Posts Tagged ‘HR Margo’

A courageous story!

Last night on Compassionate HR, Rick Lipman and I discussed his book “Don’t Despair, Cleft Repair.” Karen, Rick and their son Brandon are reaching out to the global community to raise awareness, and offer support to other parents. I wondered what it must be like when those children come of age, and enter the workforce. I made me think about how people with disabilities are treated during the hiring process, and on-boarding process? What it is like for them in the workplace? My friends, Gerry Crispin and Dave Mendoza developed a survey in April to discover trends about the candidate experience of disabled people. We all know the ADA has guidelines, and the EEOC has laws governing this issue. But, what is it really like for a person with a facial deformity the workplace? How do they feel when they are job hunting?   First, they are not invisible, and they can hear you.

I spoke with Brandon Lipman, the subject of last night’s show, and he suggested the following:

1. Don’t Stare– See the person not the disability.
2. Communicate: don’t be afraid to engage.  It’s better to ask questions and get accurate information, rather than making assumptions.
3. Keep the lines of communication open among follow employees.
4. Educate your staff: include the issue of physical birth defects into your diversity and inclusion training programs.
5. Treat the person just as you would any other employee.

Brandon is wise beyond his years.  He authored to book “My Puzzling Smile,” when he was in grade school.  He is young advocate for people with cleft lip, and his work is making a difference worldwide.   He made a very insightful comment during our interview, ” often the disability is your attitude.”  It might be time to check your misconceptions at the door.  I highly recommend the Lipman’s book, to Human Resources professionals.  At this point, I have more questions than I do answers.  I hope to interview more people about this topic, and to learn more about the candidate experience.    Our workplaces will be more humane when we treat people with differences with the respect they deserve.

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