When faced with disabled employees or employees who have become disabled, employers are faced with the decision of finding a means to accommodate the employee or risk retrenchment. In terms of the latter this often results in the loss of valuable skills or benefits from the employee and can also be a costly activity, especially when such needs to be fully justified in the face of South Africa’s extensive Labour Legislations.

Often the opportunity is in fact missed that the disabled individual can still be repositioned in the company or, with adjustment, accommodated in their position to allow for Talent Retention. While certain concessions may be required (depending on the extent of disability) this can be a far less costly activity and ultimately the employer may retain not only the talent and skill but also the benefit of keeping the individual in employment.

Introduction or repositioning of disabled employees is however not a readily practiced exercise in the labour market and most employers lack the understanding to engage in such an activity. More often enough it is not as simple as installing a ramp for a wheelchair and may include allowing for wider work room space or assessing ease of access to basic area’s such as bathrooms, kitchen areas, etc.

Dr Pretorius Inc is however ideally positioned to offer guidance and assistance in the introduction or reintroduction of disabled employees into the workplace. With extensive experience working with individuals during Medico-Legal cases, a thorough understanding (both in terms of the individual and the employer) has developed in terms of how to assess the needs and requirements of disabled individuals in terms of maintaining employment.

While medical specialists focus mainly on the patient (employee) and may go to the extreme in terms of recommendations (especially due to lack of understanding of workplace dynamics), an employer may also be faced with the opposite mindset and implement accommodations that are inferior or insufficient (due to lack of medical insight and cost saving).

As Specialist Industrial Psychologists working in this field, Dr Pretorius Inc has developed the insight and understanding of how to bring these two mindsets closer to each other and find the middle ground that allows for successful consideration of the concerns and needs of both parties.