"Design for improved Workplace Inclusion. An exploratory study of stakeholder needs". ERGO WORK presentation at the Design 4 Health conference held in Sheffield (15_07_15), by Louise Moody (Coventry University)

1. Design for Improved Workplace Inclusion:
An exploratory study of stakeholder needs
Louise Moody & Janet Saunders
Coventry School of Art & Design

2. The Ergo Work Project (2013-2015)
Collaboration between academic and industrial partners in 6 EU countries:
Belgium, Italy, Poland, Slovenia, Spain, UK
Understanding barriers to inclusion of disabled people in
the workplace
Development of new curriculum components tailored to
equip students to design ergonomic workplaces for
disabled people
Improve learning, teaching and knowledge transfer
between partners regarding Ergonomic workplace design
Test the new curriculum through pilot projects in Slovenia
and Poland, with students carrying out hands-on projects
with industrial partners

3. The 10 Ergo Work Partners
UK – Coventry
University
Slovenia –
University of
Maribor
Poland –
University of
Siedlce
Slovenia - Ozara d.o.o, (lead
partner) a ‘service and
disability company’, sheltered
employment
Slovenia - Kovinarstvo,
Drago Bucar, sheet metal
product manufacture.
Poland - Luksja, clothing
manufacture, employs over
70% disabled people, a regional
leader in corporate social
responsibility.
Poland - Centrum, a
medical diagnostic and
training company ,
employing disabled
workers
Italy – TENDER, an
organization dedicated
to knowledge about
Health and Social Care
Services Provision
Spain - INFAD,
European Scientific
Organization to
encourage research
and promote
knowledge triangle
Belgium – EASPD,
European Association
of Service Providers
for Persons with
Disabilities,
promoting equal
opportunities.

4. Variable EU Context
• The European Disability Strategy (2010-2020) strives for a unified approach to the
inclusion of disabled people, and to significantly raise the proportion of disabled people
working in the open labour market (EC, 2013).
– EC Directive 2000/78/EC places a firm focus on employer responsibility to provide
‘reasonable accommodation’
– 2020 target is 75% employment for all citizens
• Slow and variable impact across EU
• Sheltered employment dominant form of employment in Slovenia and Poland; and
increasing in Belgium, Italy
• Most European countries have a quota system in place (not effective or enforceable,
choose to pay the fine e.g. Poland)
• Only widespread supported employment in the UK
Employment rate People with impairments Non-disabled
EU as a whole Under 50% 72%
e.g. UK (2012) 47.8% 75.9%
e.g. Poland (2011) 14.8% 50.7%

6. Stakeholder Survey
Aim: to explore perceptions of a range of stakeholders in terms of workplace
inclusion and educational need across partner countries
• Anonymous online survey - Bristol Online Surveys
• Survey developed and analysed in UK
• Brief demographic section + 61 additional questions
• General section for everyone
• Additional questions for disabled participants
• Additional questions for ‘employers/ management’
• Multiple choice/ likert scale plus ‘open’ comments
• Local piloting to ensure culturally appropriate

7. A Broad and Mixed Sample
• A ‘snapshot’ exploratory view - based on partner networks
• 520 online participants across 6 countries
• Small and variable sample
– Academia, and companies, employees, management
– People with and without disabilities - 24% reported an impairment
– Broad mix of economic sector, company size
– Gender and age – fairly balanced

8. 0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%
Belgium
Italy
Poland
Slovenia
Spain
UK
Poorly
Not well
About average
Fairly well
Very well
UK 69% of participants felt their
workplace was adapted ‘fairly well’ or
‘very well’
53% for Poland
51% for Slovenia
39% for Belgium
38% for Spain
37% for Italy
How well does your workplace accommodate people
with disabilities? (All respondents)

9. “Disabled people are not well-provided for in terms of
workplace design” (disabled respondents)
• Highest proportion of
responses agreed with the
statement.
• UK respondents were the least
negative with 36% in
agreement
Country Agree or Agree
strongly
Belgium 60%
Italy 67%
Poland 39%
Slovenia 55%
Spain 50%
UK 36%

10. 0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
90%
100%
I have a disability I do not have a disability I have a disability I do not have a disability
I feel included by my workmates and part of a
team at this work-place
I am generally happy at this workplace
• A lower level of satisfaction
among disabled
respondents.
• They felt less included or
part of a team, and were
less happy in the workplace.
Workplace Inclusion & Happiness

11. 0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
90%
100%
Belgium
Italy
Poland
Slovenia
Spain
UK
What workplace adaptations are made? (all
respondents) • Variable pattern in the adaptations recognised
• Physical adaptations were most common
• Poland & Slovenia may make more changes in role or work
pacing
• Italian participants were the least likely to mention adaptations
to jobs tasks & roles.
• Low knowledge of hearing or visual impairment, & adaptations
for mental health needs & intellectual disabilities.

