At Kingsley Napley we are committed to creating a diverse workforce that provides everyone with equal opportunities.
We strive to be a workplace which offers support and encouragement to enable all of our employees to bring their whole selves to work. The Enable Network’s goal is to raise awareness of different types of disabilities (both visible and invisible) and to create a safe space for people to speak out about their disabilities. Whilst the overall objective is to strengthen the talent pipeline of people with disabilities at all levels, there are some key actions we have developed to help us get there.
Disability Confident Committed
Kingsley Napley is committed to offering an interview to any job applicant that declares they have a disability and meets the minimum criteria for the role as defined by the job description and person specification. It is important to note that in certain recruitment situations such as high-volume or peak times, Kingsley Napley may wish to limit the overall number of interviews offered to both people with disabilities and people without disabilities. For more details, please visit the Disability Confident website.
Network Objectives
- Raise awareness of what disability is (visible, invisible, physical, psychological).
- Answer the question: Is this a disability?
- Educating people in relation to disabilities and how you relate to people with disabilities.
- Dispel some of the myths around disability.
- Ensure that people check their language in relation to disability issues.
- Ask the question: how can the employer help?
- Build closer relationships with clients with disabilities.
- Encourage people with disabilities not to self-select away from applying for jobs at Kingsley Napley.
- Identify areas where Kingsley Napley fall short of our commitment to create a workspace that is inclusive of people with disability (particularly as we prepare to move).
- Consider and discuss the impact of disability of a loved one for members of KN.
- Work closely with wellbeing and charities to ensure the needs of the KN workforce are being met.
Internal Awareness
We have set up an internal portal page which has a subpage entitled “What is a Disability?” which discusses the definition of the Disability Act and also reminds people that a lot of disabilities are invisible.
To bring the issue ‘home’ we have a page entitled “What does disability mean for you and people you know?” on which we have published stories of people within the firm who have felt comfortable talking about disability and how it has affected them either directly or indirectly.
We recognise that not everybody feels ready to share their stories in a public forum but that there will be a significant number within our employee population who have ‘lived experience’ of certain conditions. To encourage confidential sharing of information we have created a ‘conditions list’ on our portal.
Human Resources hold a confidential list with a name against each condition of somebody who has ‘lived experience’ of that condition and, on a confidential basis, would be prepared to share their experiences with someone who is coming to terms with a diagnosis on that list. The purpose is simply to provide pastoral support, somebody to have a cup of tea and a chat with.
We are careful to ensure, through a series of simple steps, that both people are comfortable with their confidential information being shared before the names are exchanged.
Accessibility in our new office
Kingsley Napley collaborated with the Centre of Accessible Environments (CAE) during the construction of our new offices at 20 Bonhill. We implemented several changes to the original designs for the office interior and furniture based on the CAE’s recommendations for improving accessibility.
These changes include greater visual contrast on the units at the tea/refreshment points to aid those with sight impairments, new accessible height desks at the main reception and concierge areas for colleagues and clients who use a wheelchair or who are short in stature. One other change is the increase in the number of adjustable height desks so that all staff can tailor their workspace to their specific needs, whether that be lowering the desk to a specific comfortable height, or raising it so that they can work standing up.