This year’s World Mental Health Day, observed on 10th October, focuses on an issue that affects millions of workers across the globe — Mental Health in the Workplace.

In a rapidly changing world where employees face growing demands, businesses are beginning to recognise the undeniable link between mental health and workplace culture. When we speak about mental health at work, we must also consider how diversity and inclusion play pivotal roles in creating environments that support employee well-being.

A truly inclusive workplace, one that embraces diversity in all its forms—whether it be gender, ethnicity, or cultural background—has been proven to have a positive impact on employee mental health and overall business success.

Disability Awareness Training - Removing mental health barriers

The impact of diversity on workplace mental health and performance

The numbers speak for themselves. According to research from McKinsey, diverse companies do more than just perform well—they thrive.

Studies consistently show that diverse workplaces are not only happier and healthier but also more productive and innovative. Here are some powerful statistics from McKinsey’s research:

• Improved Decision-Making and Problem-Solving: Diverse teams bring a wide range of perspectives, enabling companies to make more informed decisions. This diversity of thought leads to better problem-solving, innovation, and creativity. In fact, businesses with diverse teams report 19% higher innovation revenues than their less diverse counterparts.
• Boosting Collaboration: Diversity fosters stronger collaboration within teams. Companies that embrace cultural and ethnic diversity report a 57% increase in collaboration. This sense of unity and teamwork is crucial to fostering an environment where employees feel safe, supported, and included.
• Enhanced Productivity: Diverse organisations are around 12% more productive. A more inclusive workplace promotes engagement and motivation, which directly contributes to greater efficiency and performance. Employees who feel valued for their unique contributions are more likely to remain loyal, dedicated, and mentally healthy.
• Financial Success: Diversity isn’t just good for mental health—it’s also good for business. Companies with ethnically and culturally diverse leadership teams are 33% more profitable than their competitors. Moreover, businesses with diverse management are 70% more likely to capture new markets, a critical factor in long-term success and sustainability.
• Lower Attrition Rates: Inclusivity doesn’t just impact business performance. It plays a vital role in retaining talent. Companies that prioritise diversity experience lower attrition rates, as employees feel a greater sense of belonging and loyalty to their employer. Reduced turnover means less disruption to teams and a more stable, supportive environment for everyone.

Creating inclusive, supportive workplaces for better mental health

A diverse workplace naturally creates a more inclusive and understanding environment. When people from different backgrounds come together, there’s a higher likelihood that different mental health needs are recognised and accommodated. This can lead to the creation of tailored mental health support initiatives that resonate with a broader range of employees.

Additionally, inclusivity in the workplace can reduce the stigma around mental health by encouraging open dialogue and promoting awareness.

While diversity brings measurable benefits to a company’s performance, it is also a critical factor in supporting mental well-being. Employees who feel that their differences are valued and respected are more likely to feel secure, leading to reduced stress levels and better overall mental health.

How AbilityNet can help promote diversity and inclusion in the workplace

For companies looking to create diverse, happier, and more productive workplaces, services like those provided by AbilityNet can make a meaningful difference. AbilityNet’s inclusive workplace services help organisations foster diversity and inclusion through:

• Accessibility Assessments: Ensuring that your workplace is accessible to all employees, regardless of disability, is key to creating an inclusive environment.
• Tailored Training: Training for employees and managers can raise awareness of the importance of diversity and mental health in the workplace, fostering a more supportive and understanding culture.
• Digital Inclusion: Inclusive technology is essential for employees with disabilities to thrive. AbilityNet offers tools and services that make digital platforms accessible to all, ensuring that no one is left behind.

By making diversity and inclusion a priority, companies can build workplaces that not only thrive but are also happier and healthier. For World Mental Health Day 2024, let’s commit to fostering diverse workplaces where everyone has the opportunity to succeed—mentally, emotionally, and professionally.

