting you work in. However, if your staff in the office are requesting screen readers, or your staff in the warehouse are requesting commercial wheelchair lifts, then this is a surefire sign that they feel things need to be upgraded. This may not be your fault; some environments are not built with accessibility in mind, and it can be the prompt you need to take action to help your staff do their roles as they want to.
Digital Tools aren’t Working!
The majority of software, webpages, and even PDFs are compatible with assistive technologies, as well as voice dictation, captioning, and keyboard navigation. If the software in your office doesn’t work or integrate with any of these modern updates, that’s an enormous red flag. If your staff regularly reports issues with accessing PDFs or training materials, this can be a sign that the systems in place need to be upgraded.
Physical Space Barriers
OK, many workplaces start their life as an old, disused office block. However, when you start hiring staff, issues with the physical space (or the building infrastructure) can look like doors that need to be forced to open, workstations that are not height-adjustable, and flickering lights. For those who use wheelchairs, hallways and doorways may be too narrow, causing an issue with moving through the space comfortably. These are very standard issues, but they can suggest that your workplace needs to have an accessibility upgrade.
Meetings Lock People Out
A core part of many workspaces is meetings. If it is noted that the meetings held in your workplace have no easy-to-set-up transcripts, presentations that rely solely on color combinations, have videos without captions, or that the important information is only delivered verbally, this can show that your communication practices need to be upgraded to a more inclusive design to help your staff.
Stress Among Employees
OK, so many people in the workplace will experience stress from time to time. However, if you have a staff member with a disability who seems disproportionately stressed, is isolating themselves, or reports feeling unsupported, then it may be time to look at the accessibility options in the current setting. You should aim to meet with the staff member and discuss openly with them what the issues are, and work together to make them feel supported. This will lead to higher morale and lower turnover.
Remember, as an employer, it is your responsibility to make sure that your staff can do their jobs, and leaving instances like these unchecked can be an issue that may face legal ramifications. So, work with your staff to prevent these issues and don’t ignore them.
