In this report, I will discuss a policy change I would like to recommend for your organization so that you can better comply with the Alberta Human Rights Act and foster an environment where everyone feels appreciated and included based on protected grounds such as race, religion, disabilities, gender or age. In the increasingly competitive business environment, organizations are realizing the value of promoting diversity and inclusiveness to enable a sense of belonging among top-talent employees. To maintain a competitive edge in the business environment in which it operates, your organization must create a work environment that promotes the rights of all workers, and not only because it is ethical. Therefore, I propose that you modify the company’s policy to reflect the Alberta Human Rights Act and advance these key principles by introducing reasonable accommodation programs for individuals with invisible disabilities.
The Proposed Change
Reasonable accommodations are the adjustments an organization makes to the work environment or job responsibilities after considering the needs of people with disabilities. Beatty et al. (2019) posit that when an organization implements policies tailored to the needs of people with disabilities, it benefits all stakeholders involved. My proposed change is also relevant because it emphasizes the need to train human resources, managers, and union representatives on disability regulations and necessary accommodations. Particularly, my report highlights that while there are people with visible physical disabilities, there is also a discriminated group of people affected by invisible disability. According to Norstedt (2019), a person with an invisible disability has one that is not visibly apparent to the average observer unless under exceptional situations or upon declaration by the impaired individual or another third party.
In the corporate sector, various stakeholders such as advocacy groups are increasingly addressing the challenges surrounding people with invisible disabilities such as chronic pain, learning difficulties, mental health disorders such as depression, autoimmune disorders, and sensory processing disorders (Syma, 2019). Invisible disabilities are often overlooked in the workplace if the workers are afraid to notify their supervisors or co-workers about their conditions. This makes it challenging for them to access the accommodations they require to work effectively like their counterparts. Thus, invisible disability should be treated with respect and consideration as visible physical disabilities. People with invisible disabilities at your organization should therefore be offered the same opportunities and access to resources as those without disabilities by providing them with reasonable accommodations and assistance.
Type of Change
The reasonable accommodation change proposed herein falls under an organizational and cultural shift. The organization’s culture, rules, and procedures must change to make people with invisible impairments a top priority. This shift calls for an all-encompassing strategy to be implemented to establish a setting that accepts and accommodates workers with invisible impairments. First, the organization should establish initiatives to raise awareness and educate staff about the challenges that people with inviable disabilities face in the workplace (Norstedt, 2019). These initiatives would encourage a more accepting and compassionate work environment by teaching employees to better understand and empathize with one another even when the others’ disabilities are not immediately apparent. Additionally, the organization should consider offering these individuals flexible work schedules such as working from home, working fewer hours per week, or other customized arrangements.
Thus, the company should set transparent rules and procedures explaining how workers may request and arrange alternative work schedules to meet individual requirements. Again, the organization may restructure work responsibilities or reallocate non-essential roles to accommodate people with invisible disabilities. This strategy guarantees that these individuals will have fewer disruptions in their workday and more time to concentrate on their primary duties (Norstedt, 2019). It is also vital to recognize that people with invisible disabilities struggle with mental health. Therefore, the organization can acknowledge this and provide free counseling services or implement employee assistance programs to promote an open and safe work environment where employees feel free to discuss their mental health.
Role of Management
It is possible that your organization’s managers may not realize the need to make adjustments for people with invisible disabilities if they do not perceive them as a real disability. Failure to provide reasonable accommodation for this group could result in reduced employee engagement, higher work-absence rates, and limited productivity (Alberta Human Rights Commission, 2021). To mitigate these challenges, the management team should learn more about invisible disabilities, how they affect employees, and what can be done to help those who work with them. They should also lead by example by treating all workers fairly and respectfully. They must be aware of their language, avoid making assumptions, and listen carefully to their workers’ concerns. Tantillo (2021) suggests that this will demonstrate their empathy, understanding, and support for all employees and enable the organization to develop a culture where employees feel safe admitting what they need to be more productive. Moreover, managers should provide the appropriate resources, such as monetary supplies or assistive technology tools, to assist workers with invisible disabilities. This may require them to work in tandem with human resources or expert external consultants experienced in invisible disability accommodations.
