In the UK, some 7 million of the workforce are classified as disabled. This means a person with a physical or mental impairment that has a ‘substantial’ and ‘long-term’ effect on their ability to do normal daily activities. As an employer, you have an important responsibility to ensure all staff are carrying out their job to the best of their ability and some disabled employees need additional provisions if they are to perform their best. This can be anything from custom keypads to support furniture.
Prior to booking
There are some important considerations you need to bear in mind when making travel arrangements for any of your disabled employees. Effectively, you must keep the person at the centre of everything you do, and assess the individual needs. With disability, there is, of course, never a one size fits all kind of approach. If your member of staff is blind or partially sighted, they may need to bring a guide dog with them, which can affect the type of transport they can access. If they suffer from PTSD, a frantic train station could be a stressful environment to position them in.Get to know your staff and you’ll understand how their condition affects them, which will allow you to provide the most effective support possible.
Mode of Transport
The mode of transport you are arranging for staff to take may have a bearing on what you will need to arrange prior to the journey. For example, a person with anxiety disorder may have a fear of flying, in which case you’d need to think of an alternative route for them, where possible.
By car
Most journeys are taken by car, hence there is an ever-swelling number of them on the road. Prior to deciding upon this, it’s important to assess the individual needs. If they have a wheelchair, it might be preferable to buy or hire space in a Wheelchair Accessible Vehicle, such as the ones from Allied Mobility. These can be useful for people with other conditions such as cerebral palsy, if they are experiencing a lot of spasms and discomfort.
By rail
If there is any problem for your employee to walk far, you may need to plan the rail journey carefully. If they have sticks or a chair, check if the platform is accessible easily. If it’s a particularly busy train, will you be able to ensure there is a seat available?
By bus
Similarly to a train, buses can be busy, narrow places that are cramped and not always accommodating for every passenger. Chat to your employee about what they are comfortable with, and plan accordingly.
Asking yourself a few questions and getting to know your staff will enable you to plan their journey in comfort.