Debate: Are health and wellbeing initiatives good for disability inclusion?

Physical and mental wellbeing have become big business in recent years, largely out of business’ desire to maximise the performance of their employees and reduce the costs associated with sickness absence. It’s a win-win that benefits business performance and individual’s health: 60% of UK employers now offer some form of counselling service; 29% offer advice on healthy eating and 18% subsidised gym membership. Alongside this, leading employers are developing their reasonable adjustments policies into more holistic ‘workplace adjustment’ or ‘workplace productivity’ services, offering adjustments to all employees to maximise their productivity regardless of whether or not they identify as having a disability. Workplace adjustments like standing desks (apparently offered by 7% of employers) and flexible working straddle the two fields, both removing barriers that may be associated with a disability and providing health benefits for many more people who chose to use them. As the lines between disability related adjustments and broader health and wellbeing initiatives become blurrier, more and more businesses are merging them into one function, with job titles like ‘workplace adjustments and wellbeing manager’ or ‘health and disability coordinator’ becoming commonplace. Is this a good thing? Calling witnesses from BDF Members and Partners, employees with lived experience of disability and leading health and wellbeing providers, this event sees two of BDF’s Senior Disability Consultants, Christopher Watkins and Angela Matthews, go head to head to tackle this debate in a courtroom setting. You will be invited to help cross-examine our witnesses, continue the debate through an afternoon of drinks and networking, and ultimately help settle a BDF office argument by casting your vote on two different visions of the future of disability and wellbeing.