A leader initially downplayed the importance of company culture, but later in their career, they requested accommodations such as having conversations and feedback documented in writing. They found this immensely helpful but sometimes struggled to know what to ask for. The transition from in-person to remote work during COVID added to the difficulties.
About one in 10 working women have a disability, whether it’s apparent or not. And how those women navigate the workplace is different from how the average neurotypical, fully able-bodied woman does, largely because of pervasive ableism. To learn more about that experience, we’re talking with Meredith Koch and Nicole Bettè. They’re engineers who both use wheelchairs and advocate for employees with disabilities.
In this episode, they reflect on their careers and times when they’ve felt supported—and when they haven’t, all with the hope that you’ll be able to better advocate for yourself and your colleagues. In their stories are also lessons for managers about how best to respond to team members’ requests for accommodations, and how to help accommodate employees who might not know what’s available or even what they need.
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