We'd like to thank everyone who participated in our recent poll about feedback forms. Your responses provided valuable insights that can help employers and business owners get the most out of this valuable tool.

The poll revealed that some aren't currently utilising feedback to inform their diversity, equity, and inclusion (DE&I) or disability inclusion strategies. This can be a missed opportunity, as employee feedback plays a crucial role in:

• Shaping effective DE&I initiatives: By understanding employee experiences, you can tailor your DE&I efforts to address specific needs and concerns.
• Boosting employee satisfaction: When employees feel heard and valued, their satisfaction increases, leading to greater engagement and productivity.
• Fuelling business growth: A diverse and inclusive workplace fosters innovation, attracts top talent, and strengthens your company's reputation.

This information can help you make informed decisions when drafting your disability inclusion strategy in the workplace too. We encourage you to explore how feedback forms can be a powerful tool to improve your workplace for everyone.

Why Feedback Forms

Implementing an effective disability inclusion strategy in the workplace requires a multi-faceted approach that prioritises inclusion, accessibility, and continuous improvement. One key component of this strategy is the use of anonymous feedback forms, which empower employees to provide honest, anonymous input on the organisation's efforts to support employees with disabilities.

Anonymous feedback forms create a safe space for employees to share their experiences, concerns, and suggestions without fear of repercussions. This open dialogue is essential for fostering a culture of inclusion, where all employees feel valued, respected, and supported regardless of their abilities.

By providing a platform for anonymous feedback, organisations can gain valuable insights into the challenges faced by employees with disabilities, as well as areas where the organisation is succeeding in its efforts to create an inclusive workplace. This information can then be used to inform the development and refinement of the organisation's disability inclusion strategy.

Identifying Areas for Improvement

Anonymous feedback forms allow organisations to identify areas where they can improve their support for employees with disabilities. By gathering feedback on the accessibility of physical spaces, the effectiveness of accommodations, and the overall inclusiveness of the workplace culture, organisations can pinpoint specific areas that require attention.

This information can then be used to prioritise initiatives and allocate resources to address the most pressing needs. For example, if feedback indicates that employees with visual impairments are struggling to access certain digital tools, the organisation can prioritise the implementation of accessibility features or the adoption of alternative tools.

Measuring Progress and Effectiveness

Anonymous feedback forms can also serve as a tool for measuring the progress and effectiveness of an organisation's disability inclusion strategy. By collecting feedback at regular intervals, organisations can track changes in employee perceptions, satisfaction levels, and overall experiences over time.

This data can be used to assess the impact of specific initiatives, identify areas where progress has been made, and highlight areas that require ongoing attention. By regularly monitoring and evaluating the effectiveness of their disability inclusion strategy, organisations can ensure that their efforts remain relevant, impactful, and responsive to the needs of employees with disabilities.

Empowering Employees with Disabilities

Anonymous feedback forms empower employees with disabilities by giving them a voice in developing and implementing the organisation's disability inclusion strategy. By providing a platform for anonymous feedback, organisations demonstrate their commitment to listening to and acting upon the concerns and suggestions of employees with disabilities.

This empowerment can have a positive impact on employee engagement, job satisfaction, and overall well-being. When employees feel that their voices are heard and that their needs are being addressed, they are more likely to feel valued, respected, and motivated to contribute to the success of the organisation.

Practical Tips for Creating the Forms

Here are some tips to keep in mind when creating an anonymous feedback form with regard to disability inclusion in the workplace:

Ensuring Anonymity:

• Platform: Choose a secure platform that guarantees anonymity. Consider using a third-party survey provider with strong data protection practices.
• IP Tracking: If you’re using an online platform for forms, then you should disable IP address tracking to prevent identification based on location.
• Open-Ended vs. Closed-Ended Questions: Balance open-ended questions for detailed feedback with closed-ended questions (multiple choice) to ensure anonymity for sensitive topics within open-ended responses.
• Data Storage: Information in these feedback forms must be used for the intended purpose and stored appropriately and with care to avoid being traceable.

Encouraging Participation:

• Accessibility: Ensure the form is accessible for users with disabilities. This includes features like screen reader compatibility, appropriate colour contrast, and keyboard navigation.
• Clear Instructions: Provide clear instructions at the beginning, emphasising anonymity and the importance of honest feedback.
• Time Commitment: Keep the form concise to encourage completion. Aim for 10-15 minutes maximum.
• Promotion: Promote the form through accessible channels for all employees, like internal communication platforms and resource groups (if available).

Crafting Effective Questions:

• Focus on Experiences: Ask questions about employee experiences related to disability inclusion. Examples: "Do you feel comfortable disclosing a disability at work?" or "How effectively are accommodations implemented?"
• Avoid Leading Questions: Phrase questions neutrally to avoid influencing responses.
• Offer "Prefer Not to Say" Option: Include a "prefer not to say" option for sensitive questions.
• Positive Questions: Include some positive questions to gauge areas where the company excels in disability inclusion.

Additional Tips:

• Offer Optional Demographics: Provide an optional section for demographic information (e.g., department, disability type) to categorise responses for analysis without compromising anonymity.
• Thank Participants: Express gratitude for their time and feedback.
• Communicate Action: Briefly explain how the feedback will be used to improve disability inclusion within the organisation.

Conclusion:

Anonymous feedback forms are a critical component of an effective disability inclusion strategy in the workplace. By fostering a culture of inclusion, identifying areas for improvement, measuring progress and effectiveness, and empowering employees with disabilities, these forms can help organisations create a more accessible, supportive, and inclusive workplace for all employees.

As organisations continue to prioritise diversity, equity, and inclusion in the workplace, the use of anonymous feedback forms will become increasingly important in ensuring that the needs of employees with disabilities are being met and that progress is being made towards a more inclusive future.

For more information:

For specialized training, questions and information sessions please contact: info@employersforchange.ie

Employers for Change is a program of the Open Doors Initiative, funded by the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth.

The aim of Employers for Change is to provide an employer disability information service. The service empowers employers with all the information and advice needed to hire, employ, manage, and retain staff with disabilities.