​​Creating a Thriving Environment: How Accessible is Your Organisation?​

Greater accessibility benefits all employees and can help overcome obstacles towards enabling equal opportunities. For businesses, accessibility plays a critical role in an organisation's ability to secure expertise from a diverse range of backgrounds, and as organisations strive to mitigate more of their own risks and maximise their growth, they must ensure that all practices and communications are fully accessible, end-to-end.

This is true for both the leadership team itself and during their recruitment processes, presenting the opportunity to facilitate stronger and more equitable relationships between individuals placed within those teams and the organisations themselves.

Odgers Berndtson and the disability charity, Scope, recently held an accessibility event where approximately 95% of the event’s delegates were disabled leaders. The primary panel discussion explored the question: ‘why are there not more senior disabled leaders in the UK?’. Across the board, guests attributed a lack of accessibility from organisations - both physical and perceived - as the critical driver in fewer disabled leaders reaching the most senior leadership roles. Below are the key insights from the discussion.

Shifting perceptions

The conversation ranged from the pivotal role of senior leaders acting as ambassadors and role models for younger disabled talent, to the impact of language on their expectations - specifically, how the conversation has changed from ‘getting disabled individuals into employment’ to ‘disabled leaders having successful and thriving careers’.

Also discussed was the desired shift in thinking of employers and society; that people are ‘dis-abled’ by their work environment, and not that people with varying experiences of the world need to adapt to fit society’s traditional models.

Additionally, the broader goal of embedding accessibility into every facet of organisational culture was high on the agenda. From re-examining recruitment processes, to communication strategies and everyday interactions, organisations need to be doing more to enhance their accessibility to disabled talent. Simple yet impactful measures, such as asking whether any reasonable adjustments are required for all candidates - and not just to those with a disability - can significantly enhance inclusivity.

Through ongoing reflection and collaboration, any organisation can commit to creating an environment where everyone can thrive.

Incorporating accessibility as a strategy

The quest for organisational accessibility goes above and beyond standard regulations, and is a journey towards empowerment, diversity and excellence. By embracing accessibility as a strategic priority, organisations can unlock the full spectrum of talent, foster innovation, and drive meaningful change in the communities they serve, whilst leveraging this talent to become stronger, more profitable, and more successful.

Odgers Berndtson’s report: How not-for-profits can lead the way to more accessible board rooms, investigated the causes of, and some of the solutions to, hidden inaccessibilities in the Not-For-Profit space. The report was compiled from more than 100 survey responses and revealed that:

Additionally, proactive initiation of these conversations would greatly ease the burden individuals currently face to getting the adjustments they need. 

To view an accessible, plain-text version of the report, please click here. 

Through an internationally diverse network of commercial and public talent, we help build transformational leadership teams with the expertise necessary to grow their organisations and accomplish their objectives. We partner with trade associations, professional bodies, charitable businesses, arts and heritage organisations, as well as government and public bodies in attracting and developing world-class leaders.

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Get in touch. Follow the links below to discover more, or contact our dedicated leadership experts from your local Odgers Berndtson office here.