Employees’ Potential Reactions
Employees with invisible disabilities may become more productive if the organization implements the change. This is because it would enable them to access the resources and flexibility they need to meet their needs better and perform their duties without getting distracted. This could boost their morale, improve output, and enhance organizational productivity (Kensbock et al., 2016). Moreover, the change may improve team dynamics by creating an environment where staff members feel valued and engaged. Man et al. (2019) propose that when the organization’s workers see that their co-workers with invisible disabilities are being accommodated and considered in the organization’s policies, they will be more willing to collaborate with them through teamwork. The organization can benefit from the resulting insights, experiences, and problem-solving expertise which could result in greater creativity.
Research shows that organizations should anticipate various barriers during the adjusting period after implementing reasonable job accommodations. First, other colleagues may perceive that the adjustment is unfair because one team member receives preferential treatment. According to Kensbock et al. (2016), other employees within the organization may interpret that providing an accommodation reduces the receiver’s workload by lowering their inputs without changing the expected results. This may cause them to resist the change and reduce its potential to promote inclusion and diversity in the workplace effectively. In addition, communication breakdowns and insufficient understanding of the change will likely cause resistance. Employees may feel uneasy about the shift and its effects on their jobs, duties, and the company’s future without adequate communication and information. As a result of not knowing what to expect, workers may become anxious and resistant to the change.
Alberta Human Rights Act
This is a provincial statute whose overarching goal is to guarantee that everyone in Alberta is treated fairly and given equitable access to resources. This implies that organizations such as yours should make the workplace safe by eliminating bias in recruiting, promoting, and other workplace activities. The Alberta Human Rights Commission facilitates the resolution of human rights issues and promotes public knowledge after considering various employee needs (Alberta Human Rights Commission, 2021). The management team’s responsible for being familiar with the law and following its requirements. The act’s protected grounds include but are not limited to marriage status, race, religion, gender identity, age, physical and mental disability, and sexual orientation. The change proposed herein involves developing reasonable accommodation initiatives for people with invisible disabilities, which fall under the protected ground of disability under the Alberta Human Rights Act (Province of Alberta, 2023). The law shields people against discrimination based on their evident or invisible mental or physical disabilities. Conditions including chronic pain, mental disorders, or learning difficulties are categorized as invisible disabilities because they are not always obvious to outsiders.
From an HR perspective, reasonable accommodation changes may greatly benefit the organization by enabling it to recruit and retain top talent. Job seekers in today’s corporate market look for companies that value diversity and support employees living with disabilities. The organization may increase the number of people interested in working for it by accommodating this often discriminated group of people with invisible disabilities. Moreover, employees who feel supported are more likely to be actively involved in their work, experience high levels of job satisfaction, and be loyal to the organization (Edwards, n.d.). Secondly, the organization will reduce the risks associated with non-adherence to the law by providing these accommodations. Thus, your organization may reduce the likelihood of discrimination lawsuits and legal problems by responding to workers’ requests for reasonable accommodations. In addition to protecting the rights of people with disabilities, complying with the law may save money and keep you out of legal trouble, improving your public reputation.
Strategic Plan and Timeline
Month 1: Planning and Creating Awareness
The organization should establish a team of HR professionals, managers, and other key stakeholders to assess the current practices and organizational culture critically. Next, the team should educate the employees about the Alberta Human Rights Act and how it relates to the rights of people with disabilities. They should then develop teaching tools and training programs promoting awareness about people with invisible disabilities. This strategy is congruent with Section 17 of the AHRA, which posits that the commission requires institutions to develop educational programs designed to eliminate discriminatory practices on the grounds of disability (Province of Alberta, 2023).
Month 2: Introduce Flexible Work Arrangements
The management team should examine and revise current regulations governing job flexibility or create new ones entirely. It should establish open and understandable guidelines and processes for workers to request scheduling adjustments and ensure everyone knows what is expected. At this stage, the organization should also offer the management team training so that it can efficiently implement flexible work arrangements and adequately address any employee concerns that are voiced.
Month 3: Reorganizing Work Responsibilities
The organization must thoroughly analyze the roles and duties of every employee at the company. Through the HR department, it should find out which jobs or responsibilities can be adjusted to support people with invisible disabilities. The workers affected by the change should be made aware of the adjustments and offered extra support or training that they may need.
