How Working From Home Has Helped Disabled Employees

While COVID-19 caused unprecedented issues, disabled employees working from home are finding huge benefits in the new normal.
disabled employees working from home

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, many businesses across the country have stopped office operations and begun working from home. While this change may have caused unprecedented issues for some people, those facing daily challenges due to disability may find a huge number of benefits from working at home. Here, we explore how working from home may help disabled employees.

Don’t Need to Tackle a Commute

For people with limited mobility, working from home may offer a whole host of advantages. Firstly, it will mean they don’t have to tackle a daily commute and can simply head to their home workspace to get started with their day. This will be particularly beneficial to those who cannot leave their home due to their condition and therefore struggle with employment. There are a range of wheelchair accessible vehicles for disabled people that are designed to offer freedom and independence, which may be beneficial to those that need to travel a little more as lockdown restrictions begin to ease.

Can Start the Day Later in Comfortable Surroundings

Working from home may mean that people can enjoy a slower start to the morning. Instead of rushing around first thing and heading out to face the daily commute, employees can enjoy a little longer in bed in the morning – which could make a huge difference to the quality of life of those struggling with a condition such as fibromyalgia. It also means that people can relax more in the comfort of their own home, with the familiarity of their surroundings and facilities. This takes away any concern over accessibility or available facilities that people with disabilities may face when heading out and about on business.

Able to Attend Meetings Virtually

Disabled people may also find they have increased opportunities to attend meetings or conferences virtually while working from home, thanks to online platforms such as Zoom and Microsoft Teams. For those struggling with limited mobility due to their condition, travelling long distances to attend meetings in person may not be possible. But thanks to the increased use of online video call platforms, disabled people may have more opportunities to connect with their fellow employees or customers in the workplace.

Able to Access Further Learning Online

With lockdown restrictions meaning many people were unable to leave home for an extended period of time, many learning institutions have made their courses fully accessible online. This will be hugely advantageous for disabled people who were unable to partake in further learning or development due to limited mobility, as they can now complete courses from the comfort of their own home.

It’s clear to see that the changes we’ve made to the way we work through lockdown may present long term benefits for employees with disabilities.

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