What's behind Singapore's increasingly negative attitudes towards people with disabilities in the workplace?

SINGAPORE: Potential employers often tell Ms Susan Tan (not her real name) how impressed they are by her resume and skills, only to conclude by saying they cannot hire her because she was born deaf.

One recent reason given was that she "would not be able to communicate with clients", said the 40-year-old in text messages to CNA.

In jobs she did land, Ms Tan claimed to have been been abruptly dismissed from one after being wrongly accused of not pulling her weight. In another, she resigned after what she felt was an unfair reprimand for not meeting deadlines.

And in jobs she could hold down, there were times she felt excluded or unsupported.

“Employees often chit-chat among themselves and I won’t be included in conversations," said Ms Tan, who still finds it challenging to secure full-time work and has been making ends meet through freelance tutoring.

"I even had to pay for sign language interpreters out of my own pocket for meetings.” 

Ms Tan was thus not surprised by the findings in Singapore's first disability trends report, released by the Ministry of Social and Family Development earlier in December.

They revealed that only about half of those surveyed had positive attitudes towards people with disabilities (PWDs) in the workplace in 2023, down from nearly six out of 10 in 2019. And the proportion of respondents who felt negatively about PWDs in the workplace rose from 9 per cent to almost 14 per cent. 

The study did not identify specific reasons. But experts told CNA it could be due to a degree of apprehension among employers and employees; while PWDs on their part could be lacking in social skills due to being "overprotected". In all cases, more education is key, they added.

WHAT’S BEHIND THE GAP? 

The average employment rate of PWDs hit 32.7 per cent in 2022/2023, up from 28.2 per cent in 2018/2019. But workplace inclusivity is still a "work in progress" in Singapore and has a ways to go before reaching a goal of 40 per cent by 2030, said disability agency SG Enable’s chief executive officer Lee May Gee.

“It’s human nature to feel apprehensive about what we do not understand," she said. "Employers and employees may be unsure, uncomfortable, or simply lack the confidence on how to approach persons with disabilities and how to integrate them into the workplace.” 

Ms Lee also highlighted that smaller and more close-knit work teams may have positive attitudes towards PWDs in their ranks, while broader company-level attitudes may be neutral or negative due to a lack of interaction.

MSF’s study showed that respondents who had contact with PWDs at least twice in the past year reported more positive attitudes compared to those who did not. 

In workplaces, skills such as effective communication, conflict resolution, and emotional intelligence are becoming increasingly important as companies seek out a human touch amid rapid automation, said Mr Sean Goh, director of capability and business development at Human Capital Singapore, a continuing education and training centre in human resource management.

And these are the necessary soft skills which PWDs might be lacking in, through no fault of theirs.

“PWDs have been raised in more sheltered environments where their disabilities resulted in well-meaning accommodation or overprotection," said Mr Goh. "It can inadvertently limit opportunities for social exposure, leading to challenges in self-management and social awareness." 

WHAT CAN BE DONE?

Mr Rendi Toh was born with Alstrom Syndrome, a rare genetic disorder causing blindness from birth. He lacked the confidence when he first started job-hunting, but programmes at Human Capital taught him communication and teamwork skills that eventually helped clinch his current role as a host at NOX - Dine in the Dark.

Still, there was the odd misunderstanding or run-in with colleagues unfamiliar or uncomfortable with his condition.

But things have improved with continued training on areas such as resolving conflicts and developing emotional intelligence, and Mr Toh has since become an advocate for other PWDs employed by the restaurant.

“PWDs definitely have concerns on how they are seen and perceived by others, but it’s a chicken and egg problem," said Ms Azlin Amran, an employment support specialist at local charity SPD. "They need to learn to project confidence so that they will be perceived as such.”

Those who acquired their disabilities instead of being born with them also need time to grieve, she added.

SPD, which serves PWDs of all ages, also offers training courses on both practical and soft skills necessary for the workplace.

Top-down initiatives are just as - if not more - important.

SG Enable, for one, offers training to help employers and employees better interact with and integrate PWDs in the workplace, and to cater to their different needs. 

“There’s a part in the workshop where we blindfold participants and guide them to do tasks, or get them to sit in a wheelchair and experience how hard it could be to move around," said the agency's CEO Ms Lee.

"This helps develop awareness and empathy on what persons with disabilities are experiencing.”

She called on employers to take the first step to dispel misconceptions of PWDs, and to encourage their employees to learn how to better promote inclusivity in the workplace.

For instance, Mr Andrew Lim, who was born with a rare genetic eye disorder called cone dystrophy, works at a finance firm which has an inclusivity team.

The team ensures employees know how to assist and create a safe environment for PWD employees. 

Mr Lim, who did not want to be known by his real name, has just 10 per cent of his vision left and it could deteriorate further. But the 28-year-old said he has never felt excluded or incapable in the workplace.

Once, a colleague offered to help him take food at a company buffet, before patiently telling him where each item on the plate was positioned. 

“The chicken was at 3pm, the rice was at 6pm, and the tofu was placed at 9pm,” said Mr Lim. "Nobody has done that for me before."

Ms Tan, the freelance tutor, said it was fundamentally about employers being more open to hiring PWDs. "We need to be given a chance,” she said.

The value and the benefits of hiring PWDs are "not very well-known”, said SG Enable's Ms Lee.

“But studies have shown that workplaces that hire PWDs often experience a shift towards stronger culture and organisational performance.” 

At Siloso Beach Resort on Sentosa island, employees Anthony Saminathan and Jason Karthikgesan Raja pointed out how their PWD colleagues don't complain about the workload, listen to instructions well and have a good attendance record.

More than 30 per cent of the hotel's workforce are PWDs with a range of conditions and in roles such as dishwashing, housekeeping and food and beverage service.

“Whenever I need help, I go to one of them first because they’re always very willing to give their best effort,” Mr Raja said. 

“There was an employee under me that didn’t speak much, apart from a few words. But I encouraged him every day. He came up to me one day and asked me out for dinner in a full sentence, and I cried. I will always remember that experience.” 

Mr Saminathan also recalled how he once had a PWD colleague video-call him at 11pm from Malaysia, asking if he wanted some souvenirs.

“You need to be patient with them to understand how to better help them at their jobs," he said. "They’ll show you a lot of love and treat you well once you form a bond.”