Further resources 

• Sign up for the AbilityNet newsletter

Accessibility has become a critical priority for organisations aiming to build inclusive, legally compliant environments and services. Whether you are an employer committed to fostering a diverse workplace, or a service provider seeking to reach the broadest possible audience, your digital strategy for 2025 must prioritise accessibility.

The AbilityNet Digital Accessibility Maturity Model (DAMM) offers an invaluable framework to guide this journey, ensuring that accessibility becomes a core aspect of your organisation’s vision and operations. 

Why prioritise accessibility? 

Prioritising accessibility is essential for several compelling reasons. First and foremost, it’s a legal requirement. In the UK, the Equality Act 2010 mandates that organisations must not discriminate against disabled individuals, which extends to the digital realm. Non-compliance can lead to legal challenges and damage to your brand’s reputation.

Beyond legal obligations, accessibility simply makes good business sense. An accessible digital platform opens your services to a broader audience, including the millions of disabled people, increasing market share and customer loyalty. Moreover, it’s just the right thing to do - creating an inclusive environment ensures everyone can participate fully in society. 

Additionally, any company wanting to do business with Europe today or in the future should pay close attention to the European Accessibility Act (EAA), which will come into force in mid-2025. This legislation sets new accessibility standards for digital products and services, meaning that businesses must comply to continue operating in the European market.

By prioritising accessibility now, your organisation not only aligns with ethical practices but also future-proofs itself against forthcoming regulatory requirements. 

What is the Digital Accessibility Maturity Model? 

We have developed the AbilityNet Digital Accessibility Maturity Model (DAMM) is a comprehensive framework that helps organisations assess their current accessibility practices and chart a clear path towards greater inclusivity.

By evaluating an organisation's maturity across five key areas - Vision, Leadership, Processes, Capability, and Procurement - our DAMM provides actionable insights that inform strategic planning and budgeting for digital transformation.

Aligning accessibility with your 2025 vision 

A strong vision is the cornerstone of any successful digital strategy. For accessibility to be embedded in your organisation's DNA, it must be reflected in your overarching goals and aspirations.

The DAMM emphasises the importance of integrating accessibility into your organisation's vision from the outset. This means making a clear, public commitment to digital inclusion and ensuring that this commitment resonates throughout your strategic planning. 

By aligning accessibility with your 2025 vision, you set a standard that influences all subsequent decisions. Whether you’re launching a new digital product or revising internal policies, accessibility becomes a non-negotiable aspect of your operations, guiding the way you approach every project. 

Leadership: Driving change from the top 

Effective leadership is crucial for any significant organisational change, and accessibility is no exception. DAMM highlights the role of leadership in driving an accessibility agenda. It calls for leaders to champion accessibility initiatives, allocate resources, and foster a culture that values inclusivity. 

For your 2025 strategy, this means ensuring that your leadership team is not only aware of the importance of digital accessibility but is also actively involved in promoting and implementing it.  

Secure a senior sponsor and appoint an accessibility lead who should be supported and equipped with the knowledge and tools to advocate for accessibility, set measurable goals, and hold the organisation accountable for progress. This top-down approach ensures that accessibility remains a priority, and that the entire organisation moves forward together on this journey. 

Streamlining processes for better accessibility 

Processes are the backbone of any organisation, dictating how things get done. DAMM encourages organisations to evaluate and optimise their processes to support accessibility.

This involves integrating accessibility considerations into every stage of product development, from initial design to final delivery and beyond with on-going maintenance. 

For instance, in your 2025 strategy, you might implement accessibility checks as part of your development sprints or ensure that user testing includes disabled participants.

By embedding accessibility into your processes, you not only improve the inclusiveness of your products but also reduce the risk of costly retrofits and legal challenges later. 

Building capability: Empowering your team 

Capability refers to the skills and knowledge within your organisation. Our DAMM underscores the need to build and sustain a workforce that understands and can deliver accessible solutions. This is particularly relevant in a digital strategy, where technology and standards are constantly evolving. 

