Disability Awareness: Working with People with Disabilities

What Are Disabilities? Understanding disability begins with a clear definition. The World Health Organization (WHO) describes disability through three core ideas: **Impairment** – a difficulty with body function or structure **Activity limitation** – difficulty performing specific tasks **Participation restriction** – difficulty engaging in particular social or work situations Disability is a complex topic shaped by culture, society, and the environment in which we live and work. The first *World Report on Disability*, commissioned by the WHO and the World Bank in 2011, estimated that more than **one billion people — roughly 15% of the world's population** — live with some form of disability. As global populations age, this number continues to rise due to chronic disease, advances in medical technology enabling longer lives, and improved reporting. For workplaces, the most important lens is **functional**: what can a person do, and what limitations do they have? Rather than focusing on a diagnosis, you should concentrate on a person's abilities and restrictions as they relate to performing their job duties. For example, many medical conditions — such as well-managed diabetes or controlled epilepsy — may have little to no visible effect on day-to-day work performance. This functional perspective helps you make fair, informed decisions about accommodation and job fit. Keeping function at the center of your thinking prevents unnecessary assumptions and opens