DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION LISA OAKLEY
Could New Zealand
become a more inclusive society post-COVID-19? Lisa Oakley, People and Culture General Manager at Blind Low Vision NZ, looks at the silver lining of COVID-19: how it could accelerate the future of work and what that means for people with disabilities.
O
rganisations have had to develop at a rapid pace to respond to COVID-19 and play their part at stopping its spread. At Blind Low Vision NZ, in just 48 hours of the Level 4 lockdown being announced, 95 per cent of our workforce was up and running to work remotely. Organisations have been forced to be agile and respond quickly to a situation that is going to have a long-lasting impact on our economy, industries, organisations, families and way of life for years to come. While its effect is devastating, it shows what is possible when we are forced to work together to achieve a common goal and what could be possible in a post-COVID-19 world. Technological disruption has become more familiar in the past decade. Still, the speed of transformation triggered almost overnight as a result of COVID-19 will radically redefine the future of life and work. Some things are certain. How we as individuals choose to respond and how we manage ourselves and our teams to influence institutions and organisations around us to prepare for our future in a post-COVID-19 26
HUMAN RESOURCES
WINTER 2020
world are all within our control. This is a character-defining moment for humanity – do we react and panic, or do we respond and adapt? The human species is known for defying odds when it comes to adaption. No one understands that better than a person with a disability who has often had to adapt to different circumstances daily. Since working at Blind Low Vision NZ, I have witnessed people adapting to sight loss. It is not the end, but the beginning as people navigate doing things in a different way. Whether that’s getting around using a mobility aid like a white cane or guide dog, or using a screen-reader and adaptive technology so that they can continue working and participating in society on an equal footing. COVID-19 has revealed an uncomfortable truth about equality in our labour market and social
systems. Our collective response to support our most vulnerable citizens is crucial, and we have a unique opportunity to respond to some unsettling figures. Research conducted by Blind Low Vision NZ, the CNIB Foundation and Vision Australia shows that only 32 per cent of New Zealanders with sight loss are in full-time employment. In contrast, the rate of employment in the general population is double that. The New Zealand unemployment forecast is set to surge between 10 per cent and 30 per cent, leaving even fewer opportunities for those with disabilities. The situation in the United Kingdom is not dissimilar. Looking at disability more widely, only 6 per cent of young people with learning difficulties are in employment, and according to Disability Rights UK, employees with disabilities earn less than