Month 4: Mental Health Support Programs
The management team should provide counseling services, employee support programs, and other relevant measures to foster open dialogue about mental health within the organization. This aligns with Section 3 of the Alberta Human Rights Act, which posits that no one should be discriminated against for their mental disability (Province of Alberta, 2023).
Minimizing Resistance
The first step to mitigating opposition to the change is to ensure that everyone in the organization understands the rationale behind the adjustment. Thus, the company should communicate what employees can expect to gain from the change and how it will help the company meet its ethical and legal responsibilities. This entails providing them with learning materials that dispel myths and shed light on invisible disabilities. Additionally, Ryamaker et al. (2020) insist that employees will be less resistant to change if they are engaged in decision-making on executing reasonable accommodation programs most effectively. This interactive strategy builds their trust in the organization, reduces resistance, and increases ownership of the programs.
Metrics to Support the Change
The organization can track the number of accommodation requests and their resolution status to evaluate how well procedures and policies work after implementing the changes. Monitoring this metric will allow the company to observe patterns and learn more about how to accommodate employees with invisible disabilities better. According to International Labor Organization (2016), it can also conduct regular employee feedback surveys to gauge employee satisfaction and collect data on the execution of reasonable accommodation programs. This indicator assesses how well the accommodations are implemented and how satisfied employees are with the changes. It aids in identifying opportunities for improvement by bringing to light any persisting problems that should be addressed within the change implementation.
Conclusory Remarks
Based on the research within this report, your organization can boost employee morale, recruit and retain top personnel, and reduce legal and reputational concerns by conforming to the Alberta Human Rights Act and fostering a supportive and accommodating work environment. The organization can cultivate a culture that accepts and considers the different needs of its staff by raising awareness of invisible disabilities, offering flexible work arrangements, restructuring duties, and providing mental health assistance. Nevertheless, to successfully implement these changes and pave the road for a more inclusive and fair workplace, management must minimize resistance through clear communication and engaging employees.
References
Alberta Human Rights Commission. (2021). Duty to Accommodate. https://albertahumanrights.ab.ca/publications/bulletins_sheets_booklets/bulletins/Documents/Duty%20to%20accommodate%20(April%202021).pdf
Beatty, J. E., Baldridge, D. C., Boehm, S. A., Kulkarni, M., & Colella, A. J. (2019). On the treatment of persons with disabilities in organizations: A review and research agenda. Human Resource Management, 58(2), 119–137.
Edwards, J. (n.d.). Mastering strategic management: 1st Canadian edition. BCcampus.
International Labor Organization. (2016). PROMOTING EQUITY PROMOTING DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION THROUGH WORKPLACE ADJUSTMENTS A PRACTICAL GUIDE. https://www.ilo.org/wcmsp5/groups/public/—ed_norm/—declaration/documents/publication/wcms_536630.pdf
Kensbock, J. M., Boehm, S. A., & Bourovoi, K. (2016). Is There a Downside of Job Accommodations? An Employee Perspective on Individual Change Processes. Frontiers in Psychology, 8. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2017.01536
Man, X., Zhu, X., & Sun, C. (2019). The Positive Effect of Workplace Accommodation on Creative Performance of Employees With and Without Disabilities. Frontiers in Psychology, 11. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2020.01217
Norstedt, M. (2019). Work and invisible disabilities: Practices experiences and understandings of nondisclosure. Scandinavian Journal of Disability Research, 21(1), 14–24.
Province of Alberta. (2023). ALBERTA HUMAN RIGHTS ACT. https://kings-printer.alberta.ca/documents/Acts/A25P5.pdf
Raymaker, D. M., Teo, A. R., Steckler, N. A., Lentz, B., Scharer, M., Delos Santos, A., & Nicolaidis, C. (2020). “Having all of your internal resources exhausted beyond measure and being left with no clean-up crew”: Defining autistic burnout. Autism in adulthood, 2(2), 132-143.
Syma, C. (2019). Invisible disabilities: Perceptions and barriers to reasonable accommodations in the workplace. Library Management, 40(1/2), 113–120.
Tantillo, J. F. (2021). An Invisible Truth: How Courts, Congress, & the ADA Have Failed to Support Reasonable Accommodations in the Workplace for People with Mental Illness. Syracuse L. Rev., 71, 903.
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