Do You Discriminate Against the Disabled?

“In developing countries, 80% to 90% of persons with disabilities of working age are unemployed, whereas in industrialized countries the figure is between 50% and 70%.” (‘Disabled still face hurdles in job market’, The Washington Times, 5 December 2005).

“People with physical and mental disabilities continue to be vastly underrepresented in the American workplace,” said a 2003 Work Trends study conducted by Rutgers University’s John J. Heldrich Center for Workforce Development. Misconceptions, on the other hand, are prevalent. One-third of the employers surveyed said that persons with disabilities cannot effectively perform the required job tasks. The second most common reason given for not hiring persons with disabilities was the fear of costly adaptations.”

‘The Next Great Hiring Frontier’, Wall Street Journal, 13 September 2005

How prevalent is prejudice and discrimination against the disabled in Singapore and Malaysia? We might like to think we do not, but are there misconceptions that may lead us to discriminate against the disabled? Recently, with the help of members of the SME-Connection and my Facebook friends, I conducted a survey to take a look at potential employers in this region to see if they are indeed prejudiced against the disabled. Do they inadvertently stereotype the disabled as incapable and unable to manage work well? Perhaps worse than this attitude is the indifference. Do they dismiss the disabled as an economic liability, with little potential in the corporate arena? Another common phenomenon is social stigmatization. Many disabled are stigmatized and often seen as not normal. Many mistakenly assume that the physically disabled is also mentally incapacitated.

Hypothesis: Employers feel that people with disabilities cannot effectively perform the required job tasks, are less capable mentally and physically, and thus will likely under-perform in most areas of their duties.

Method used: Online survey (using Survey Monkey, a free online survey design tool)

Subjects: The survey was sent to members of the SME-Connection Facebook group who are business owners of Small & Medium Enterprises (SME) in Singapore and Malaysia. They currently have 1191 members. It was also emailed to members of The Singapore Small Business Meetup Group which comprises 894 small business owners.

DeDesign:

Using Survey Monkey, I designed an online survey with the following questions:

1. How many people does your company employ?

2. Has your company ever employed a disabled person?

3. If yes, how have you found the experience?

4. If your company has never employed disabled people before, why not?

5. If you had 2 candidates with similar qualifications and capabilities but one had a physical disability, who would you select and why?

6. My company is hesitant to take on employees with disabilities even if there are no adaptation costs because:

Results:

There were a total of 22 respondents to my online survey. Out of that, 16 employed less than 10 staff, 3 had 11 to 50 staff while another 3 had more than 100 staff. Two had employed disabled people before, and were happy with the experience, showing that they had no prejudice towards disabled people. The rest (90.9%) had never employed anyone with disabilities.

While 51.7% did not do so because they felt they never had the opportunity to consider the option, at least 36.4 % (8 out of 22) had the opportunity but did not hire any disabled candidates for one or more of the following reasons:

• Afraid of the higher costs involved to make workplace more disability-friendly. (4)

• Afraid of inconvenience of adapting to special needs. (3)

• Afraid disabled people may not be so capable or productive. (4)

When further probed with the question whom they would select if presented with two candidates with similar qualifications and capabilities but one had a physical disability, 25% (5 out of 20) said outright that they would choose the one with no disabilities.

The majority (76.2%) opted for the answer: “Hire whoever has more talent and suitable for the job, regardless of physical ability” but I suspect this is a “feel good” answer that sounds like the “right thing” to do in a hypothetical situation which may not be true when put to the test in real life.

Below are some of the explanations the respondents gave on their answer:

• Hire both but leave the physically disabled one to limited and capable work only

• Inconvenience

• Past experience positive less job hoping. (This probably comes from the respondent who had hired the disabled before.)

• I'm invest on creative industries, so need someone more talented, applicable for anyone.

• Equal treatment is important, I have a chronic disorder myself so I know how it is.

• More important is have task finished.

• It is easier to manage a person with no disability. No matter what, a person with disability will have inconvenience people around them. Although noble - would hold back productivity of others too.

Looking at the last comment, I wonder if that is the sentiment felt by most business owners of SMEs who are more concerned about productivity and bottom-line results of the company. This fear could be why many companies would rather “do good” by contributing to a charity than take on a disabled staff that may hold them back.

As the second most common reason given for not hiring persons with disabilities was the fear of costly adaptations ‘(The Next Great Hiring Frontier’, Wall Street Journal, 13 September 2005), I then formulated the final question to take away this variable.

The answers to this question (they can select more than one answer) were:

My company is hesitant to take on employees with disabilities even if there are no adaptation costs because we are afraid:

• They cannot effectively perform the required job tasks 69.2% (9)

• They may take more sick leave 23.1% (3)

• They are not as ambitious, capable and top performing. 15.4% (2)

• They are slower mentally and physically. 7.7% (1)

Five elaborated as follows:

• They may not be able to adapt to the hectic pace at work

• We are not hesitant to employ people disability.

