Workers with disabilities bring new viewpoints, say panellists

For Mr Ong Hua Han, who was born with brittle bone disease - which gives him soft bones that break easily - and uses a wheelchair, getting to and around the workplace is a daily challenge.

But that has not stopped the National University of Singapore business graduate, 29, from rising through the ranks and becoming assistant vice-president of corporate banking, relationship and transaction management at Deutsche Bank.

Mr Ong was among four working people with disabilities (PWDs) who spoke in a panel discussion at yesterday's Inclusive Business Forum on how PWDs bring new perspectives that can help companies reach previously untapped markets and talent pools.

The biennial forum, held at Mediacorp's theatre in one-north, was organised by SG Enable, which released the results of a new study it had commissioned. The study found that more disability-inclusive practices in firms lead to more purpose-driven employees, more customer-centric thinking and a more collaborative culture.

Debunking the perception that PWDs hold back the team, Mr Josh Tseng, who is visually impaired and director of digital accessibility services at non-profit social enterprise Etch Empathy, said employers should focus on the abilities of PWDs rather than their disabilities.

For instance, while he cannot do graphic design, he can take on jobs related to writing, use computer software and even do media production work - something his employers did not know he was capable of, he said.

Dr Dawn-joy Leong, an artist and autism researcher who is autistic, brought up the Calm Room she designed at the National Gallery as an example of how universal design, which makes environments accessible to all, can benefit not just PWDs, but other staff as well.

"It (the room) is not just for autistic or neuro-divergent people, or people with sensory needs. It's open to the public because everybody who needs a break can enjoy it," she said.

Mr Tseng said inclusive workplaces lead to better employee retention as workers have more confidence that their employers care about their well-being.

He added: "If someone with a disability can be employed gainfully and use his best potential, and be accommodated properly in an organisation, he might feel like, 'If something does happen to me, my employer has my back'."

Mr Andrew Buay, vice-president of group sustainability at Singtel, said at another panel discussion that the telco had an employee with cerebral palsy who improved the accessibility of its retail shops and websites.

This shows PWDs provide a unique lens that helps Singtel close gaps and better serve those among its customer base who have disabilities, he said.

Mr Ong said employers should consider how job candidates with disabilities had to overcome startling odds to reach the same point as their able-bodied counterparts.

He gave the example of two candidates who are the same in all respects, except that one has a disability. "Would you pick the one who is more typical, or you pick the one in a wheelchair?"

"Maybe there are hidden merits to hiring the person in a wheelchair because he is able to conceive of different ways to get to the same platform as the other guy... Perhaps he may have more resilience; he may be more resourceful."