Unseen Challenges: Recognising Invisible Disabilities in the Workplace

Despite the significant number of individuals affected, many employers remain unaware of these needs and are often unprepared to provide the necessary support. This three-part series will begin to explore the importance of recognising invisible disabilities, both physical and mental. Which include chronic illnesses, allergies, eating disorders, and mental health issues, among others. 

Approximately 61 million (or 1 in 4)¹ adults in the United States have a disability. Despite this prevalence, many people cannot name a coworker who is disabled in some fashion, possibly due to the number of people who have invisible disabilities. This lack of understanding can cause workplace confusion and complications in how to properly and respectfully address a disabled person's needs.  

There is major legislation in the US (The Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990), UK (Equality Act of 2010) and EU (Employment Equality Directive 2000 / 78 / EC), all of which protect people with disabilities from discrimination, but none provide guidance for how to ask for or implement accommodations for invisible disabilities.² Invisible disabilities include conditions such as autoimmune disorders and other chronic illnesses, neurodivergence, and visual and auditory disabilities. Mental illness accounts for a large portion of invisible disabilities. About 1 in 5 adults deals with mental illness each year, and 50% will deal with mental illness at some point in their lifetime.³ This can include disorders related to mood, anxiety, impulse control, eating, and/or substance abuse. Mental illness can be triggered by environment (feeling isolated, changing seasons), physiology (chemical imbalances), or experience (trauma, life changes). Recent events highlight the risks associated with these triggers. Reports have shown that nearly half of Americans reported that the COVID-19 pandemic was harming their mental health.⁴ 

All invisible disabilities come with their own hidden challenges and hidden energy expenditures. A certain amount of effort is invested in managing the fallout from disabilities. People develop tools, such as meditation, personal routine, and taking necessary health days, to mitigate difficult situations, but they are inevitable. Work can take longer and be more frustrating to accomplish, which requires more effort and adds to their exhaustion. Invisible disabilities are sometimes referred to as “hidden disabilities” because affected people stay silent or, if necessary, lie about their disability. -- often, they are concerned about the possibility of associated prejudice or negative reactions from their friends and colleagues. Disclosing a disability often means revisiting trauma, long explanations of what the disability is, and uncomfortably invasive questions. Even worse is the possibility of others offering well-meaning, but unqualified, unwelcome commentary on diagnoses or treatments. 

Ultimately, these challenges can significantly impact the work environment for staff and clients in a traditional, in-office work environment. Understanding and addressing the needs of employees with invisible disabilities are essential steps toward fostering an inclusive workplace environment. Please look for our following articles which will focus on invisible mental and physical disabilities and how employers can do more to accommodate affected staff.  

‍Work Cited: ‍

1: “Disability Impacts All of Us,” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, September 29, 2019, https://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/disabilityandhealth/infographic-disability-impacts-all.htm. 

2: “The ADA is one of America's most comprehensive pieces of civil rights legislation that prohibits discrimination and guarantees that people with disabilities have the same opportunities as everyone else to participate in the mainstream of American life—to enjoy employment opportunities, to purchase goods and services, and to participate in State and local government programs and services. Modelled after the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, colour, religion, sex, or national origin—and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973—the ADA is an “equal opportunity” law for people with disabilities.” United States Department of Justice, Civil Rights Division, “Introduction to the ADA,” Information and Technical Assistance on the Americans with Disabilities Act, accessed August 26, 2021, https://www.ada.gov/ada_intro.htm. 

3: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, “Learn About Mental Health,” Mental Health, December 12, 2018, https://www.cdc.gov/mentalhealth/learn/index.htm. 

4: William Wan, “The Coronavirus Pandemic Is Pushing America into a Mental Health Crisis,” Washington Post, May 4, 2020, https://www.washingtonpost.com/health/2020/05/04/mental-health-coronavirus/; “Healthline Media,” Healthline Media (blog), July 15, 2020, https://www.healthlinemedia.com/insights/healthline-mental-health-index-week-of-june-21-u-s-population.