• All the above are true, but it always depends on the nature of the company or business.

• They may need more sick leave, but that can be negotiated. All other items are non-issues. If our office's accessibility is adequate to accommodate the disability, we have no qualms hiring

Conclusion:

So is there still a prejudice against disabled people in Singapore and Malaysia? From the results of this survey, I would say: unfortunately, yes. At least 55% of small business owners will hesitate to employ the disabled even if there was no extra adaptation costs. This is supported by the high unemployment rate for the disabled in developing countries in general, despite the various incentives and funds provided by the government for companies who hire the disabled. Singapore has the “Enable Fund” - a government initiative that provides financial support for businesses that hire four or more workers with disabilities.

Although the general feeling is that many employers in Singapore are gradually becoming more receptive to hiring people with disabilities as a result of our improved economy, public education about the disabled and the Enable Fund, my opinion is, there is still a long way to go, for small and medium size businesses. Note tha the Enable Fund may likely not apply to them as it is unlikely they will have more than four (out of maybe ten) staff who are disabled.

Even for companies who do make use of the Enable Fund, many of the disabled who are hired, may inadvertently be marginalised by the non-disabled to helpless roles – stereotypical jobs like telephone operators, service staff behind counters, etc. Transfer of resources from the more able may also be less forthcoming. Are the potentials of “these-abled” people fully recognised?

Hopefully, with the support of the government and employers who have taken the step and found the experience positive (like the two respondents in my survey), the attitude towards the disabled will change.

For now, I just hope this article will help to at least open up your minds to explore the possibility of hiring these-abled people in your organisation!

Networking Your Way to Success

You may have heard the saying, “It’s not what you know but whom you know.” Of course it also matters that you do know your stuff, but the point is, if you have the right contacts, you can get on the highway rather than meander through unbeaten tracks and trails, that may not even lead you to your destination.

Why do we all need to network? It’s about leveraging – we need people in our life because we can’t do everything ourselves. As English poet John Donne said centuries ago, “No man is an island, entire of itself; every man is a piece of the continent, a part of the main.” We need others to help us get things done, both in business and our personal lives. By networking and knowing who to ask for help, we can get things done faster, easier and better, thus saving time, money and energy.

The maxim holds: “Your net worth is proportionate to your network.” If you want to be wealthy, make a lot of friends. To me, there’s no such thing as a ‘self-made millionaire.’ I’m sorry for those who are under the illusion that they are indeed self-made – how sad is that! We need other people, from the day we are born to the day we die. Every person who crosses our path has something to contribute to our eventual success (or failure) in life.

So, the next question is, how do you network effectively? For those of you who are clueless how to get started, here’s a tip from Nike. Just do it! However, before you rush out to join every club you hear about, you have to have a clear goal why you are planning to increase your network.

Is it to get a job? Or increase business? To raise funds for a charity? Or to meet more people with common interests? To develop better relationships and make more friends? Or even to meet a mate? Whatever your personal goal is, the key is to get started immediately. Don’t put if off until you need it, because networking is about building relationships with people – it takes time. You don’t join a network just to get what you want when you want it. That’s not how it works. In order to build good, strong networks, you need to focus on giving. The more you give, the more you will receive.

Here are some suggestions on what groups you can join:

Alumni Groups

Make a list of your alma maters, schools and institutions you have attended before, professional groups that you belong to, and so on. There is bound to be an alumni that we can get active in; who knows, it can be great fun! Recently, a group of my old schoolmates from a now non-existent school, banded together and started a mostly online group of “old girls”. It was great as the group has since expanded to several countries.
I’m also active in the Certified Professional Trainers and Coaches alumni which meets once a month in Singapore, and it’s a great avenue to network with other people in the same industry.

Volunteering for a Cause

This is a great way to meet people with the same values as you. Choose a cause that you feel passionate about and if the purpose is to grow your business, make sure it enhances rather than impedes business development. However, word of caution: make sure you have time to commit to it, otherwise it may come across as using the organization for your own personal agenda, and in the long run, may do you more harm than good.

Writing or Speaking Opportunities

My mentor (and brother) KC See always says, “When asked to speak, never say ‘no’.” Same goes for writing articles. Writing or speaking is a fantastic way to increase visibility, and thus, your network.

While writing this, I checked my email and saw a note from a trainer in India as well as in the Middle East who had read my article “On Being a Trainer” which my friend Shalu Wasu had posted on his blog. She told me she had a very similar background to mine – she was also with a magazine and later moved into training out of pure passion. We have promised to keep in touch, and who knows, what will develop from this.