Investing in training and professional development is key to advancing your organisation’s accessibility maturity. This could involve upskilling your design and development teams in accessibility best practices or offering workshops on the latest assistive technologies. The goal is to ensure that everyone in your organisation, from executives to entry-level employees, understands their role in creating accessible digital experiences. 

Inclusive procurement: Choosing the right partners 

Procurement is often an overlooked aspect of digital strategy, but it plays a critical role in accessibility. The DAMM encourages organisations to consider accessibility when selecting third-party vendors and partners. This means ensuring that any tools, platforms, or services you procure are accessible and that your suppliers share your commitment to digital inclusion.  

For your 2025 strategy, this could translate to updating your procurement policies to include accessibility criteria, conducting thorough accessibility audits of potential vendors, and fostering relationships with suppliers who are leaders in accessibility. By prioritising inclusive procurement, you safeguard your organisation’s accessibility standards and extend your commitment to inclusion beyond your internal operations. 

Budgeting for accessibility: A strategic investment 

One of the most important aspects of planning your 2025 digital strategy is budgeting for accessibility. The DAMM provides a framework that helps you identify where investment is needed to enhance accessibility and measure the return on that investment.

Whether it’s investing in new technology, training staff, or redesigning existing digital assets, budgeting for accessibility is not just about compliance - it's about creating better experiences for all users. 

By using a process such as the DAMM to guide your budgeting decisions, you ensure that resources are allocated effectively, and that accessibility is seen as a strategic investment rather than an afterthought.

This proactive approach helps you avoid the reactive costs associated with accessibility failures, such as extensive remediation, legal fees or lost customers, and positions your organisation as a leader in inclusivity. 

Plan… and plan strategically 

The AbilityNet Digital Accessibility Maturity Model (DAMM) offers a structured approach to integrating accessibility into your organisation’s digital strategy for 2025. By focusing on the crucial key areas of Vision, Leadership, Processes, Capability, and Procurement, our DAMM helps you build a more inclusive and accessible organisation that is prepared to meet the needs of all users.  

As you plan for the future, leveraging a strategic approach to planning will ensure that accessibility is not just a bolt-on exercise, but a fundamental part of your journey towards digital excellence. 

Join us for a free webinar on Wednesday 23 October at 1pm BST on how the Digital Accessibility Maturity Model can be used to take stock of your current position and identify priorities for action.

This session is aimed at anyone with responsibility for delivering accessibility in their work, to help you think about what you want to achieve in 2025. 

Register your free webinar place now  

The importance of accessibility cannot be overstated. Yet, despite significant strides in physical accessibility, the digital world continues to lag, often leaving millions of people excluded from essential services. This gap isn’t just a technical oversight - it’s a leadership failure. 

In an exclusive panel session hosted by Jadu, the leading provider of low-code accessible web experiences, industry leaders and experts came together to discuss innovative solutions and strategies to bridge this digital divide.  

Jadu is proud to be an Event Partner for AbilityNet’s TechShare Pro conference, Europe’s largest conference on accessibility and disability inclusion. This year, Jadu will not only be participating but also host several sessions. Don’t miss out – get your ticket today! 

In the panel, Suraj Kika, CEO at Jadu, James Jacobs, Accessibility Lead at Jadu, and Robin Christopherson, Head of Digital Inclusion at AbilityNet discuss the critical need for leadership in accessibility, AI, and next-generation technologies. 

The digital accessibility crisis 

Robin started the discussion by comparing the digital world to its physical counterpart. In the physical world, the absence of accessibility features like ramps or elevators is not only seen as unacceptable but also damaging to a brand’s reputation. However, when it comes to digital spaces - websites, apps, and online services - accessibility is often neglected, leaving many millions of disabled people unable to access vital services online. This digital exclusion became glaringly apparent during the COVID-19 pandemic when many people, including disabled users, were unable to order food or access public services online. 

