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Work is stressful. And if we hide from the employer that we have special health needs, the stress of getting up early and challenging tasks is exacerbated by the heavy burden of secrecy.
You are afraid that sooner or later the secret will become clear. You work overtime to make others think you’re okay. And you are not alone in this! The Center for Innovation and Talent (CTI, New York) conducted the Disability and Inclusion study, which found that 30% of working people have certain health characteristics, including disability. And most don’t talk about it at work.
Only 39% of employees with disabilities reported health problems to their superiors. Even fewer people told colleagues (24%) and HR professionals (21%) about it. Almost no one shares their secret with clients – only 4% of respondents dared to do so. True, not everyone has the opportunity to hide the features of their condition.
13% of survey participants said that signs of their disability or other health problems are noticeable – this aspect of their identity cannot be hidden with all desire. Representatives of this group use a wheelchair or prostheses, rely on the help of a guide dog.
People with disabilities or disabilities decide when and to whom to disclose their status
There are much more of those (62%) whose features are invisible to society. “People around me won’t know that I have a disability or other problems if I don’t tell them myself,” they share. Such “invisible” health disorders include, for example, depression, mental disorders, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, diabetes.
26% of study participants reported that others notice or do not notice their features, depending on the circumstances. So, a person with poor eyesight can use a cane only in unfamiliar places, and in his own yard he can do without it. People with disabilities or disabilities decide when and to whom to disclose their status.
Tell me and be happier
As part of the study, it was found out how the disclosure of information about health characteristics affects the quality of life of working people. Those employees who do not hide their characteristics from colleagues are twice as likely to feel happy and satisfied at work (65% vs. 27%). They are also less likely to be nervous or anxious (18% vs. 40%) and much less likely to feel isolated from others (8% vs. 37%).
Chris Schlechty, Microsoft Software Engineer, has muscular dystrophy. In addition to his core job responsibilities, he has taken on the mission of “accessibility specialist”: Chris ensures that the company’s products meet the needs of people with all types of disabilities.
“If there’s a technical question about accessibility, Chris is the first person you turn to,” says his colleague Melissa. Chris identifies the needs of the market and conveys information about them to his superiors – and in this sense, his features work for him.
Silence cannot be spoken
But why do people generally try not to tell colleagues about the peculiarities of their health? There are reasons for that. Since 1990, the US has had the Disability Protection Act. This provision explicitly prohibits discrimination based on the characteristics of a person’s health.
However, even in the United States, legislation conflicts with harsh reality. A widely accepted culture of working relations can indirectly signal to employees that it is desirable to comply with the norms after all. In some cases, compliance with the standards is explicitly encouraged.
People with disabilities say they have many reasons to hide their condition. For example, they are afraid of being teased or even harassed. They worry that their relationships with colleagues will change. Many express concern that they may be seen as lazy or less capable by their superiors, and as a result, their career progression will stall.
Safe environment
Unfortunately, there is no perfect solution to the problem. But to understand how your colleagues and superiors are ready to introduce an inclusive culture at work is worth it. An inclusive culture implies the development of skills for the joint interaction of people with various types of disabilities, developmental disabilities and those who do not have health conditions.
What can you do if you want to feel freer and less worried about your secret being accidentally revealed?
1. Look for signs of support
Organizations signal to potential employees in different ways that they take inclusion seriously and support workers who are open about their health.
In such companies, even in the process of hiring, they try to make a good first impression on a future employee. Sometimes information that the company welcomes employees with disabilities is posted on the website.
2. Get to know your boss better
Of those who disclose information about the characteristics of their health, the majority communicates on this topic with their immediate supervisor. This makes sense: it is the bosses who directly influence access to equipment, can help with workload and flexible schedules.
CTI identified six qualities that indicate your boss’s readiness to adopt an inclusive culture. Such leaders:
- consider it important that every voice be heard,
- provide effective feedback
- listen to advice
- empower team members
- welcome new ideas
- share success with their team, not attributing achievements solely to themselves.
When employees with disabilities work under such a leader, the chances of encountering discrimination or bias are much lower. In such conditions, it is much safer and more comfortable to tell others about your disability or health characteristics.
3. Find an ally or organize a support group
If you don’t feel comfortable disclosing information to your manager, find a colleague you trust. You can try to organize a support group within the company that would bring together employees with special needs and those who are ready to help them.
If the features of your health are not noticeable to others, you have every right to talk about them as and when you see fit, or not to devote others to the details at all. But if the culture of your company or intimate communication with at least one of your colleagues is conducive to revealing this information, remember: talking about the characteristics of your health will really help you feel better.
Give yourself the opportunity to reduce stress, work and mind your own business without wasting resources on keeping a secret.