12. What barriers exist when asking for adaptations?
• Fear about job security, being stigmatised and isolated
• The design of the workplace was felt to be a barrier to employment
opportunities
• Lack of knowledge
“It is very difficult to find
companies able to offer
ergonomic furniture for
people with disabilities”,
(manager, Italy)
“Employers think very
narrowly about adapting
workplaces”
(social worker, Slovenia)
“There is little known about
adjustments for hearing impairments,
but the biggest problems are
employers' fear and their lack of
information”
(employee, Slovenia)
“ I was waiting 14 years to
inform my company that I
am a disabled person
because I was afraid to be
sacked”
(teacher, Spain)

13. We have the necessary knowledge and resources to adapt the
workplace (employers)
0%
20%
40%
60%
80%
100%
Belgium Italy Poland Slovenia Spain UK
No
Yes
Would you be interested in training for your organisation?
(employers)
0%
20%
40%
60%
80%
100%
Belgium Italy Poland Slovenia Spain UK
Disagree
Agree

14. Design Awareness • % have not heard of, or do not
understand
Ergonomic Design Universal Design Inclusive Design Accessible Design
Belgium 29% 52% 48% 24%
Italy 21% 39% 47% 40%
Poland 43% 43% 65% 60%
Slovenia 27% 42% 50% 37%
Spain 11% 20% 25% 16%
UK 10% 39% 39% 26%
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
90%
100%

15. Knowledge Gaps & Enhanced Curriculum Content
Curriculum Contents
• Work Study & Ergonomics:
understanding the workplace and
job characteristics
• Characteristics of disability in the
work environment:
understanding individual
employees and their needs
• Ergonomics in business:
understanding the job and
business
• Inclusive design
• Application of this knowledge
through a pilot project
• Slovenia – Maribor: Degrees in Mechanical Engineering, Logistics, Business
• Poland – Siedlce: Degrees in Humanities
Additional topics to increase focus
Inclusive
design
Occupational
health
Organisational
behaviour
Assistive
technology
Accessible
environments
Traditional
ergonomics
Mental health
needs
Workplace
interventions
Empathic
methods
Design
Occupational
therapy
Job design
Knowledge Sector

16. Pilot Projects: Curriculum Implementation
• 4 Pilot projects (3 months)
– 2 Slovenian industry partners; 2 Polish industry
partners
• Projects run in parallel with the curriculum
teaching
• Introductory workshops (1 month)
• 96 hours of workshops per project
• Multidisciplinary teams including researchers,
lecturers, students, disabled and non-disabled
employees of participating companies
• In depth evaluation of the impact on the
companies and employees

17. Ongoing Projects in Slovenia & Poland
• Disability company (SL) - production
of 6m long wooden pallet
• Disability company (SL) - assembly line
for beauty products
• Sheltered clothing production workshop
employing 236 people, over 70% with impairments
(PL). CNC multi ply spreading and cutting machine
• Medical and Diagnostic Centre
• Adapting the call centre workstation -providing
information and patient appointments

18. Conclusions
• There is still some way to go in providing adapted workplaces (even in the
UK)
– Disabled employees are less happy at work
– Most adaptations made are physical
– Many barriers still exist to asking for improvements e.g. fears about job
insecurity and being stigmatized – everywhere
• Need for improved design as well as education and training
– Polish employers in particular were less confident than others about workplace
adaptation, finding information and access to experts.
– Less awareness and knowledge of sensory impairments, mental health needs or
intellectual impairments
– Low general awareness of inclusive design and related terms
– There was interest in training around creating better workplaces
– A wide range of design challenges

19. L.moody@coventry.ac.uk
J.saunders@ coventry.ac.uk
www.ergo-work.eu/

20. ErgoWork Partner Countries Context
% disabled employed
people in sheltered
employment (2008)
Quota system Supported employment
Belgium >50% & increasing Public sector only and
not met
Some regional schemes in
operation
Italy >50% & increasing National quota system No national schemes but many
local initiatives
Spain >50% & decreasing
(2013 40%) plus 15%
quota
Only 14% of larger
businesses meet
requirements
Mainly private service
providers, some national
finance but not stable
Poland >70% & decreasing Many companies pay a
fine instead
National schemes providing
limited services
Slovenia >70% Quota system often
fulfilled by sheltered
work contracts
No scheme in operation
UK Less and decreasing
rapidly since 2008
No quota system Widespread services delivered
by variety of govt. Schemes
and other organisations

21. 71%
7%
38%
25%
8%
25%
29%
88%
62%
68%
90%
68%
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
90%
100%
Belgium Italy Poland Slovenia Spain UK
Yes
No
Prefer not to say
No Answer
Physical 46
Visual 17
Hearing 14
Mental Health 12
Intellectual 6
Other 11
• Varied but with good representation of disabled people
Do you have a disability?

22. Ergo Work Project Strategy
One: Stakeholder survey – explore perceptions
and needs of a range of stakeholders in
terms of workplace inclusion and
ergonomics education
Two: Development of new curriculum
components tailored to equip students to
design ergonomic workplaces for disabled
people
Three: Test the new curriculum through pilot
projects in Slovenia and Poland, with
students carrying out hands-on projects
with industrial partners