James added to this by pointing out that digital accessibility issues are often invisible to the average user. Simple elements like an improperly coded button can render a website unusable for someone relying on a screen reader or speech recognition software. This lack of awareness among developers, combined with insufficient training in accessibility, perpetuates the problem. Often, digital accessibility is treated as an afterthought, a “tech problem” relegated to IT departments rather than being recognised as a fundamental aspect of service design. 

Leadership and culture: The real fix 

Suraj emphasised that the root of the problem lies not in the technicalities but in leadership and culture. He argued that accessibility should be embedded in the culture of an organisation from the top down. When leaders understand the importance of accessibility - not just as a compliance issue but as a business imperative - it becomes an integral part of the organisation’s DNA. Accessibility should be baked into every layer of the organisation, from development processes to procurement practices, ensuring that it is not just an afterthought but a priority. 

Jadu remains committed to inspiring its team to champion accessibility. In partnership with AbilityNet, Jadu organised an accessibility-focused internal team event to kick off its mission to become “the World’s most accessible digital platform.” Read more about Jadu's impactful event. 

Robin supported this view, highlighting the importance of a maturity model approach to digital accessibility. Such a model allows organisations to assess where they currently stand and identify areas for improvement. By involving end users and ensuring accessibility is part of the day-to-day operations, organisations can move away from the reactive “test and fix” approach and instead integrate accessibility into every stage of development. 

The role of legislation and the business case for accessibility 

While the panellists agreed that culture and leadership are crucial, they also acknowledged the role of legislation in driving change.  

Robin expressed support for legislation with “teeth,” arguing that strong enforcement can compel organisations to take accessibility seriously. He cited the example of Norway, where proactive monitoring and significant fines have led to swift compliance from companies. 

Suraj pointed out that while it’s unfortunate that regulations are often the primary driver for accessibility, they are effective. He praised the UK’s public sector for leading the way, thanks to regulations like the Public Sector Bodies (Websites and Mobile Applications) Accessibility Regulations (PSBAR). However, he also noted that in the private sector, there is still much room for improvement. For Suraj, the ultimate goal should be for organisations to see accessibility not just as a legal requirement but as a significant business benefit. 

The future of accessibility in an AI-driven world 

The conversation inevitably turned to the future, particularly the role of AI in accessibility. Suraj and Robin both highlighted the potential for AI to revolutionise how we approach digital accessibility. As AI continues to evolve, it will play a crucial role in making content more accessible, not just for people but also for machines. This is particularly important as organisations increasingly rely on AI to drive business decisions and customer interactions. 

James, however, urged caution, noting that while AI offers exciting possibilities, it is not yet a silver bullet for accessibility. He pointed out that AI tools like ChatGPT are still prone to errors, particularly when generating code for accessible websites. Nevertheless, the panel agreed that AI’s potential is vast, and as technology improves, it will become an invaluable tool in making the digital world more inclusive. 

Final takeaways: What leaders can do now 

The panel concluded with a call to action for business leaders. The consensus was clear: to truly become AI-ready and ensure that their organisations are inclusive, leaders must prioritise accessibility now. This means educating themselves on the business benefits of accessibility, identifying and empowering passionate individuals within their organisations, and leveraging tools like AbilityNet’s Digital Accessibility Maturity Model to assess and improve their current practices. 

By embedding accessibility into the culture of their organisations, leaders can ensure that their digital spaces are not just compliant with regulations but are truly inclusive, providing equal access to all users. 

This blog summarises Jadu’s Accessibility Panel: Lead on accessibility and you’ll be AI-ready video. Watch the video recording below. 

Renowned broadcaster and newsreader, Moira Stuart CBE, has joined forces with AbilityNet and BT Group to encourage older people to learn new digital skills, and raise awareness of online scams.

As part of BT Group and AbilityNet's partnership to help older people learn vital digital skills, last week Moira Stuart joined a group of 51 senior citizens on a coach trip from Birmingham to the historic Blenheim Palace near Oxford.

During the coach journey, the group of senior learners participated in bitesize digital skills sessions run by AbilityNet, supported by BT Group volunteers. The group learned about the dangers of online scams and how to stay safer online, and how to use QR codes.

