Sopra Steria: 5 ways we can improve the accessibility of our communications

Gemma Griffiths leads the Communications and Marketing Workstream of the Sopra Steria UK family’s Disability Working Group.

 

Gemma Griffiths

 

There are around 5 million disabled people in employment in the UK, yet many face barriers in their working environment. At Sopra Steria, SSCL and NHS Shared Business Services, we want to make sure we’re including everyone in everything, every day. That means communicating consistently to a high standard across everything we do. Together, our Communications and Marketing colleagues are working to review and improve the accessibility of all internal and external communications, including websites, emails, social media and all Learning and Development content.

Most people will experience some kind of accessibility challenge in their lifetime, whether it’s temporary like a broken arm; age-related such as hearing loss; or a permanent disability. There are many things to consider when thinking about accessibility. Here are just a few examples:

 

 

So, what can you do to be more inclusive and improve the way you communicate? 

• Share your message in lots of different ways.

We all learn and process information in different ways, so use a mix of words, pictures, video and audio. If you’re using images or graphs, make sure you include ‘alt text’ so that a screen reader will be able to relay the description. If using a video, remember to include closed captions.

 

• Talk about it.

43% of employees with disabilities don't feel comfortable approaching their employer to ask for change. Creating a psychologically safe environment is key. At the start of meetings, let people know what accessibility options are available and offer for people to let you know if they need anything else. This will raise awareness and reduce perceived stigma. Tip – don’t forget to familiarise yourself with the accessibility features ahead of the call!

 

• Make yourself heard.

Use PowerPoint Live where possible instead of sharing your screen. This makes sure PowerPoint’s built in accessibility tools will work. Tell people why you’re using it, so that others know to do this in future too. If you’re in a busy location, wear a headset so that people can hear you properly and if you’re comfortable to, turn your camera on so that people can lip read and see your body language. Recording the call and creating a transcript will allow people to check back if they’ve missed anything.

 

• Make sure everyone’s on the same page.

Use clear and concise language. Avoid jargon, acronyms, and technical terms (or explain them). Whenever possible, use labelling, as well as colours to demonstrate your message. When you’re sending a meeting invite, include the agenda in the meeting body so that everyone knows what to expect and can prepare as necessary for it.

 

• Think about formatting.

• If you’re creating something visual, check the colour contrast between the text and the background to make sure it can be easily read. The WebAIM: Contrast Checker is a free tool you can use.
• ‘Sans serif’ fonts (like Arial, Tahoma, and Calibri) are considered easier to read than ‘serif’ ones.
• Left align your text because ‘justified text’ can cause readability issues for people with dyslexia and other conditions that affect reading and comprehension.
• Italics and underlining can make text harder to read, so use bold for emphasis instead.
• Including full stops in bullet-pointed lists can help screen readers to keep each point separate.
• Use the ‘read aloud’ function to test how your content sounds and check for errors you may not have picked up.

And a final tip for free! If you’re using Microsoft products, there are built-in Accessibility Checkers. These will review your content and make you aware of some of the adjustments needed.

 

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