’People with occupational challenges’ is a general phrase used to refer to anybody who does not fit the conventional image of an employee. VodafoneZiggo is deliberately turning that conventional image upside down: the telecom company is hiring more and more people with disabilities. “Because we can see that everyone has something to contribute, whoever they are.”
Educational steps
There is a lot more involved in hiring someone who has an occupational disability than there is with the standard procedure. You can see that in the recruitment, selection and onboarding process. Marieke Zuidema, director of people development and leadership at VodafoneZiggo, explains: “You have to comply with all sorts of rules and regulations, you offer more assistance and often there are modifications that have to be made to the systems, processes and work stations. But these are valuable and educational steps. This makes us more inclusive, flexible and empathetic as a company.”
Carving out specific tasks
How do you make jobs suitable for people who have occupational challenges? “This varies greatly depending on the individual and the situation. But one thing is certain: every position is a sum total of diverse tasks. When you carve out particular tasks and gather these together then sometimes you can create a separate job in this way. At times those might be very complex tasks that require exceptionally sharp insight, while at other times the focus might be on clear and simple tasks.”
Gathering equipment for technicians
Technicians, for example, have a huge range of tasks. This used to include the task of picking up small equipment items and checking the supplies in the van. “These tasks take up quite a lot of time for the technicians. Several years ago we carved these tasks out from the rest and assigned them to some of our colleagues with disabilities. Now they really enjoy doing this work and they are very dedicated to it. This gives the technicians more time for their main responsibilities: helping out customers and brushing up on technical knowledge. And of course the social contact between the technicians and the equipment team is great. It's a win-win!”
Finding new employees
Marieke also says that if you want to attract people with occupational challenges then it is best not to stipulate a forty-hour work week in the job vacancies. “We can see that many of the disabilities involve personal energy management,” she says. “There are people who need a bit longer to get going in the morning or require an hour’s rest in the afternoon. So people with occupational challenges are not going to respond to job listings with forty-hour work weeks. It is best not to specify any working time requirements at all.”
With or without the ‘label’
VodafoneZiggo likes to keep track of how many people with occupational disabilities are working there at any particular time. “The number of employees coming in who bear this particular ‘label’ is still fairly low. But we suspect that there are a lot more employees who have a disability that is not known. Some people could be autistic for example, but they manage just fine in their jobs. Or others might be vision-impaired but they are able to get along quite well with the aid of text magnification programs.”
A coach, headphones or speech software
“We have great respect for our workers’ self-reliance. But sometimes just a little boost can make all the difference. As soon as we have a clear idea of the complete target group we can deploy specific tools to support them,” says Marieke. “These might include an internal participation coach, noise-cancelling headphones or speech software. It is very likely that they will be able to do their jobs even better this way.”
Thinking in opportunities
Is this all purely altruistic, or is there a hidden agenda somewhere? “Nothing hidden, but we are not the only people to encourage a ‘different view of work’. The government is doing it too. There are policies for encouraging participation in the workforce. So, yes, it can be attractive for companies to introduce arrangements of this sort. But we expressly emphasise people’s talents and the contribution that they make to the company. We create opportunities for people who may find themselves in a difficult situation. And in turn they help us advance as a company with their unique point of view, their inspiring life path, their positivity and perseverance. They have become an indispensable labour pool for our company. Together, we all enjoy the challenge.”
Do you want to know more about working at VodafoneZiggo?
People who have a hard time finding a job are given extra attention at VodafoneZiggo. “We think in terms of possibilities not limitations,” says Marieke Zuidema from HR. Many people with occupational challenges have already found work.