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Office plants can be deathtraps.
Disability in the workplace can be a tough topic, but it’s one that’s important to revisit on a continual basis. There are millions of people around the world who face challenges every day that go unnoticed or under-acknowledged.
For a lot of people, working is hard enough under normal circumstances. When a disability is introduced into the equation, whether temporary or long-term, it can feel insurmountable to the person going through it. I know, I’ve lived in that space for nearly a decade. My visual impairment fluctuates from frustrating to impossible to overcome, depending on the day.
My coworkers have been game-changers for me. Yes, there have been many who didn’t understand. Some flipped on lights with abandon day after day while knowing about my light sensitivity. Some questioned whether or not my eyes were as bad as I said they were (seriously, this has happened). Some coworkers just didn’t care either way.
However, it is the people that take the time to listen and adapt that have helped me not just to keep going, but to keep growing in my career as well (as cheesy as that might sound). The admin that rearranged the office to make sure I didn’t get tangled up in potted plants. The designer who took the time to copy/paste text into a document for my screen reader. The media manager who…
