By: Alexis McCaffrey, Mason graduate, College of Humanities and Social Sciences and Honors College
“We will all profit from a more diverse, inclusive society, understanding, accommodating, even celebrating our differences, while pulling together for the common good.” – Ruth Bader Ginsburg
Workplace well-being looks different for different people. In workplaces today, certain policies don’t benefit all employees. But workplace well-being accommodations can give everyone access to a way of working that helps them thrive.
The U.S. Department of Labor defines job accommodations as, “an adjustment to a job or work environment that makes it possible for an individual with a disability to perform their job duties. Accommodations may include specialized equipment, modifications to the work environment or adjustment to work schedule and responsibilities.”
Accommodations are an important tool that can significantly enhance a person’s workplace well-being and improve the overall view that person has of the work environment. Although accommodations might be considered exclusive to people with a disability, certain companies have worked to be more inclusive by offering well-being accommodations to their employees.
Google is an example of a company that does so. At Google, they consider not only the workplace’s culture, but also the intensity of their employees’ creative work. This CBS News.com article describes all sorts of innovative spaces that Google has created to help employees do their best work. That includes nap pods and rooms that evoke a particular nation’s culture, such as Swiss ski gondolas, an Irish pub, and a Turkish sidewalk café. Lazlo Bock, who leads Google’s HR department (called People Operations) said of one conference space, “The idea behind this is the employees should own their individual space, be as creative as possible and we shouldn’t get in the way.”
This leading example of adjusting to employees’ physical, emotional, and even cultural needs helps provide an optimal environment for employees and organizations to thrive.
Research published by the National Library of Medicine has also proven that accommodations and changes like this can help improve the longevity of the company as well as increase job performance. The research report states that, “71 percent of employers reported increased accommodated employee productivity. In addition, 30 percent of the sample employers mentioned increased overall company productivity due to provisions of the accommodations.”
The importance of providing a safe well-being environment for employees has continually shown overwhelmingly positive effects for not only employees, but also for employers. The implementation of mindful strategies – such as taking into consideration cultural backgrounds and issues with physical health and mental health – can all help improve and create work environments that are welcoming to any employee.
How to Create Well-Being Workplace Accommodations
One way that employers can create well-being workplace accommodations is by scheduling breaks and conducting check-ins with individual employees before and even after their shifts begin. Doing so creates trust and allows employees to open up about their personal lives – including challenges they may be currently facing. As employers listen with respect and compassion, they can spark productive conversations with their employees about what specific types of workplace accommodations would be most meaningful for each individual to thrive.
Then, after they have mutually agreed on specific workplace accommodations, it’s important for employers to follow up with timely action. Here are some ideas for doing so:
Be proactive in creating an inclusive workplace culture. This means creating a workplace where employees feel comfortable disclosing their disabilities and requesting accommodations. Employers can do this by:
- Offering diversity and inclusion training to all employees. Guide employees on how best to respect everyone’s differences and appreciate how the team’s different strengths can complement each other.
- Educating employees about the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and their rights. Employers should provide training to all employees about the ADA and their rights under the law. This training should cover what a disability is, what reasonable accommodations are, and how to request an accommodation.
- Creating a culture of acceptance and inclusion. Employers should foster a workplace culture where employees feel comfortable disclosing their disabilities or other needs (such as creative or cultural needs) and requesting accommodations without fear of discrimination or retaliation. This can be done by creating a zero-tolerance policy for discrimination and harassment.
Have a formal process for requesting and approving accommodations. This process should be clear, fair, and accessible to all employees. Employers can develop a formal process by:
- Creating a reasonable accommodation request form. This form should be simple and easy to understand, and it should be available in multiple languages.
- Assigning a point person for reviewing and approving accommodation requests. This person should be knowledgeable about workplace accommodation laws and should have the authority to approve accommodations.
- Developing a timeline for reviewing and approving accommodation requests. Employers should establish a reasonable timeline for reviewing and approving accommodation requests. This timeline should be communicated to employees in the reasonable accommodation request form.
Engage in an interactive process with the employee to identify a reasonable accommodation. Once an employee has requested an accommodation, the employer should engage in an interactive process with the employee to identify a reasonable accommodation. This process should be collaborative and informative. Employers can engage in an interactive process by:
- Meeting with the employee to discuss why the requested accommodation would be helpful to them while they work.
- Discussing how the employee can perform the essential job duties of the position with the accommodation.
- Working with the employee to choose a reasonable accommodation that meets the needs of both the employee and the employer.
Implement the accommodation and monitor its effectiveness. Once an accommodation has been agreed on, the employer should implement the accommodation as soon as possible. Employers should also monitor the effectiveness of the accommodation to ensure that it is meeting the needs of the employee. Employers can monitor the effectiveness of an accommodation by:
- Meeting with the employee on a regular basis to discuss how the accommodation is working.
- Asking the employee for feedback on the accommodation.
Be flexible and willing to adjust accommodations. Employers should be flexible and willing to adjust accommodations as needed. Employees’ needs may change over time. So, employers should be willing to work with employees to ensure that they have the accommodations they need to be successful.
Overall, providing accommodations for workplace well-being has been proven to lead to positive results that can not only improve the work environment, but the organization as a whole. If you need accommodations in your workplace, be sure to speak up and advocate for yourself! You can help your entire organization in the process of doing so.
Additional Resources
- The Office of the U.S. Surgeon General’s report “U.S. Surgeon General’s Framework for Workplace Mental Health and Well-Being”
- The NPR.org article “The Workplace and Your Health”
- The Great Place to Work.com article “Mindfulness at Work is a Business Imperative: 4 Ways to Protect It”
- Mason Disability Service’s webpage “Learn about Workplace Accommodations”
- Mason Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion’s webpage “Employee Accommodations”
- Mason’s policy “Non-Discrimination and Reasonable Accommodation on the Basis of Disability”
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