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AUGUST 2018
Are your
holiday Virgin Media’s ambition to
policies support one million disabled
people into work
sizzling?
How to provide What does
a degree pay ratio
programme Tips on creating reporting
for your staff a workplace mean for
LBGTQ+ network your firm?
Virgin Media’s ambition to
support one million disabled
people into work
Words by Rianna Fulham | Design by Adam Pettigrew
L
ast year, a deaf candidate arrived at a company
for a job interview. However, when he met the
manager supposed to be interviewing him, there
was no interpreter or help available in order to make
communication effective. Unable to conduct the interview,
the manager ended up sending the interviewee home.
“That was our darkest hour,” Virgin Media’s Chief People Getting this message out begins at the entry point: This new reasonable adjustment process also alleviates
Officer, Catherine Lynch tells me. However, positively, the recruitment. To reach unemployed disabled people,
Scope’s research found that concerns surrounding hiring disabled candidates, with
moment proved to be a catalyst for change. As a result Virgin Media has begun advertising some of its roles more than a third (37%) of the scheme enabling the media giant to secure funding
of the incident, the telecommunications giant launched on Scope’s channels, as relying solely on their own disabled people don’t feel to alter buildings and buy equipment to support them.
a new campaign, ‘Work With Me,’ in partnership with job boards for this reach was problematic. Catherine “It’s changing the conversation from this is too difficult to
disability charity Scope. The three-year initiative, aimed at notes that Virgin’s own recruitment "doesn’t necessarily confident about getting what’s stopping us from making these changes? We’re also
reaching one million disabled people with employment reach disabled people, as there is a lot of perceived a job. They expressed changing the language around reasonable adjustments
information and support by the end of 2020 now forms discrimination.” Another way they’re breaking down to 'Work With Me' adjustments. Through feedback, we
part of Virgin Media’s long-term focus in improving those barriers is by not mandating people declare a
concern that employers found some people perceived the wording as ‘what is
inclusion at work as well as the lives of disadvantaged disability on application forms. “There are still certain won’t hire them because unreasonable then? Does it mean accommodating me is
people through technology. stigmas associated with things like mental health and of their condition. too expensive?’ So, if you remove the budget barriers, the
related issues,” she says. As part of Virgin's ‘Digital for management barriers also come down.”
It’s a necessary step. According to a report by Scope, Good’ strategy, they’re also modifying online tools and
disabled people are twice as likely to be unemployed, processes - such as using a bigger font for dyslexic Managers are also being trained to understand how
despite the fact that over one million want to work. But applicants amd including different communication to embrace disabilities openly, with unconscious bias
through the ,Work With Me, campaign, it’s hoped that options. This Spring, Virgin Media also funded Scope’s training and education on the range of disabilities taking
this cohort of overlooked talent will be encouraged to get digital hub, ‘Support to Work’ which has information Virgin Media employs place. And visibly, staff at Virgin Media are fully behind
into work, stay in work and realise their career ambitions. specifically tailored to help disabled applicants when it around 27,000 workers, this movement, wearing 'Work With Me' badges to show
It will be a hard slog though. Catherine acknowledges comes to finding work. their support. They tell me that the purpose of this is
this. “Rome wasn't built in a day," she says. "We have to with a relatively to create an open environment. “We are trying to get
understand and tackle the barriers and overcome those, This also impacts those hiring too. “We’re ensuring our even split between managers to be more confident about having difficult
to be an inclusive employer. Emphasis that Virgin is not line managers are encouraged to have a representative conversations and not feel so awkward,” Catherine
just about targets - "We are open to all,” she emphasises shortlist,” Catherine says. “And, we’re putting work in
permanent employees explains. “Because when they feel awkward they tend to
- Catherine is still adamant change is needed now. "We place to ensure that when they do find a candidate and contractors. avoid talking. I don’t think anyone goes out of their way to
can’t wait another twenty years for disabled people to that they want to hire, we have the funds and the The Work With Me be intently discriminative, it is unconscious and it’s a fear
feel part of our society.” opportunities to actually make that workplace work of embarrassment.”
for the individuals.” campaign covers
all employees.
