The Small Business at Work Toolkit

Helping small businesses welcome employees with disabilities
3
A woman points at a graph and explains.

Productivity

Getting the work done

A grab-and-go summary to take to meetings or use on the fly

Do this

Understand that the productivity and job performance of accommodated workers with disabilities has been found to be similar to that of workers without disabilities.

Not this

Believe commonly held misperceptions about the performance of workers with disabilities.

Do this

Listen to employees with performance issues to get their take on the cause.

Not this

Make quick assumptions about the cause of a performance issue.

Do this

If an employee discloses a disability, shift from a performance discussion to an accommodation discussion.

Not this

Dismiss a request for an accommodation.

Do this

Ensure that all employees, including those with disabilities, have a clear picture of what excellent performance looks like.

Not this

Assume that employees will just know what performance expectations are.

Do this

Include workers with disabilities in opportunities for informal learning, coaching, or mentoring.

Not this

Marginalize workers with disabilities from interactions or experiences that could improve their performance.

Do this

Hold accommodated workers with disabilities to the same performance standards that apply to other employees.

Not this

Apply codes of conduct or performance to some employees but not to others.

Do this

Keep the workplace safe with policies and procedures based on sound evidence.

Not this

Assume workers with disabilities pose a danger to others in the workplace without valid evidence.