Critical Software
Case Study - CRITICAL Software
CRITICAL Software provides systems and software services for safety, mission and business-critical applications, helping to ensure that its clients meet the most demanding quality standards for safety, performance and reliability.
As an organisation that is committed to recruiting the highest calibre of staff, CRITICAL Software is keen to appeal to a wider network of potential employees. As an employer, it was aware that certain adjustments were required to extend and enhance its appeal to applicants with disabilities.
Gaining disability awareness
After contacting Chris Jay for an initial consultation, it was agreed that providing staff with disability awareness training would be a good foundation for the development of an inclusive working environment.
Chris visited CRITICAL Software’s head offices in Southampton and delivered a bespoke training package to all 35 staff members. The training covered various topics and themes including the definition of disability, etiquette, accessibility, terminology and the disclosure of disability in the workplace.
“The training was very well received,” explains UK HR Manager, at CRITICAL Software, “Everyone found it very interesting and enjoyed the fact that it was based around discussion. The training allowed staff to contribute and discuss their own experiences. It wasn’t just someone talking at you. Chris also has a great sense of humour and therefore delivers the training very well. Some consider disability to be a difficult or awkward topic, but Chris breaks down any barriers that may exist. Every staff member came out saying it was very worthwhile and a good use of their time.”
Positive results
After the training, disability awareness amongst staff immediately displayed positive results:
“We were very pleased to find that shortly after the training, a staff member felt comfortable enough to come to me and disclose the fact that they had a hidden disability,”
“This knowledge has been very useful to us. It also proves that awareness makes staff feel more at ease and more comfortable in disclosing any disabilities they may have. We can now improve the working conditions or environment according to our team’s needs and, if necessary, make allowances to help them work in a way that best suits them. The training with Chris opened up the floor for these kinds of conversations.”
“The training has also made us think about our environment and accessibility: we are now able to question what we need to do for the future, to consider how we will assist any guests that may have disabilities, and work on any other adjustments we might need to make. We are definitely in a better position to further develop our appeal to employees with disabilities.”
“I would certainly recommend Chris’ training to any businesses considering disability awareness. Simply put, he has the right approach. Disability may be a serious subject, but Chris humanises it and makes it relatable to everybody.”