10 HR GRAPEVINE | AUGUST 2018 WWW.HRGRA PEV I NE. CO M @ HRG RAPEV I NE AUGUST 2018 | HR GRAPEVINE 11
Thankfully, the partnership with Scope is helping empower disabled customer. They get a lot of positive feedback for Whilst Catherine says it’s easy for her to see the benefits, By being brave and taking the lead, Virgin Media is
staff to address this. “Having an expert organisation doing so, people are appreciative when you have gone as the cause is close to her heart, getting buy-in from the hopeful they can help other businesses too. “In terms of
stand alongside you has given me the confidence to out of your way to accommodate them. In turn, they are Board does require that commercial mindset. “For me, the social impact we’re trying to create, we want other
do the right thing,” Catherine continues. “For example, I much more loyal – providing us with the so-called purple this feels like something that we all need to wake up and businesses to work with us,” Catherine notes. “I am truly
recently attended a round table, where I met the Deputy pound. So, no we’re not just doing it because it makes take accountability for as a HR community,” she says. "But proud to be part of this campaign as it’s better to be on
Chair of Scope who had thalidomide, meaning he has a us feel good and it is great from an ethics point of view - I don’t think it is just for HR, business leaders need to a journey and learning than doing nothing. We’re happy
shortened arm. I went to greet him, and suddenly realised commercially it makes great sense too and we shouldn’t see the value in it too. And if you show them the benefits to make mistakes and admit our shortcomings because
I didn’t know which hand he would like me to shake and shy away from that. As an organisation those that operates from a commercial perspective, as well as the fact that they are teachable moments.”
“
I was wary about offending him. Previously I would have in a very competitive landscape, those that do this well will the customer experience can be enhanced, it can then be
stood there and felt really awkward but because of the have a commercial advantage.” translated into an ethical personal perspective.” Richard Branson
partnership with Scope I felt able to say: 'how would you
like me to greet you?' And he thanked me for asking. It
struggled with
dyslexia growing
It is time we lost
really broke the ice and we had a great conversation.” “The purple pound is a up, dropping the stigma around
term used to describe out of
Whilst this change in mindset is small, it’s making a the spending power of school dyslexia. It is not a
tangible difference to Virgin Media’s approach to inclusion disabled people. It is worth aged
- sparking creative workplace and customer solutions. £249 billion. Research just 15. disadvantage;
For example, they now equip staff who have hearing from Scope found that
impairments with pagers that vibrate, so they know if a fire three-quarters of disabled it is merely a
alarm has gone off. As a result of Virgin's internal inclusivity
tack, customer products are now being designed with
people and their
families have
different way of
inclusion in mind. “Things like designing our remote left a shop thinking
controls so they don’t rock on a flat surface which helps or business
customers who have challenges with dexterity,” Catherine because of
explains. “We’re involving that thought process right at the poor customer Sir Richard Branson
beginning of our designs – it’s not an afterthought.” service or
Josh is a new hire at Virgin Media’s Hammersmith a lack of
Whilst this drive is important from an ethical standpoint, office. The company have made an adjustment disability
it makes business sense too. “It is not just for our under Work With Me to install an access button awareness.
employees,” Catherine says. “We are trying to equip our outside the building that is low enough for him.
staff in our stores and on our contact centre lines to be They have also replaced the entry doors to be
a lot more capable at handling the requirements of a more wheelchair friendly. “He is a wonderful role
model for us because he is happy to appear as
an advocate,” Catherine explains. “You do need a
few trailblazers like that to help break down the
AWARD WINNING
stigma. He has now created an opportunity for STAFF TRAINING SOLUTIONS
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12 HR GRAPEVINE | AUGUST 2018 WWW.HRGRAPEV I NE. CO M
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