Empathy, Experience, and People-First: HR Perspective - AnnE Diemer
Disabilities in the Workplace - Interview Series
“TRUST. LIVED. EXPERIENCES. It’s already scary enough to ask for something, you can absolutely trust that they aren’t being unreasonable. Take that thought out of your mind!”
Article Takeaways:
Empathy in HR: Empathy is at the core of your HR practices - understanding and considering employees' personal experiences and challenges.
People-centred Policies: Prioritize HR policies that focus on the well-being and support of all employees, especially those from marginalized groups.
Tailored Accommodations: Implement structural changes and provide tailored accommodations to support employees with disabilities effectively.
Trust and Communication: Build a culture of trust and open communication, ensuring employees feel heard and valued.
We’d love to get to know you! Please share a bit about yourself, the company you work for and why you chose a career in People & Culture!
I'm AnnE and I work for myself and some fantastic clients. I started aedHR about a year and a half ago because I saw a lot of the same operational and cultural problems at organizations and I wanted to be able to help multiple at once. I chose to work in People and Culture because I think work should suck less, especially for people with marginalized identities.
How would your friends describe you and your personality?
I had to ask some friends for prompts here because this is a tough question. They said I'm calming, warm, inclusive, patient, and insightful. They want to be kind and say that I'm funny, but I think what they mean is that I'm silly and don't take myself too seriously. What they aren't saying is that I'm an introvert who is easily distracted by the newest shiny thing flying by!
If you live with an Invisible Condition, and are comfortable sharing this with us, we’d love to hear your story.
Aren't we all?! Ok, no, we aren't and that's important to say. But I have managed to curate a delightful group of friends who are all neurodivergent and it's normalized our weird-electric-skull-meat in the most helpful way.
I have generalized anxiety and depression that cycles and I'm part of the wave of Women Diagnosed with ADHD in their 30s. All of these conditions have shaped who I am and how I do basically everything. Sometimes in good ways: when we're on a trip and someone gets sick or hurt, I almost certainly am ready with something that will help (anxiety). Sometimes, in not as good ways: I'm great at responding to texts if they are related to what I'm currently thinking about, but if they aren't, it's unlikely you get a response within a week (ADHD).
Before I was diagnosed with ADHD, I did some ABSURD things to keep myself organized. I had a written planner, my Google calendar, a phone to do list, and a computer to do list. Additionally, I was obsessive about Inbox 0. It felt like the only way I could ensure I was doing everything I needed to - and still I would drop the ball which would cause an anxiety spike. But since I started medication and learning about how my brain works, I am down to one project management tool (Asana) and Google Calendar to keep myself organized!
The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that at least 16% of the world’s population experience significant disability, and the number is likely higher, closer to 25%, due to underreporting. How does your organization support people who live with disabilities? Can you give a specific example?
There's a common phrase in DEI work: if you build for the most marginalized, you build for everyone.
That is the framing I try to use for any HR policy or process I create. There is so much research out there that when we make structural changes to support people with disabilities, everyone benefits.
Here are 2 fantastic examples: Article: The Curb-Cut Effect and Invisible Women Ep: 363.
We know that disclosing a disability to our manager or HR takes a lot of courage. What advice would you like to share with someone who needs to or wants to disclose their disability, illness, or condition at work?
Make sure you know your "why".
Disclosing is completely optional, but if you have a need then you absolutely should. Then, no matter what questions or pushback you get (because, unfortunately, you will get some), you can ground yourself in your why.
From an HR perspective, what is a good way to ask for a workplace accommodation?
This is a hard one to answer. If they are talking to me or any of the folks I work with, I think the best way to do it is to be very human about it.
Explain what is currently happening, explain how it can be better, and describe what you need to do so.
For me, that's all I need. That said, Traditional HR can be more complicated than that. Reference your Employee Handbook to see what guidance they have first. Then, talk to someone you trust and ask them, "do you know how our workplace handles requests for accommodations?" Hopefully, they'll be able to help you navigate some of the nuances that might come up.
As an HR professional, how do you respond to disability disclosures and/or accommodation requests? What are some best practices to keep in mind around this within your role?
TRUST. LIVED. EXPERIENCES.
If an employee comes to me and says, "This is what's happening, here's what I need," I'm not going to say, "Ok but are you SURE?" That is a bonkers response. This doesn't mean that I can always provide everything they are asking for, but I'm still going to hear them out and do my best to make it happen. It's already scary enough to ask for something, you can absolutely trust that they aren't being unreasonable. Take that thought out of your mind!
What do organizations need to do to create a safe and trusting place for people to disclose? Please be as specific as possible.
Demonstrate follow through. A lot of orgs have values that indicate they want to support folks, but they don't always follow through on them. Your actions are going to speak louder than the values on your website.
What is one piece of advice you can offer to someone who needs to advocate for themselves at work?
Trust yourself. You know what you need.
Bio:
AnnE Diemer, SPHR (she/her/hers) is an HR Consultant who prioritizes the human in HR. With eight years of recruiting, DEI, and HR generalist experience across tech startups and non-profits, AnnE supports organizations who are ready to take a people-centered approach to HR.
She spent the last 3 years supporting progressive Democratic organizations such as NARAL Pro-Choice America and The Hub Project. She approaches her work holding contradictions: How do we build great places to work while also questioning capitalist systems? How can we work efficiently and move quickly while also prioritizing ourselves and each other as humans?
