Assistive technology is not just good for individual disabled people: it is good for business. It can play a huge role in dispelling employer concerns about hiring or retaining disabled workers, opening a much wider pool of talent. It could also enhance productivity for disabled and non-disabled employees alike. Realising this potential depends on employers knowing about assistive technology, and disabled people using it to its full potential. The Department must not miss the chance to make AT a central component of its work with employers through Disability Confident. We recommend the Department dedicate a section of its Disability Confident portal to assistive technology. This should include information on types of assistive technology; case studies of how they can help; promotion of mainstream, low-cost assistive technology; and signposting towards resources for helping individuals and building compatible systems. The Department should run a publicity campaign alongside the launch of the portal, highlighting the business benefits of assistive technology at work. The civil service as a Disability Confident leader Employers registered with Disability Confident can progress through three accreditation levels: "Committed", "Employer" and "Leader". The government aims to lead by example on disability employment through the civil service. In the Improving Lives response, it announced that all main government departments are now Disability Confident leaders. We heard, however, that IT systems in the civil service can be particularly inaccessible to many disabled employees. Notably, IT was not standardised across Departments, which is a particular problem because many civil servants move roles every two or three years. They may find their AT works in one Department, but not in another. As well as causing immediate practical difficulties, this can hinder disabled peoples’ career progression. Jo-Ann Moran, a civil servant in the Home Office, told us:
Assistive technology is not just good for individual disabled people: it is good for business. It can play a huge role in dispelling employer concerns about hiring or retaining disabled workers, opening a much wider pool of talent. It could also enhance productivity for disabled and non-disabled employees alike. Realising this potential depends on employers knowing about assistive technology, and disabled people using it to its full potential. The Department must not miss the chance to make AT a central component of its work with employers through Disability Confident. We recommend the Department dedicate a section of its Disability Confident portal to assistive technology. This should include information on types of assistive technology; case studies of how they can help; promotion of mainstream, low-cost assistive technology; and signposting towards resources for helping individuals and building compatible systems. The Department should run a publicity campaign alongside the launch of the portal, highlighting the business benefits of assistive technology at work. The civil service as a Disability Confident leader Employers registered with Disability Confident can progress through three accreditation levels: "Committed", "Employer" and "Leader". The government aims to lead by example on disability employment through the civil service. In the Improving Lives response, it announced that all main government departments are now Disability Confident leaders. We heard, however, that IT systems in the civil service can be particularly inaccessible to many disabled employees. Notably, IT was not standardised across Departments, which is a particular problem because many civil servants move roles every two or three years. They may find their AT works in one Department, but not in another. As well as causing immediate practical difficulties, this can hinder disabled peoples’ career progression. Jo-Ann Moran, a civil servant in the Home Office, told us:
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