Six Tips for Creating an Inclusive Workspace

Whether your company is large or small, prioritizing the recruitment of a diverse workforce and implementing equity and inclusion policies is essential. Inclusion should extend beyond the hiring process to ensure that all employees have the tools and support they need to thrive. By creating an inclusive environment and addressing accessibility needs, you provide everyone with equal opportunities to succeed.

Make sure all employees feel welcome 

Welcoming individuals starts with the recruitment and training process and continues once they join the team. Here are a few practical ways you can implement accommodations that provide a welcoming environment:

• Establish a formal policy regarding your company’s commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion and include it on the application and new employee materials.
• Designate a contact person, email address, and accessible phone number for applicants to request accommodations throughout the hiring process.
• Have a list of sign language interpreters if one is requested for the interview.
• Provide written copies of the interview questions and other hiring materials.
• During the interview, make eye contact and talk slowly if the applicant reads lips — direct questions to them, not the interpreter.

Care for employee’s hearing health. 

For workers with hearing loss, ensure work areas are free from excessive noise and distractions. Ensure ADA compliance by offering accommodations like sign language interpreters, captioning services, assisted technology like captioned phones, video relay services (VRS), and flashing lights to indicate new messages and other alerts.

To protect employees from hearing loss, you must meet all occupational health and safety standards. Many work environments, such as manufacturing, construction, mining, and military jobs, expose workers to hazardous noise levels. In these settings, it’s essential to provide ear protection, offer regular hearing tests, and ensure that no one is exposed to noise levels above 85 decibels (dBA) for more than eight continuous hours. Implementing policies to reduce workers’ exposure to excessive noise conditions will create a safe workspace for everyone. 

Make company resources accessible

By creating accessible training materials and announcements with captions and transcripts, companies ensure everyone has access to essential information. Use caption services, transcription, and emails to provide everything in text format, such as employee handbooks, internal communications, announcements, Zoom meetings, webinars, and training sessions. Many workflow systems allow an ongoing chat feature that allows for quick and ongoing communication among employees. By incorporating simple communication tools, you can enhance interactions for all employees, ensuring everyone’s needs are met and fostering an inclusive environment.

Make company meetings accessible

Ensure meetings, corporate gatherings, and outside training are fully accessible.

• If the meeting is in person, ensure the room layout and lighting provide good visibility to screens, speakers, and visual aids.
• Make the presentation slides and meeting audio and video available for replay later with captions or transcripts.
• Establish meeting protocols in advance, especially for virtual meetings. Be mindful of hard-of-hearing employees, encourage participation, and ensure one person speaks at a time for clarity.
• Hire a captioner to provide CART captioning services, or real-time captioning, onsite or remotely.
• Other captioning services include full transcripts and post-production captioning for pre-recorded videos. These resources can benefit employees with and without hearing loss and be used in the future.
• Remember off-site, contracted, and virtual events, too. Even if you have contracted with an outside vendor to host trainings as an employer, you are still responsible for providing necessary accommodations.

Plan for emergencies 

Emergency alarms and warning sirens leave Deaf and hard-of-hearing employees vulnerable and at risk. To combat this, visual notifications, in addition to auditory alerts, should be used for emergencies. A few practical ways to keep all employees safe are:

• Install flashing lights and other visual notifications as part of the building’s alarm system in an emergency or evacuation due to fire, weather, or other security threats.
• Implement a text/email system to contact Deaf and hard-of-hearing employees during emergencies.
• Consider using a “buddy system” to alert employees of intercom announcements and evacuations.
• Review emergency procedures and evacuation routes, including exits and emergency staircases, with all employees during orientation and practice safety drills.

Ask your employees

The best way to know if you are meeting your employees’ needs is by asking. Even with the best intentions, your company’s equity and inclusion efforts may fall short from time to time. By asking your employees, you also create a space where individuals feel comfortable voicing their needs, leading to a place where growth can continue. Creating committees dedicated to diversity and inclusion can bring people together to provide support and a space where everyone feels seen and heard. 

Provide captions

Captions are a practical and effective way to enhance accessibility. Incorporating captions enables individuals to fully engage with various material, from training videos to company events, fostering an inclusive environment where everyone has a seat at the table.  At Caption Pros, we provide real-time captions to enhance accessibility for all individuals in the workplace. 

Visit Caption Pros to learn more about our award-winning captioners and captioning services. We offer creative solutions to make your workplace and training events accessible to all employees. Craft an inclusive workspace today!