To mark Disability History Month, HRZone has partnered with Diversity and Ability to bring you a three-part series ‘Disability History: Lessons for Future-Proofing HR Practices‘. Part one, below, examines the social model of disability.

Years before COVID, the Disabled community cultivated a thriving remote working environment. Now, as LinkedIn determines workplace trends, we see a drive for menopause and period support, flexible working policies, better carer leave, and paternity policies. HR teams across the globe are scrambling to find solutions. But, yet again, the Disabled community beat you to it. The social model of disability can be the answer to all these pressing challenges. Are you going to listen this time? 

What is the social model of disability?

The social model of disability pushes us to rethink inclusion by focusing on the external barriers that stop disabled people from participating fully. This is in contrast to the prevalent medical model, which focuses on a person’s diagnosis and sees it as a deficit that needs to be fixed. The social model, however, shifts responsibility from the individual to society by highlighting that it’s the environment, rather than the person, that disables.

Take, for example, wheelchair access in a building. Under the medical model, an organisation might provide a temporary ramp upon request, requiring the wheelchair user to ask for it and plan their visit ahead of time. This burdensome process reinforces the idea that disabled people are the ‘problem’ by needing an adjustment.

Instead, the social model encourages us to remove such barriers entirely: installing a permanent ramp that ensures everyone can access the building equally. 

Disabled isn’t a dirty word. We don’t choose to bring our disabilities along as we navigate the world; we are disabled by the way the world is.

How does the social model relate to inclusion more broadly?

Although the social model of disability is often thought of as UK-centric, its roots are global. It emerged from grassroots movements in various parts of the world, including the anti-apartheid movement in South Africa and anti-oppression groups in North America.

Today, the fight for recognition as Disabled people rather than “people with disabilities” continues across the globe. The social model’s relevance is universal because societal barriers disable people everywhere.

This means for an authentic adoption of the social model we must also consider intersectionality: how various aspects of identity, such as class or race, intersect with disability to create additional barriers.

Example: Class and Disability

A lot of disablement can be traced back to socioeconomic backgrounds and social capital. In addition, many Disabled people are disproportionately impacted by the cost-of-living crisis, paying more for essential services like Personal Assistants (PAs), assistive technology, and even energy bills.

These socioeconomic barriers further limit access and opportunity, highlighting that disability is not an isolated issue but one tied to broader social inequalities.  

How can workplaces apply the social model?

Without the social model informing conversations around inclusion, we overlook each person’s distinct experiences and place the burden on them to feel safe enough to disclose.

People experiencing menopause may need desk fans or flexible working arrangements, similar to the needs of a Disabled person. By focusing on barriers like overheating, fatigue, and brain fog, we shift the conversation from individuals to what workplaces can do to support them. This approach makes the discussion accessible to everyone.

For instance, in D&A’s work with Transport for London, our ‘lived experience’ consultants take staff on tours of the London transport network. Staff are shown the barriers passengers face in context and presented with the solutions that would impact those barriers.

Instead of feeling divorced from action or overwhelmed by possible fixes, our guides encourage them to focus on practical solutions. Lived experiences are an asset for TFL staff, helping them better understand how to support all passengers. This insight guides improvements, making the service more inclusive for those who might find it hard to ask for what they need, especially if they’ve been met with hostility for sharing their needs in the past.

Disabled people’s experiences pave the way for a future where everyone feels a sense of belonging. This simple switch illustrates the power of the social model in reshaping how we approach inclusion.

Language and attitudes have the power to hold us back, but they also have the potential to move us forward. 

Take the social model from theory into practice

Use identity-first language

Disabled isn’t a dirty word. We don’t choose to bring our disabilities along as we navigate the world; we are disabled by the way the world is. We’re not ‘people with disabilities’. We’re Disabled people. Autistic people. Dyslexic people. Our identity shapes and informs our experiences, so use identity-first language.

Make it everyone’s responsibility

If the social model is not a collective responsibility, it will be applied inconsistently, and you’ll be at risk for legal disputes, mediation and poor performance.

Invest in organisation-wide training, and you’ll make conversations around disability and access easier and reap benefits like better team dynamics, clearer communication, and improved public reputation.

There’s no point recruiting if you’re not ready to retain

We can guarantee that diversity and neurodiversity already exist within your team. But if you’re not aware of it, then disablement will exist within your workplace, too.

Focus on strengthening the experiences of your Disabled and neurodiverse employees and removing barriers for them, rather than looking outward to recruit more diverse talent. If you stay ready, you don’t have to get ready.  

Audit your physical spaces

Did you know that, legally, the red emergency cord in an accessible toilet must hang at most 10cm from the floor? Red emergency cords are designed so someone can call for help from the floor should they fall. Next time you pass an accessible toilet, take a look. I bet you’ll find that cord tied up, cut, or stuck behind something.

Without lived experience, you’ll miss barriers like those every day. Reflect on what else you could miss in your physical spaces and speak to experts.

A fundamental shift is needed  

Honouring the social model is not just about removing physical barriers, like installing ramps or providing captions. It’s a fundamental shift in how we speak, act, and perceive the world.

Language and attitudes have the power to hold us back, but they also have the potential to move us forward. By embedding the social model in our actions and communication, we make the small, daily differences that will eventually lead to global cultural shifts.