Q. Persons with disabilities are being recruited by many companies now. Is managing them any different?
A. As per the new building code, there is sufficient provision of disabled persons for seperate washrooms, ramps and other ancillaries. The only challenge is to arrange special chairs, special pick up vans etc. More importantly, humane care is required.
Q. What is your company doing, in terms of disability initiatives, to promote equal opportunities and professional development?
A. Our organisation provides medical and educational allowances to the families of disabled employees.
Q. How challenging is it for managers to bring out the best from disabled employees?
A. Managers have to treat disabled persons more humanely. A manager has to facilitate smooth functioning of his or her work and appreciate him or her on small endeavours.
Q. What role should government play to make sure the persons with disabilities do not struggle for jobs?
A. The available government quota is not sufficient and the quota guidelines are also not transparent. I would like to give one example of my civil engineer friend’s daughter who lost her one upper limb in 2001 earthquake. She recently passed her MBBS course. Now, for post graduation programme, she was found ineligible in handicap category so she had to enroll for post graduation in general category which is ridiculous.
Q. Has the situation in India changed regarding the employment of disabled persons?
A. There is no specific database with government employment exchanges. The recruiting agencies also do not have specific data of disabled persons employed by various organisations. In my city, we are approaching the concerned NGOs which have proper database of disabled persons.
Q. What are the most ideal areas of employment for the persons with disabilities?
A. There are few jobs where person is not required to move around too much. Jobs like operation of cranes, liftman, housekeeping staff are suitable jobs for disabled persons.