I have also made literally thousands of friends from all over the world through my speaking engagements.

When I accept an invitation to speak, I always find the opportunity to maintain contact with people in the audience by sending them my e-zine or getting them to go to my blog or Facebook.

Now, don’t worry if you are not a trainer or writer by profession, start thinking like an ‘expert’ in your line of work or passion area and just ‘be’ one. That’s part of branding yourself!

Networking Groups

An easy way to get started is simply to identify existing network groups that are open to anyone to join, either by paying a fee, or in many cases, without a fee. Select one that has members which are in line with your ‘target market’ or industry, whether for business or personal. Check if the time and venue works to your convenience. (I have attended breakfast network meetings several times, but decided not to join them on a regular basis because I did not like getting into the morning traffic jams.)

If there are no groups which suit you, then start one! An easy way to look for or start a group is to go into Meetup.com. Recently my husband and I started a Meetup group called Personal Excellence and Growth for person who are passionate about continuous learning and growth.

Social Media Networking

I have also discovered the wonders of social media networking. I have reconnected with many old friends and made new ones through popular sites like Facebook and Linked-In.

One tip though: If you are networking for business or professional purpose, keep your accounts professional-looking. That means, don’t post messages that will reflect negatively on you, or use it for playing games or sending all kinds of hugs and kisses to everyone. Go ahead and do what you want for your personal account but keep your professional account, professional.

This article was published in The Straits Times Singapore on May 25, 2010.

Be Your Own Coach

“Go as far as you can seem and when you get there, you will always be able to see farther. “ Zig Zigler

When my article on “In Crisis” came out in Straits Times on 16 March, I received a lot of emails from people who were at a career or financial crossroads. There was one email in particular that I struggled with before I replied.

This was from an “unlucky professional” C, who had lost his job and was not able to get another job as he was a senior (he did not gave his actual age). Even though he “did not mind getting a lower-than-his-previous-paid job, he was not given the opportunity to not only earn just a humble daily living but coach and train the younger generations so his hard earned experiences and knowledge can be utilized or refined.”

So now he has no job, no money, his wife “despises” him, his friends avoid him and suicide has entered his mind.

Sounds like a familiar story? Absolutely, even in a prosperous country like ours. Just in the last few days alone, I have met several others in similar situations. One lady, who used to be a director of sales in a major hotel, earned great income, but decided to leave her job some years back to start her own business, which eventually failed. Today, she is in her 50s, in poor health, unable to get another job, and as she shared tearfully, can’t even afford a $5 meal. She, like C, is “striving alone in this unkind and unsupportive world.”

What can I say to such individuals as a coach? Is there a way out for them? I would like to think so.

Here are my suggestions on how you can become your own coach:

1. First, you need to get out from the “poor me” mode – remove all negative thoughts and emotions from your mind. Stay objective in this self-coaching exercise.

2. Make a list of what you really want for yourself the next one year and the next 5 years. Remember, no negative thoughts. You are not allowed to put yourself down, so don't think: “I don’t even have money to buy lunch, how to be financially free in five years?” These are self-defeating thoughts that will get you nowhere. Your job as your own coach is to visualize the best for yourself and don’t worry at this point how it’s going to be done.

This is a really crucial part as most people just get stopped even before they get started. the Law of Attraction takeaction. If you are always thinking negative thoughts like: “I’m too old to get a job.” “I have no support” and so on, you can be sure you will attract just those things into your life. It’s all a self-fulfilling prophecy.

At this point, there is no need to figure out the “how”, important is to get your destination – the “where” – straight in your mind first. As the rabbit said to Alice in Wonderland when she asked for directions, “If you don’t know where you want to go, it doesn’t matter very much which road to take.”

3. Next, list down your strengths. What are you good at, what are your past experiences? What have you done well before? What are your past achievements and successes? No matter how mundane they seem, just write them down so you can build as long a list as possible. As a coach, you must make no judgements. So your list could even include things like, “Make a good cup of coffee,” “Good listener” and so on.

4. Then, list down who can help you. Not who will help, but who can help. Again, no judgement or conclusion at this point. “Forget about Brian, he won’t want to help me!”

5. The next list to make is who you can help. With all the strengths and abilities, and even resources that available to you currently, who can you help? For example: “I can help encourage and motivate others who are at a crossroad like me.” Or “I can coach young people who are less experienced than me in….”

The importance of doing this is to take yourself away from the mindset of simply taking to one of giving. There are just too many people who are always thinking: “I want to get a job that gives me…” and too few thinking, “What value can I offer to this company?”

