Working from home could help disabled people back into employment, say peers

Ruth Wilkinson, head of policy and public affairs at the Institution of Occupational Safety and Health, said: “Employers are responsible for the health, safety and welfare of all their employees, including those with disabilities, and health and safety can be an enabler that supports disabled workers to work.

“Good work is good for people’s health and wellbeing; that’s work that’s safe, supportive and accommodates people’s needs.

“There isn’t only one way to achieve this, but IOSH advocates creating human-centred, worker-friendly work environments.

“By supporting and enabling people with long-term health conditions and disabilities to work from home, employers can help them fulfil their potential, which has major benefits for the bottom-line, bringing higher productivity and profitability.

“If tailored to workers’ needs and abilities, a supportive, human-centred work and environment, whether it be in a shared workspace or at home, will support those with both physical and mental health conditions or disability to give of their best.

“So, we believe the government should accommodate and support employees’ needs and incentivise employers to remove barriers to work because, in turn, this will help disabled workers reach their economic and social potential.

“In the current world of work, organisations cannot be sustainable without protecting the safety, health and wellbeing of the most vital resource they have – their workers.”