How you can help your disabled employees

As employers, we are always looking for ways to improve employee health. If you have a disable employee, you need to take extra steps to try and improve their health and their overall quality of life to the best of your abilities. Even doing simple things like installing automatic door openers will really help them and they will let you know about it.

Since October is just around the corner, now is a great time to focus on ways to help your employees. If you aren't aware, October is actually National Disability Employment Awareness Month.This is a great time for you to engage in a wellness program that will benefit your disabled employees and raise awareness to their disabilities by your other employees. It can help your company grow stronger together as everyone will focus on helping one another.

So how can you help your disabled employees? One of the easiest ways to help is by asking them what you can do. You might not notice issues with simple things like water fountains and door handles but to a wheelchair bound employee, they can be frustrating. You should ask them what you can do as this is the best way to find out what you are doing right and where you need to focus a little more attention.

If the employee has been disabled while working for you, it is important for you to look for ways to help. Meet with your other employees and discuss things you can do that will help to support their co-worker that has recently become disabled. This is always welcome in the workplace as it does help to foster a workplace that is focused on unity and friendship. Even doing simple things like sending around sign-up sheets for rides to work or taking meals to their home while they adjust to this new lifestyle change will be appreciated. Just make sure you aren't overstepping your boundary with the employee and ask them before you start volunteering your other employees to take on extra roles to help.

While you may not be able to afford some things that can make their job easier like a wheelchair accessible door, you should look for ways that you can help in other areas. Perhaps you can move their office or workstation to an area that is easier to get to or you can alter their desk to be taller or shorter, whatever they need to make their working environment more comfortable to their disability.

Get in touch with your insurance company to see if they can help you with disability access and other things that will help the employee. A number of insurance companies will pay for automatic doors and other things that are designed to benefit individuals with disabilities.

As an employer, look for a good insurance company to work with. You want to provide health care benefits to your employee and you need to keep this employee in mind as not all of the health care companies have great disability packages. While you aren't expected to offer amazing benefits, you should at least try to find one that allows the employee to keep their benefits, especially if they are expected to recover from the disability.

Disabled employees may have a harder time getting to the office on time and their disability can cause other medical conditions to spring up. You need to be understanding of their situation and do your best to provide them with a flexible work schedule so they are able to come into work and get their job done but they can take time off to rest their body.