Disability Inclusion In The Workplace: Arwyn Swanger On How Businesses Make Accommodations For Customers and Employees Who Have a Disability
An Interview With Eric Pines
Embrace your uniqueness: Your unique perspective and experiences are your greatest strengths. Don’t be afraid to be yourself and celebrate what makes you different.
As we all know, over the past several years there has been a great deal of discussion about inclusion and diversity in the workplace. One aspect of inclusion that is not discussed enough, is how businesses can be inclusive of people with disabilities. We know that the Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA) requires businesses to make reasonable accommodations for people with disabilities. What exactly does this look like in practice? What exactly are reasonable accommodations? Aside from what is legally required, what are some best practices that can make a business place feel more welcoming and inclusive of people with disabilities? To address these questions, we are talking to successful business leaders who can share stories and insights from their experience about the “How Businesses Make Accommodations For Customers and Employees Who Are Disabled “.
As a part of this series, we had the pleasure of interviewing Arwyn Swanger.
Arwyn is a passionate advocate for disability inclusion, leveraging her expertise as a certified life coach, career coach, and indigenous talent acquisition manager to champion diversity in the workplace. With a creative background as a global keynote speaker, advanced energy healer, pagan and artist, Arwyn brings a unique perspective to her work, emphasizing empathy and human-centered approaches.
Thank you so much for joining us in this interview series! Before we dive in, our readers would love to “get to know you” a bit better. Can you tell us a bit about your ‘backstory’ and how you ended up where you are?
Thank you so much for having me, it’s a pleasure to be here. My journey has been shaped by a commitment to inclusivity and social justice, stemming from my own experiences as an #ActuallyAutistic Neurodiverse individual. I did not have the support in my journey and I am determined to bring systematic change to make it a better, more inclusive and empowering world. Along the way, I’ve embraced opportunities to empower others through coaching, networking, speaking engagements, and fostering diverse workplaces.
You are a successful leader. Which three character traits do you think were most instrumental to your success? Can you please share a story or example for each?
Three character traits that have been instrumental in my journey are empathy, resilience, and adaptability. Empathy allows me to deeply understand the needs of others, resilience helps me navigate challenges, and adaptability enables me to embrace change and innovation.
One of my greatest work-related struggles was navigating a corporate environment that lacked understanding of neurodiversity. I overcame this by advocating for myself and others, educating colleagues and leadership, and implementing inclusive policies and practices.
Can you share a story about one of your greatest work related struggles? Can you share what you did to overcome it?
One of my greatest work-related struggles was navigating a corporate environment that lacked understanding of neurodiversity. Being neurodivergent myself, I faced numerous challenges in terms of communication, sensory overload, and navigating social dynamics that were not accommodating to my needs. I also have had to continually mask my Autism, such as with Stimming, as it was not seen as “Socially acceptable”.
Another example, would be a corporate role in which I was fired for being openly Autistic, consistently disregarded, disrespected and treated as less then equal. To overcome this, I took proactive steps to advocate for myself and others like me. I initiated conversations with HR and management about the importance of neurodiversity awareness and accommodation in the workplace. I provided resources, training materials, and personal anecdotes to help them understand the unique perspectives and challenges faced by neurodivergent individuals.
I even spoke with the President of the Company, but was told “He didn’t have time to speak with me” and hung up on me.
What are some of the most interesting or exciting projects you are working on now?
Currently, I’m involved in several exciting projects focused on disability inclusion, including AutisticaPalooza (with Autistic Women Emerging), Bold Beauty Project with Disability Rights Now, helping small businesses like The Disability Intersection & 27 Zero Gravity with consulting to develop inclusive hiring practices, creating awareness campaigns, and collaborating with small business owners, freelancers, advocates & artists to promote representation on a Global scale.
Fantastic. Let’s now shift to our discussion about inclusion. Can you tell our readers a bit about your experience working with initiatives to promote Diversity and Inclusion? Can you share a story with us?
In my experience, working with initiatives to promote diversity and inclusion has been incredibly rewarding. One memorable moment was being invited as an Esteemed Speaker with University of California, San Fransisco, on the topic of changing healthcare to be inclusive, removing racism and bias and treating patients with dignity. While I have been a speaker and provided many talks, this was the first time that I was offered a Paid engagement- as I have had to work 5 times as hard to be seen, heard or validated.
This may be obvious to you, but it will be helpful to spell this out. Can you articulate to our readers a few reasons why it is so important for a business or organization to have an inclusive work culture?
It’s absolutely crucial for a business or organization to foster an inclusive work culture for several reasons. Firstly, diversity and inclusion drive innovation and creativity. When individuals from diverse backgrounds and perspectives come together, they bring unique ideas and solutions to the table, leading to better problem-solving and decision-making. Secondly, an inclusive work culture promotes employee engagement and retention. When employees feel valued, respected, and included, they are more likely to be committed to their work and stay with the organization long-term. This not only boosts morale but also saves the company time and resources on recruitment and training. Furthermore, diversity and inclusion are essential for meeting the needs of a diverse customer base. By having a workforce that reflects the diversity of their clientele, businesses can better understand and serve their customers, leading to improved customer satisfaction and loyalty.
The Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA) requires businesses to make reasonable accommodations for people with disabilities. For the benefit of our readers, can you help explain what this looks like in practice? What exactly are reasonable accommodations? Can you please share a few examples?
