Managers play an important role in leading an effective team to achieve department, team or organisational goals. It is about bringing out the best in individuals and the group collectively with motivation and support. It is also essential that managers are disability confident and understand access and inclusion in order to create positive career experiences for people with disability.
With a collective commitment and consistent approach, managers can increase the engagement and job satisfaction of people with disability, support career development opportunities and cultivate our future leaders.
Key outcomes for managers
- Increased employee satisfaction and engagement for people with disability
- Employees demonstrate understanding, confidence, and capability to employ and support people with disability
- Workplace expectations of employees with disability are met (for example, increased workplace engagement and satisfaction)
- All employees are empowered to identify and challenge negative stereotypes and promote positive attitudes towards disability
Sharing and Monitoring Disability Information
In line with the social model of disability, the Victorian public sector is committed to providing inclusive and respectful workplaces free from discrimination. To ensure we create that environment, we have reframed how we talk about ‘disability disclosure’. We encourage people with disability to share their disability information and feel safe to provide us with meaningful information for our continuous improvement.
The Victorian public sector currently monitors disability information using the People Matter Survey (PMS). This is confidential and de-identified and focuses on the overall workplace experiences of people with disability. The PMS captures rich data about engagement, job satisfaction, and other characteristics of the work environment as well as workplace adjustments. As part of our commitment to increasing access and inclusion we will use this tool to measure our progress towards achieving positive workplace experiences for people with disability.
The Australian Network on Disability (AND) has developed a guide to provide advice on how to ask people about their disability information. You can use the guide to help employees while also complying with the Disability Discrimination Act.
Downloadable guides and videos are available on the Australian Network in Disability website.
Mental Health in the workplace
As a manager some of your work will include minimising stress experienced by employees, performance management, or supporting people with mental health conditions.
If one of your staff members is at risk of or is experiencing stress or a mental health condition it is critical that you are supportive and proactive.
For more information on how to increase mental health awareness and create supportive workplaces, please refer to the Heads Up healthy workplaces website.
Checklist – How disability friendly is your workplace?
Refer to this handy checklist to track your progress toward access and inclusion. Key considerations include your policies and procedures, job descriptions, advertising, interview, selection, and retention strategies. View the federal government’s checklist on the Australian Public Sector Commission website.
Forums and Networks
Connecting with others is an important part of creating an accessible and inclusive workplace. Our forums, networks, and champions are great way to increase your understanding of disability and help us embed access and inclusion in everything we do.
We have established forums and networks listed below:
Disability Champion Round Table
The Disability Champion Round Table consists of Deputy Secretaries nominated by the Victorian Secretaries Board who are accountable for the delivery of fit for purpose actions that lead to meaningful employment and increased representation of people with disability across every level of their organisations. The group meet at a minimum of twice a year.
Disability Employment Community of Practice
The Disability Employment Community of Practice (CoP) provides a dedicated network for human resource managers and diversity and inclusion teams to learn about and share practical examples, experience, and resources related to disability employment. The CoP also actively supports Getting to work and acts as an advocate for its outcomes. The CoP meets at a minimum of every second month.
Enablers Network
The Enablers Network is an employee-led association for people with lived experience of disability and their allies in the Victorian public sector, first established in 2016. The Enablers Network is an inclusive, supportive, and welcoming forum for people with disability and their allies to express a strong and united voice for change. It is the first sector-wide association for employees with disability in any State and Territory public sector. The purpose of the Enablers Network, in supporting Victorian Government departments and agencies to become leading disability confident employers, is to advance equity, equality, accessibility, and inclusion for people with disability in the Victorian public sector.
Disability Employee Networks
Throughout the public sector there are several Disability Employee Networks, including;
- Autism Success Network
- Victoria Police Employment Accessibility Advocacy Network
- DELWP Enablers Network
- DHHS Enablers Network
For more information and contact, please visit the VPS Enablers Network.
Employment Assistance Fund (EAF)
The Employment Assistance Fund (EAF) is a federal government assistance program that provides financial assistance to purchase work related adjustments for people with disability. These can include workplace adjustments, adaptive equipment, Auslan interpreting, and training.
To apply, visit the Job Access website.
JobAccess
For confidential expert advice on matters relating to the employment of people with disability, contact the JobAccess Advisers free of charge.
Free call: 1800 464 800
Fax: 08 9382 9277
Online: Online Enquiry Form
Post: PO Box 1764, Osborne Park DC, WA 6916