Business Case for Diversity

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Business Case for DiversityWe are at a competitive disadvantage if We are at a competitive disadvantage if we fail to recognize the needs of our we fail to recognize the needs of our constituentsconstituents

Diversity is more than simply desirable; it is an imperative in today’s business environment.

Diversity

Labor Pool

Creativity/

Innovation

Custom

ers/ C

onsumers

Corporate

Citizenship

Better Business Results

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Aspects of Diversity Benefits• Labor PoolLabor Pool

• Changing, broadeningChanging, broadening• Creativity & InnovationCreativity & Innovation

• From diverse perspectives, methodologies, From diverse perspectives, methodologies, experiencesexperiences

• Customers / ConsumersCustomers / Consumers• Influenced by a company’s reputation for Influenced by a company’s reputation for

supporting diversitysupporting diversity• Corporate CitizenshipCorporate Citizenship

• Responsible involvement in the wider communityResponsible involvement in the wider community

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Benefit$ to Business• Insight into multi-billion dollar market segmentInsight into multi-billion dollar market segment

• Product / service designProduct / service design• Market understandingMarket understanding• Appealing product / servicesAppealing product / services• Favorably viewedFavorably viewed

• Employee retention• Investment• Loyalty

• Tax Incentives

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Benefit$ to Business• Insight into multi-billion dollar market segment

• Product / service design• Market understanding• Appealing product / services• Favorably viewed

• Employee retentionEmployee retention• InvestmentInvestment• LoyaltyLoyalty

• Tax Incentives

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Benefit$ to Business• Insight into multi-billion dollar market segment

• Product / service design• Market understanding• Appealing product / services• Favorably viewed

• Employee retention• Investment• Loyalty

• Tax IncentivesTax Incentives

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The Impact of Invisible Disabilities• Many people with Invisible Disabilities do not disclose their Many people with Invisible Disabilities do not disclose their

disabilities for fear that it will change others’ perceptions of them.disabilities for fear that it will change others’ perceptions of them.

• Those with Invisible Disabilities don’t want their condition to define Those with Invisible Disabilities don’t want their condition to define them, so they keep it quiet. them, so they keep it quiet.

• Because these disabilities are invisible those with the disabilities Because these disabilities are invisible those with the disabilities feel that they won’t be believed when they do disclose their feel that they won’t be believed when they do disclose their conditions.conditions.

• The visibly disabled have much more opportunity to dispel fears The visibly disabled have much more opportunity to dispel fears and to change misperceptions than do those whose disability and to change misperceptions than do those whose disability cannot be seen. cannot be seen.

Source: Source: Academy of Management ExecutiveAcademy of Management Executive, 1994 Vol.8, No. 1, 1994 Vol.8, No. 1

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The Impact of Invisible Disabilities

• ““The courts can not legislate social acceptance of people with The courts can not legislate social acceptance of people with disabilities, and it is not possible to enforce changes in public disabilities, and it is not possible to enforce changes in public behaviors or attitudes.”behaviors or attitudes.”

• ““Educational efforts, training options, and overall awareness efforts Educational efforts, training options, and overall awareness efforts are the most important steps in moving toward acceptance of those are the most important steps in moving toward acceptance of those individuals with invisible disabilities.”individuals with invisible disabilities.”

Augmentation and AdvocacyAugmentation and Advocacy 38 (Fall 2001) 38 (Fall 2001)

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Topics

• BackgroundBackground• What are Invisible Disabilities?What are Invisible Disabilities?• How Does the ADA Apply to Your How Does the ADA Apply to Your

Business?Business?• Business CaseBusiness Case• RecommendationsRecommendations

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Dos & Don’tsPractical ApplicationPractical Application

What you should do when an employee What you should do when an employee informs you they have a hidden informs you they have a hidden disabilitydisability

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Do• Realize ‘Access’ includes making forms useable Realize ‘Access’ includes making forms useable

and alarms accessibleand alarms accessible

• Find out about the disability (as easy as Wikipedia)Find out about the disability (as easy as Wikipedia)

• Develop procedures for maintaining and protecting Develop procedures for maintaining and protecting confidential medical recordsconfidential medical records

• Be respectful of, and compliant with, requests for Be respectful of, and compliant with, requests for assistanceassistance

• Treat an individual with a disability the same way Treat an individual with a disability the same way you would treat any employee -- with dignity and you would treat any employee -- with dignity and respectrespect

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Don’t• Make assumptions; people with disabilities are the best judge Make assumptions; people with disabilities are the best judge

of what they can or cannot do of what they can or cannot do

• Speculate how you would perform a specific task with that Speculate how you would perform a specific task with that particular disabilityparticular disability

• Assume that certain jobs are more suited to persons with Assume that certain jobs are more suited to persons with disabilitiesdisabilities

• Make medical judgmentsMake medical judgments

• Assume a disabled person is dissatisfied with their quality of Assume a disabled person is dissatisfied with their quality of lifelife

• Be offended if your offer of assistance is declinedBe offended if your offer of assistance is declined

• Assume that reasonable accommodations are expensiveAssume that reasonable accommodations are expensive

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Online Resources State of New Mexico Governor’s Commission on Disability State of New Mexico Governor’s Commission on Disability www.gcd.state.nm.uswww.gcd.state.nm.us

The Job Accommodation Network The Job Accommodation Network janweb.icdi.wvu.edujanweb.icdi.wvu.edu ADA Homepage ADA Homepage www.usdoj.gov/crt/adawww.usdoj.gov/crt/ada U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission www.eeoc.govwww.eeoc.gov National Organization on Disability www.nod.org National Organization on Disability www.nod.org Legal Research Legal Research www.findlaw.comwww.findlaw.com Government disability-related information and resources Government disability-related information and resources www.disabilityinfo.govwww.disabilityinfo.gov

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Questions?