IBM's Disability Initiative Raises the Standard

By Joan Leotta

IBM hired its first employee with a disability in 1914 in Endicott, NY to work in its factory. IBM's commitment to people with disabilities goes beyond philosophy; it's a daily business reality for the largest information technology company in the world. The company's 2000 revenue was $88.4 billion. IBM's focus on persons with disabilities is three-pronged: as employees, as customers for all products, and as a consumer market segment for its specialty products.

IBM's Vision

IBM's commitment to persons with disabilities was expressed by CEO Louis V.Gerstner, Jr. who said: "In order to serve markets, we have to understand them, reflect their diversity and build a work place in which every individual knows their opportunity to contribute is gated only by the quality of their ideas and job performance and the integrity of their work."

In addition to looking to the disability community as a talent pool, IBM also understands the viability of the market for all of its products. This has led to extensive research and development of products the firm aims specifically to assist people with disabilities in daily life and in the workplace. Over the years, IBM has consistently given practical statement to its commitment to people with disabilities as employees, and customers for the general and special markets.

Key to inclusion of persons with disabilities in the workforce are recruiting and hiring but perhaps more importantly, the development of management practices that facilitate the accommodation and success of persons with disabilities.

Recruitment and Hiring

IBM has continued to hire people with disabilities since its very first hire in 1914. In the 40's employment for people with disabilities filled the workplace openings created by soldiers going off to war. After the war, still well ahead of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), IBM continued to try to hire the best people possible regardless of gender, race, or disability.

IBM actively recruits college students with disabilities. One of those recruiting avenues is an internship program known as Entry Point, managed by the American Association for the Advancement of Science. One of the program's success stories is Tim Scamporino, a young man with mobility impairment. While Scamporino was training for a career in computers at California's Somona State College, a college professor recommended that he apply for an Entry Point internship. He obtained a placement with IBM. "After a while, one of the managers asked me to stay, " states Scamporino. He further notes that fitting into the work force was eased by a management team willing to provide him with anything he needed to succeed. Today, Scamporino is an IBM Manager in the San Jose Systems Management Group.

Equipping Management

Once hired, management's commitment to the success of persons with disabilities is evidenced in many ways. Mille DesBiens, Program Manager for People with Disabilities in Armonk, NY, says, "We offer periodic sensitivity training, but find that a very effective way to build understanding is through our Intranet site. It provides information to managers on how to prepare for an employee with a disability, from his or her first day on the job and beyond. Our internal web site provides a place where managers can go to seek answers to questions on subjects like assistive technology. We have a section on the web site that offers information on the most-often used technology that our blind, deaf, mobility impaired, and employees with cognitive disabilities use."

Notes DesBiens, " We also see to it that managers do not pay for assistive technology out of their own departmental budgets. This means that they can make decisions based on skill needs without worrying about additional costs if an employee needs assistive technology/services. Managers work with the Accommodation Assessment Team (manager, medical, human resources) to provide job-related reasonable accommodations.

From telecommunications devices for lawyers to allowing employees a short break to walk around to ease back pain, or using an ergonomically designed chair, IBM's managers have the latitude to allow employees to focus on work and skill development rather than be encumbered by their disability.

An example of this concept is illustrated by Rodney Stewart, a mechanical engineer with a mobility impairment who works for Manager Bonnie Brown in IBM's Armonk, NY facility. Brown says of her introduction to Stewart, "I tried to go into the situation with no preconceptions or expectations. I wanted to be completely open to his situation and give him what he needs to be successful here." Among other accommodations, Brown allows Stewart to get up and take breaks as needed.

Workplace Support: The Task Force

Ted Childs, VP, Workforce Diversity, is the company's champion for diversity issues including the development of an Executive Diversity Task Force for People with Disabilities. IBM has forums for blind, deaf, and mobility impaired employees. The forums are a way for employees to help mentor, and coach each other. Today there are three network groups for people with disabilities - one is national and two local (Seattle and Poughkeepsie). Employees who want to be involved sign up for events or simply show up at a meeting. These groups also help with recruiting.

IBM's line of computers enable many persons with disabilities to earn their livelihood easing daily tasks in other fields such as writing, editing, etc. Developing new products for the disability market has earned Big Blue national recognition on more than one occasion. IBM continues to be recognized externally for its work with people with disabilities. In1998 and 1999 WE Magazine voted IBM the No. 1 Company to Work for in America for its recruiting and internal programs and in 1998 the National Business & Disability Council announced IBM the Company of the Year for its programs for people with disabilities. In 1988, IBM was recognized by the President's Committee on Employment for People with Disabilities as the Large Employer of the Year.

Global Commitment

As a global company, IBM has extended its policies to integrate people with disabilities into the workforce to cover its operations worldwide. In 1999, IBM announced the company's policy of reasonable accommodation worldwide. This is a complex undertaking since laws differ from country to country on the issue of accommodations for employees with disabilities. The Task Force allows for rules, regulations, and customer differences, but at the core still maintains the corporate vision. The Task Force's role is to be helpful to managers and individual employees with disabilities. IBM's task force works with management worldwide to ensure that IBM maintains an environment that effectively addresses the needs of all people with disabilities.

In January, 2000, to further support its strategic commitment to the accessibility of information technology, IBM established an Worldwide Accessibility Center to coordinate activities across the full spectrum of IBM's activities and organizations that affect persons with disabilities. There are Accessibility Centers in the U.S., France, Germany, and Japan. IBM provides support for Accessibility Centers in Italy, Belgium, and the United Kingdom.

Marketing to People with Disabilities

Hard-headed good market sense propels IBM in the direction of greater diversity and accommodation for employees with disabilities and to target this segment as consumers. Individuals with disabilities are both a critical resource and a growing segment of the marketplace. Computers solve barriers to employment and provide a fertile field for employment for people with disabilities. From screen readers to voice synthesizers and voice activated computer programs, IBM produces or manufactures a variety of assistive technology. For instance, screen-reading software enables visually impaired people to use the web, and voice-activated technology enables those with paralysis or limited dexterity to type without touching a keyboard. The web site, www.ibm.com provides explanations describing products, which is especially useful for people having no idea about the types of assistive technology that is available.

DesBiens notes, "We advertise in a variety of disability publications and provide product information on our Accessibility Center's web site." IBM has created a number of advertisements. Recruiting ads have featured Matt King, a blind IBM programmer, competing in the Paralympics, and the second advertisement features a wheelchair user. IBM has advertised in Parent Magazine, Edmark brochures, WE Magazine, Ability Magazine (both print and web), and at OSHA conferences. We have a Consumer Affinity Programs with the Alliance for Technology Access (ATA), American Speech, Hearing & Learning Foundation, and Exceptional Parent Magazine."

IBM's Accessibility Center and Corporate Advertising have a Web site for Human Resource professionals to obtain information on workplace accommodations (http://www.ibm.com).