News + Tips
Does online work suit my needs ?
by Graeme Innes A.M
Dolly Parton's sad lament about having to work 9 to 5 strikes a chord with many of us. What a way to make a livin', it's all takin' and no givin'
Maybe removing the commute may ease some of the pressure.
Emails, video conferences, cloud-based software, and of course, Google. These days, it's hard to imagine life without the internet — particularly our working life.
I can attest to this — being able to work on the go using my iPhone is very convenient. It's one of my main work tools.
With its ever-expanding selection of
apps, programs and platforms, the internet has also brought us more choices in the way that we work — and where we work. Some people now perform their jobs without ever setting foot in an office or traditional workplace.
Working online can come with many benefits. But as with everything, it's essential to balance these benefits against your individual preferences and needs.
He loves me, He loves me not
by Graeme Innes A.M
He Loves Me, He Loves Me Not
Remember that old kids game we played — counting petals on a flower to determine whether someone to whom we were attracted was also attracted to us. It used to be portrayed as a girl's game, but believe me — as a boy lacking confidence in his interactions with members of the opposite sex — I played it as well.
People with disabilities play the same game when they are applying for jobs — it's called Disclose, Not Disclose.
How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Employed a Person with a Disability
So you have never employed a person with a disability and you’ve always rejected it because you believe:
- That the person will pose a risk at your worksite
- It will take up more of your time in supporting this person
- That it will be too costly to your business in terms of lost productivity
- The person will not fit into your work culture
- The person won’t have the skills and talent to do the job
Mark Wadsworth - Toozly Reader's Article
Whilst most designers of the accessible built environment are usually highly qualified, they are not in the main disabled, i.e. they don't use a wheelchair or other assistive technology on a regular basis. Maybe designers, architects and builders could employ qualified disabled people as advisors in the design process of the built environment, rather than falling into the category of well-meaning able-bodied people who think they know what disabled people want and need.
Some examples of where a disabled persons input would be valuable:
A ramp to allow access for wheelchairs has to be built to a minimum slope ratio of 1:14 in NSW to enable those who use self-propelled manual wheelchairs to go up or down on their own. Going up can still be hard work, so we don't need a ramp with a thick pile carpet on it. Preferably there should be no carpet at all.