Supporting Visible and Invisible Disabilities During COVID-19
Briana Gosselin joined Sodexo’s Talent Acquisition team as an Employment Brand Manager in 2018. After joining Sodexo as a part-time hourly employee during college, Briana gained a firsthand understanding of how Sodexo’s culture, opportunities and growth mobility can support a candidate’s long-term career needs. As the social media manager of the Sodexo USA Careers channels, Briana is constantly discovering inspiring employee stories to share with potential candidates. In her spare time, Briana can be found taking care of her "kids”! Briana is a fur mom of her own mini farm, including two dwarf goats, a dog, a horse and chickens.
Each year on December 3, Sodexo celebrates the International Day for People with Disabilities (IDPD) and it’s widely known that we have an ongoing commitment to create access and inclusion of people with disabilities in the workplace.
As COVID-19 continues to have a wide-reaching impact across the globe, people with disabilities have been uniquely impacted by the pandemic, requiring additional health, education and transport considerations. And that also includes all the people that are affected with less visible disabilities related to mental health and wellbeing.
While not discussed as often, invisible disabilities are not immediately apparent and include but are not limited to mental illness, chronic pain or fatigue, sight or hearing impairments, diabetes, food allergies, migraines, asthma, and learning and cognitive differences.
Despite the challenges COVID-19 has created, Sodexo continues to lead the way in supporting our employees with disabilities. Here are just a few ways we’re making a difference:
A Pandemic Within a Pandemic: Stress in the Workplace
Margot Slattery, Global Chief Diversity Officer at Sodexo, recently shared, “Our efforts to engage, develop, and make adjustments in the way we work and to our workplaces to support our employees with both visible and invisible disabilities are more relevant than ever during these challenging times.”
In Margot’s most recent blog post, she explains how, during COVID-19, we are all subject to anxiety and stress, characteristics that lead to mental illness. She goes on to share how we can support our employees in managing that added stress in the workplace, including those with invisible disabilities.
It’s Time for Equality for People with Disabilities
By 2025, Sodexo has established a global goal to ensure that 100% of our workforce has access to our programs for people with disabilities. Stephanie Payne, Chief Human Resources Officer of North America and Sponsor of SOAR (Sodexo Organization for Disabilities Resources), shared during National Disability Employment Awareness Month how we must continue to work towards our commitments by instilling inclusive leadership, raising awareness, and creating partnership with national and local organizations to recruit candidates with disabilities.
Sodexo Organization for disAbilities Resources (SOAR)
Not only do our leaders advocate and support our commitments to equality for people with disabilities, but our employees raise awareness, provide education and resources, and proactively provide outreach through an employee business resource group called the SOAR to create a culture that embraces and values persons with disabilities.
One way SOAR does this is through various webinar series throughout the year. This has become even more important during COVID-19 when we can no longer meet in person. These webinars may include Mental Health Awareness sessions and Inclusion at Work Webinars, which open dialogue about strategies that embrace inclusion and tap into the talent pool of people with disabilities – visible and invisible. The work this group does on the ground supports local communities and helps create change throughout the entire organization.
As we celebrate IDPD in a unique way this year, take a moment learn what to look for in an employer that is committed increasing access and opportunity for all!