Disability and ‘the soft bigotry of low expectations’

Kate Nash OBE, creator of Purple Space, shared her thoughts with me on why disability so often takes a back seat to gender, ethnicity, and sexuality in our discussions at work. Particularly as those with disabilities make up about 15% of the workforce, even if not all of them are obvious to others.

She reflects on ‘the soft bigotry of low expectations’.

What Kate says:

🧠 We find it hard to put ourselves into the shoes of others—people are often surprised that 85% of those with a disability develop it during their working lives.

🧥 Employers worry adjustments will cost a huge amount, but the average cost is £700.

🚆 Remote working has been brilliant for many with disabilities. People are experiencing less pain as a result of not commuting, they have more time to get ready for the day, and their homes are better tailored to their needs. If you have any doubt about the challenges of travel, listen to Baroness Grey-Thompson on the Fortunately podcast.

The bigger picture

In a time of talent shortages, we can’t afford to overlook 15% of the workforce. We need to consider their needs in our hybrid working policies.

💜 Get involved with the Purple Light Up on 3 December (the equivalent of Pride for disabled people)

🗣 Encourage your CEO to talk to the leader of your disability employee group

Next week:

I tackle the three questions people are currently asking about making hybrid work actually work.

Christine

PS. As promised my top 5 links for delving into the Metaverse and Web3 from last week’s episode:

• The Guardian podcast (slightly misses the blockchain point)

• The FT on it (sorry it’s pay-walled—ask a mate with a subscription?)

• Chris Rempel’s take on his blog (~40 min read, two parts… maybe get yourself a cuppa and comfy armchair)

• Disrupting the existing internet giants

• Real Vision: Can you get to this without ‘joining the revolution’?