Download - Our Diversity & Inclusion Focus Areas

© 2010 IBM Corporation

Disability inclusion @ IBM

Rosalind Reidy – IBM Diversity Program Manager, Australia & New Zealand

© 2011 IBM Corporation2

Our Diversity & Inclusion Focus Areas

Advancement of Women

Generational Diversity

People with Disability

Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender

Cultural Diversity

Work Life Integration & Flexibility


IBM – a culture of diversity & inclusion

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1914 Hire our first person with a disability

1953 Created first written equal opportunity policy (11 years prior to US legislation)

1996 IBM A/NZ establishes a Diversity Council

1997 ANZ establishes a People with Disability Strategy

2001 IBM A/NZ wins Prime Minister’s Employer of the Year Award for PwD

2006 IBM A/NZ wins Diversity@Work Employment and Inclusion of People with a Disability Award

2007 Australian Sign Language Interpreters Association NSW Organisation of the Year Award

2010 ‘Fair Go’ Award – Deaf Australia (NSW) 'Organisation' winner Australian

Sign Language Interpreters Association (Vic)


The business caseIBM’s Diversity and Inclusion strategy is designed to attract, develop and provide an inspiring employee experience to retain the best diverse talent in the world. This strategy is key to IBM achieving its business objectives.

Talent: Diversity attracts and retains the brightest and best from the widest possible talent pool – IBM as ‘employer of choice’

Performance: Diversity & inclusion strategies improve employee engagement, motivation, commitment and productivity

Business: Diversity is the bridge between the workplace and the marketplace. Our workforce needs to reflect the clients we work with

Innovation: Diversity is the fuel of innovation


Our approach – the 3 ‘A’s

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Reasonable Accommodations – Providing adjustments in terms of equipment (specialised hardware or software), services or facility modifications that can help the functional capabilities of people with disability.

Attitude – Raising awareness through education and changing the beliefs that some people have regarding people with disabilities. Judging a person based on the results they deliver.

Building Accessibility - commitment to ensuring buildings are accessible to employees with disability. Some examples: building ramps, automatic door openings, lift upgrades, accessible parking etc.


Building Accessibility

Accessible Buildings Strategy established in 1998 to ensure all IBM buildings accessible

Initial focus on sites of 200+ employees & case by case location reviews Managed by Real Estate Operations and Diversity Liaison with building owners and relevant IBM business units Ongoing work with IBM’s Real Estate Team

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Reasonable Accommodations

Focus is on enabling the employee Approach – treat the employee as the expert Stakeholders – work together for the best outcome Centralise cost - at the organisation level not individual department

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Accommodations may include;– Auslan interpreters – equipment – hardware / software– facility modifications– job restructuring– flexible work arrangements

Any employee deemed to have a condition which requires a work-related reasonable accommodation is eligible to apply


Attitude A/NZ Diversity Council - Executive Sponsor AND membership New employee orientation Buddy network Regular education for HR, managers and

employees On-line guides & education packs Regularly profile stories of our employees with

disability

Willing & Able Mentoring Program ‘Careers Forum’ for students with disability


PwD Business Resource Group

Executive Sponsor – John Twine

Steering committee– Co-leads Tim Littlejohn & Todd Wright

MissionTo demonstrate leadership and increase awareness of the profile of People with Disability working in IBM, to ensure they continuously receive appropriate access to resources, and to enable them to productively contribute to IBM.

Focus areas Talent Development (primary) Recruitment


The employee experience• Michael who is hearing impaired, applies for a role with IBM as a graduate hire.• Hiring manager is provided with a copy of ‘Manager Guide to Disability in the Workplace’. An Auslan interpreter is provided for interviews with the hiring manager.

• Michael is hired.• Manager discusses accommodation needs with Michael and preferred methods of communication -- instant messaging, SMS, email etc.• Diversity Team contact Michael to see if any assistance is required.• On-line education packs for team members.

• Michael is linked up with a ‘PwD buddy’ – an experienced IBMer who is also hearing impaired. Aim is to help him get quickly connected into the organisation.• He is invited to join the PwD Business Resource Group.

• Michael attends the 2-day graduate hire orientation, as do all new graduates. Auslan interpreters are provided.• While Michael primarily uses Auslan Interpreters he is introduced to and tries live remote captioning which he hasn’t used before.

• Michael and his manager decide that Deafness Awareness Training would benefit his team. Training is delivered.

• There are ongoing discussion with his Manager to see if Michael needs any other assistance.


Critical success factors

Senior management support - advocates & champions

Get the basics right – building accessibility

Provide accommodations that help the employee do their job

Centralised accommodations fund – cost recovery no longer a department issue

Employee support – Buddies & Business Resource Group

Ongoing education and engagement - to raise awareness and change attitudes

Download - Our Diversity & Inclusion Focus Areas

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