When my mentor Robert Kiyosaki said, “Don’t work for money,” what he means is money must not be the primary objective for work. Work because it’s your passion to share your experience or because you know you can add value to the employer; take a job because you want to learn a skill or get new experience, and so on. The money is secondary.

I have interviewed countless job-seekers in my years as a manager and business owner and I can tell you the majority of them are in the “taking” rather than “giving” mode. One recent example is a young man who walked into an interview for marketing executive, and promptly asked, “How much are you paying?” I was stunned and almost retorted, “Can I first do the interview so I can decide whether you are suitable enough for me to offer you a job?”

6. Finally, as Zig Ziglar said, you just have to go as far as you can see. Lay down an action plan, start talking to the people on your lists, and remember, go with a win-win approach, with a clear focus on how you can help the other party first, rather than what you can get out of him or her. Just do it!


Article was published in the Straits Times on April 8, 2010

In Crisis Mode

“You gain strength, courage and confidence by every experience in which you really stop to look fear in the face. You must do the thing which you think you cannot do.” – Eleanor Roosevelt

In recent weeks, I have been getting calls from clients who have lost or are about to lose their jobs It doesn’t matter that they may not even have liked their job; now cast out from a job they thought they could count on for a livelihood; they are at a lost what to do next. Some are in denial stage while others may have moved on to anger and depression. Many are foreigners; for them, losing their jobs would also mean they have to move back to their home country with their family. Some feel they have lost their corporate identity and self-worth.

Are you in the same situation of having been retrenched or are facing some crossroad in your career or professional life? Here are some suggestions on how to get yourself out of it:

1. Acknowledge the Crisis

Losing a job can create as much emotional turmoil as losing a loved one; one may go through the different stages of loss, starting with denial, followed by anger and depression, before acceptance comes.

I know one 45-year old man who went through these stages recently, after losing his high paying job of 15 years. Initially, he refused to accept that he was now facing a professional crisis. He dismissed the whole situation as “just a bad patch” that he was going through, blames it all on an “Incompetent boss” and was confident that the ex-boss will soon be begging him to rejoin the company. “Right now”, he said, “all he wants is to take a long holiday and worry about it later.”

Two months after, when it finally dawned on him that his ex-boss was not going to call him back, he then became consumed with anger and hurt. He started bad-mouthing his former employer and told everyone he had resigned because of unethical practices.

When he first came to me, he was already in the depression stage. He could not understand why he, of all the staff in the organization, was let go. Was it because he was too frank and not adept at politicking? Was it some inadequacy on his part?

I told him that the first step towards moving forward is to acknowledge that he is indeed facing a crisis in his life. He was now 45, and it is a fact that many potential employers would prefer younger candidates to fill up job vacancies. No doubt experience counts, but many would-be employers are willing to forego that for they perceive as creativity that is unfettered by past experiences.

Once he has acknowledged that it is a professional crisis he is facing, he can then choose how to respond to it.


2. Explore the Options

I have always loved the way the Chinese expresses the word “crisis”. The Chinese character for “crisis” actually comprises two characters – one means “danger” and the other “opportunity.”

Oxford Dictionary defines “crisis” as “a time of intense difficulty or danger; a “turning point” for better or worse. The origin comes from the Greek word krisis which means “decision.”

Whichever way we choose to look at it, one unifying theme defines it: A crisis serves as a wake-up call to alert us to both danger (and turmoil) arising out of non-synchronicity in our lives, as well as to opportunities that can lead to greater things in life. The eventuality depends on the choices and decisions we make.

So take this as a wonderful opportunity to step back and detach yourself from the situation, take a new, fresh look at what you really want for your life and then make the move forward to the life you deserve!

3. Redefine Your Purpose & Passion

How many people really take the time to push the pause button on their lives in order to explore what is their true passion and purpose? Very few, I believe. People just tend to flow along in the path of least resistance – from school to college to job after job, with very little thought given to what they really want to achieve in their lives until it’s probably too late for them to do very much.

So count your blessings now that you have received this wake-up call and been given this opportunity to pause from the auto-drive mode you are in to explore and to discover your purpose and passion.

Reflect on the following questions:
a. Do you feel good about yourself, your life, and where you are going?
b. If time and money is not a problem, what would you be doing on a daily basis?
c. What do you really want for your life? What don’t you want? What have you settled for?
d. Do you feel fulfilled and satisfied with your life choices so far? If not, what would you change if you could?

Whether you are experiencing a professional crisis right now or not, let this article be a reminder for you to step back, re-assess where life is leading you and if you discover that you have been sacrificing meaning, fulfillment, balance and happiness in life for the outward trappings of “career success”, it’s time to regain control of your life!

This article was featured in Straits Times Recruit on 16 March 2010 and in Lifestyle magazine in October 2009.