Reasonable accommodations under the Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA), these can take various forms depending on the individual’s needs. Examples include providing assistive technology such as screen readers for visually impaired employees, offering flexible work arrangements such as telecommuting or modified schedules for individuals with chronic illnesses, and making physical modifications to the workplace such as installing ramps or ergonomic furniture.
Aside from what is legally required, what are some best practices that can make a business place feel more welcoming and inclusive of people with disabilities? If you can, please share a few examples.
- Offering disability awareness training for staff to increase understanding and empathy, ensuring that communication materials are accessible to all employees, and actively seeking input from individuals with disabilities in decision-making processes.
- Not utilizing harmful practices such as micromanagement and workplace toxicity to create a safe environment.
- The only people representing disabilities within workplace cultures, are disabled employees.
Can you share a few examples of ideas that were implemented at your workplace to help promote disability inclusion? Can you share with us how the work culture was impacted as a result?
At my workplace, we implemented initiatives such as accessible workspace design, neurodiversity training for managers, and employee resource groups for individuals with disabilities. These efforts not only improved accessibility but also fostered a culture of inclusion and belonging, where everyone felt valued and respected for their unique abilities.
What are your “5 Things I Wish Someone Told Me When I First Started My Career”?
- Embrace your uniqueness: Your unique perspective and experiences are your greatest strengths. Don’t be afraid to be yourself and celebrate what makes you different.
- Advocate for yourself: Speak up for what you need and deserve. Don’t hesitate to ask for accommodations or support when necessary.
- Seek mentorship: Surround yourself with supportive mentors who can offer guidance, advice, and perspective. Their wisdom and experience can be invaluable in navigating your career path.
- Embrace failure as a learning opportunity: Failure is not a reflection of your worth but an opportunity to learn, grow, and improve. Don’t let setbacks discourage you; instead, use them as stepping stones to success.
- Prioritize self-care: Your well-being is paramount. Take care of yourself mentally, emotionally, and physically. Remember to rest, recharge, and practice self-compassion along the way.
Can you please give us your favorite “Life Lesson Quote”? Can you share a story about how that was relevant in your own life?
My favorite life lesson quote is “In diversity, there is beauty and strength.”(Maya Angelou) This quote reminds me of the inherent value of diversity and the power it holds to enrich our lives and communities. It’s a constant reminder to embrace and celebrate our differences, knowing that together, we are stronger.
You are a person of enormous influence. If you could inspire a movement that would bring the most amount of good to the most amount of people, what would that be? You never know what your idea can trigger. 🙂
If I could inspire a movement, it would be to promote empathy and understanding across all communities. In a world where division and conflict often prevail, fostering empathy can bridge gaps, break down barriers, and create a more compassionate and inclusive society where everyone feels seen, heard, and valued.
How can our readers further follow your work online?
Readers can follow my work online through multiple channels, that I have listed below:
Email Me: arwyn@eliteneurodistinctsolutions.net
Consulting Website: www.eliteneurodistinctsolutions.net
Portfolio: iamarwyn.org
Soulfire Alchemy: soulfirealchemy.net
Linktree:
Amazon Shop: https://www.amazon.com/shop/arwyn?ref=ac_inf_tb_vh&isPublicView=true
Arwyn’s Courses: https://my.coursebox.ai/#/courses/41032/about
Storefront: https://www.theleap.co/creator/iamarwyn/guide/unlock-your-potential-a-sneak-peek
This was very inspiring. Thank you so much for the time you spent with this. We wish you continued success and good health!
About the Interviewer: Eric L. Pines is a nationally recognized federal employment lawyer, mediator, and attorney business coach. He represents federal employees and acts as in-house counsel for over fifty thousand federal employees through his work as a federal employee labor union representative. A formal federal employee himself, Mr. Pines began his federal employment law career as in-house counsel for AFGE Local 1923 which is in Social Security Administration’s headquarters and is the largest federal union local in the world. He presently serves as AFGE 1923’s Chief Counsel as well as in-house counsel for all FEMA bargaining unit employees and numerous Department of Defense and Veteran Affairs unions.
While he and his firm specialize in representing federal employees from all federal agencies and in reference to virtually all federal employee matters, his firm has placed special attention on representing Veteran Affairs doctors and nurses hired under the authority of Title. He and his firm have a particular passion in representing disabled federal employees with their requests for medical and religious reasonable accommodations when those accommodations are warranted under the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (ADA). He also represents them with their requests for Federal Employee Disability Retirement (OPM) when an accommodation would not be possible.
Mr. Pines has also served as a mediator for numerous federal agencies including serving a year as the Library of Congress’ in-house EEO Mediator. He has also served as an expert witness in federal court for federal employee matters. He has also worked as an EEO technical writer drafting hundreds of Final Agency Decisions for the federal sector.
Mr. Pines’ firm is headquartered in Houston, Texas and has offices in Baltimore, Maryland and Atlanta, Georgia. His first passion is his wife and five children. He plays classical and rock guitar and enjoys playing ice hockey, running, and biking. Please visit his websites at www.pinesfederal.com and www.toughinjurylawyers.com. He can also be reached at eric@pinesfederal.com.
Disability Inclusion In The Workplace: Arwyn Swanger On How Businesses Make Accommodations For… was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.