Secrets and Big News - Enabling People to be Themselves at Work (Paperback)

This book is not about disability law, medicine or politics. We use the language that makes the most sense in our context. Throughout this book we mostly use the terms 'disability' and 'health-condition'. Sometimes we refer to ill-health. While most of our messages refer to how employees can access the workplace adjustment process, we have not attempted to distinguish between those employees who fall into the definition of disability within the Equality Act 2010 and those who do not (but may still benefit from the process by which employers can make it easier for them to be themselves and access adjustments to do their jobs productively). Neither do we distinguish between impairment and disability - these things are distinctly different and it is helpful to understand the difference. However it is not the role of this publication to do that. Therefore we have chosen to stick with the terms 'disability' and 'health-condition' as two of the words most used by employers and employees alike. Some people, as our research will show, do not choose to use the language of disability and will never do so. This will often include deaf and hard of hearing employees. It may include employees who have an accident or experience a long-term illness. It may include employees who have had a recent medical diagnosis and may be sick for a while. It may include employees who have an inherited condition. It may include employees who experience a mental health condition for six months, three years or a lifetime. It may include people with life-threatening conditions, such as cancer. Or facial disfigurement ... or dyslexia ... or diabetes ... or Aspergers ... This does not matter. This book is about what it means to be human, how employers can keep and retain talent and how employees can be who they are.