Companies in the UK are being urged to disclose how many of their workers have a disability or a mental health condition in a drive for greater transparency.
The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP), the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC), employers and charities, have developed a Framework to support employers that want to report the information.
The Guide is intended for organisations with more than 250 employees but can also be used by smaller businesses.
It advises on how to collect data for reporting, includes recommended questions and a series of prompts to shape the employer narrative.
Question topics include:
The answers will provide a starting point for employers to measure employee wellbeing through anonymous staff surveys and self-service HR records.
The Framework states that by recording and reporting information on disabilities, mental health and wellbeing, there could be an improvement of employee engagement and retention; disability-friendly recruitment; inclusive environments for workers; and a cultural shift towards increased transparency.
Sarah Newton, Minister for Disabled People, Health and Work, urged employers to take part in the Framework to drive diversity and inclusivity in their businesses. She added "our voluntary reporting framework builds on our long-standing commitment to companies to help them in supporting their staff at all levels to create more inclusive workforces".
The Framework was welcomed by Anna Bird, Director of Policy and Research for national disability charity SCOPE, although "the Government must ensure that this information shapes future approaches to increasing disability employment".
This opinion agreed by Denise Keating, chief executive for Employers Network for Equality & Inclusion, who sees the Framework as a "first step" towards organisations reporting their disability pay gap.
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