Isabelle Corbett-Etchevers, Grenoble IAE Graduate School of Management
A recent op-ed published in the newspaper *Libération* presented remote work as an opportunity to reduce inequalities related to disabilities and to experiment with new, more egalitarian and inclusive workplace relationships.
In fact, by eliminating the constraints associated with commuting—and, conversely, by sometimes imposing environmental constraints on workers who work from home—telework can promote greater equality between people with disabilities and people without disabilities.
However, as is always the case with disabilities, it all depends on the type of disability. Here, we share the story of Sylvain*, a computer engineer with a visual impairment who is gradually losing his footing in an increasingly visual world.
Misunderstandings and Frustrations
Sylvain is the “one-of-a-kind” employee that any human resources director looking to boost the percentage of employees with disabilities would dream of. After becoming partially blind at age 16, he spent a brief period at the National Institute for Young Blind People (INJA) learning Braille before returning to a “normal” education: a science-focused high school diploma, preparatory classes, and a prestigious engineering school.
He then worked for several large corporations. While working as a research and development engineer, he also pursued a Ph.D. in computer science and, a few years later, earned his qualification to supervise doctoral research.
At his company, the job accommodation consists of a Braille display that he rarely uses, as it is not very compatible with computer software and draws too much attention to his difference. Without a white cane or thick-lensed glasses, his visual impairment is virtually invisible.
Under these circumstances, it is difficult to explain to colleagues that, at a normal viewing distance from a screen, he can only make out three characters side by side in 11-point font, or that he reads a scientific article at a rate of one page per hour.
Frustrations and misunderstandings are part of his daily life. Like when a bus driver tells him that he’d also like to have a disability card so he could ride for free. When his manager denies an expense report that exceeds the authorized limit by a few euros—he hadn’t been able to read the restaurant menu and had followed the waiter’s advice—or when a solo trip abroad, where he gets lost in the city (this was before Google Maps), ends with a severe migraine. He puts up with it and will try to avoid traveling whenever possible.
In this case, working from home seems like a godsend. But new challenges quickly arise with the constant use of video conferencing—especially since we have very little time to rest our eyes—and with the popularity of collaborative methods, where the social pressure exerted by the group can be significant.
Raising Awareness Among Colleagues: A Challenge
As a member of an agile team of software developers, “mob programming”—a collaborative programming method in which one team member types while the others call out instructions—quickly turns into a nightmare for Sylvain.
Admittedly, his colleagues are aware of his vision problem and are willing to help, but in the heat of the moment, they often forget about it.
"Everyone uses language that isn't very descriptive because there are cursors, which mean we can say, 'right there under the mouse...' I don't know if they switched lines within the same file or if they switched windows."
Sylvain suggests several steps he can take to work alongside his colleagues on an equal footing and make them aware of his difficulties. First, he proposes speaking up while taking his limitations into account. “It doesn’t work—we’re back to the same situation in less than two minutes. No one can keep it up.”
He then invites them to try riding the scooter “blind”—that is, without a screen—explaining things as clearly as possible: “They lasted an hour or two, then they were exhausted, which makes sense.”
Finally, he suggests that they install the Eye View app, developed by the French Federation of the Blind, which simulates the effects of major eye diseases: “The only feedback I’ve received is from people who told me they couldn’t get it to install.”
In the end, Sylvain will find two solutions with the tacit approval of his colleagues:
“I work in pairs rather than in a group. The advantage is that when one of us has a problem, the other can tell right away that they’re talking to themselves and that there’s no response. Also, I take over the keyboard because when I’m lost, I stop typing.”
In agile methodologies, development is accompanied by “retros”—meetings focused on continuous improvement that provide an opportunity to review what worked and what needs to be changed. The tool used, ironically named “miro” (miro.com), is entirely visual.
"I can't read the (virtual) Post-its. They tell me, 'You have to tell us, and we'll read you,' but I'd rather they switch to a different tool and just talk to me."
As for the new manager, who joined the team just before the lockdown:
"She checks in every 7 to 10 days to see how things are going. I think she doesn't know how to handle it and is really bothered by having someone whose spirits aren't very high."
Strengthening the Inclusion of Workers with Disabilities
The widespread adoption of remote work raises the issue of digital accessibility, one of the areas of focus forthe Valentin Haüy Association (AVH), which provides assistance to the blind and visually impaired. Manuel Pereira, head of the digital accessibility division, highlights the challenge of his role in raising awareness among businesses:
"Visual impairment is a significant disability. Given equal qualifications, a company will be tempted to hire someone with a less severe disability to make things easier for itself."
He advocates making digital accessibility a prerequisite in calls for proposals and points out that accessibility is one of the criteria used by search engines to determine search rankings and visibility:
“There’s an entire ecosystem that needs to be made aware of this; we need to involve the markets, the procurement departments, the IT departments (information systems divisions), and so on… How can you expect an IT director who has never heard of accessibility to incorporate that mindset into their work?”
While Sylvain’s experience may not be directly applicable to all situations involving disabilities, it raises questions about the ergonomics of tools and work methods from the perspective of inclusion. It also highlights the growing importance of visual management.
Agile methods, inspired by “lean management” (an organizational system aimed at improving performance by focusing on processes), make use of Post-it notes and all kinds of charts that allow you to see a project’s progress at a glance.
As for collaborative work—the cornerstone of agile methods—it is touted as having all the virtues: collective intelligence, creativity, and commitment. By flattening hierarchies within the team and emphasizing each person’s autonomy and competence, agility can create a race to outperform one another and highlight the weaknesses of those who are unable to be as effective.
Thus, the so-called “liberated companies”—which rely on empowering employees—are not suited to every employee profile and can sometimes be a source of dissatisfaction.
More generally, this account also highlights the difficulty of raising awareness about disability at all levels of the company. The rate of employees with disabilities alone is not a sufficient indicator to assess inclusion in actual work situations.
*The first name has been changed
Isabelle Corbett-Etchevers, Assistant Professor of Human Resource Management, Grenoble IAE Graduate School of Management
This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.