The coach trip comes ahead of AbilityNet's upcoming free webinar aimed at older people: Empowering Seniors: 5 Essential Tips for Online Safety and Support on Thursday 17 October. On the webinar Lucy Walsh, AbilityNet Digital Skills trainer will share valuable tips for avoiding online scams.

Wise up to scammers

Moira also shared her own tech tips with the group, and encourages older people to embrace learning digital skills:

"Technology sure as hell is useful. You need to pay bills, or stay in touch with family and friends, particularly if they’re abroad. Everybody needs to get onto their equipment to find out whatever it is they need to know," Moira said.

Rob McLean (pictured, centre), AbilityNet's Digital Inclusion Programme Manager joined the trip with other AbilityNet staff:

"Chatting with Moira was great, she was so interested and shocked at the amount of scams going on. She thought our Staying Safer material was great and brilliantly delivered by our digital skills trainer Lucy." 

Free webinar: Empowering Seniors: 5 Essential Tips for Online Safety and Support

How to use QR codes

The group of senior citizens put to the test their newly acquired digital skills on the coach journey home, scanning QR codes to access online feedback surveys about the day. 

One learner said of the digital skills sessions they received on the training day: "Very professional and informative, and it has given me confidence to try and understand IT and the Internet better."

Others agreed, and praised the helpful volunteers and staff, and expressed how they are now more confident in using their digital devices.

AbilityNet's Rob McLean said of the day:

"It was a pleasure to be able to meet with Moira Stuart and the group of older people to have the opportunity to talk about how to stay safer online as part of our Digital Skills programme for Seniors and Disabled people. Helping them to avoid scams and giving them confidence to navigate the internet for things we need to do such as video calling family, shopping online or booking appointments."

"We want older people to feel digitally included in society and help improve their lives," Rob added.

Addressing confidence barriers

The trip was part of BT Group and AbilityNet's efforts to help close the digital divide, particularly among older people and disabled adults.

Ahead of United Nations International Day of Older Persons on 1 October, new BT Group research* reveals 57 is the average age that UK citizens start losing confidence in digital skills – while those over 65 are 14% less confident about using digital technology than the average respondents.

The research also revealed over a quarter over 65s (28%) receive multiple scam calls, texts or emails a week, with those aged 55-64 reporting encountering more scams than any other age group. 

Free tech help for over 65s

To help combat this growing scamming trend, and boost digital skills among older people and disabled adults, AbilityNet is offering free in-person digital skills sessions in locations across the UK including London, Birmingham, Glasgow, Edinburgh, the East Coast of Scotland, Newcastle, Cardiff and surrounding areas.

Additionally people over 65 from anywhere in the UK can join our free online webinar on Thursday 17 October to find out how to get free digital skills support.

The sessions are tailored to individual’s needs, from learning the basics with a smartphone, stay safer online or getting started with the internet. Contact us for support today!

Get Digital Skills support

Online support with digital skills

If you or someone you know is looking for digital skills support, there are lots of other resources on our website: 

• Attend an upcoming digital skills webinar
• View our bitesize digital skills videos for seniors 
• Read and download free digital skills factsheets
• Step-by-step device guides on our My Computer My Way site
• Request help from an AbilityNet volunteer or call AbilityNet's helpline on 0300 180 0028

Sir Geoff Hurst on building digital skills

A similar knowledge-sharing exercise took place earlier this year with football legend Sir Geoff Hurst providing his support for improving the tech skills of the older generation.

Alongside BT Group, AbilityNet teamed up with the 82-year-old to surprise a senior walking football team, Bristol City FC, with a digital skills session, followed by a friendly kickabout.

Learn more about avoiding online scams

*Opinium poll of 2,000 adults carried out on behalf of BT Group in April 2024.

Are your Word documents accessible? Use our checklist to make sure that they can be used by everyone who needs them.

Word has lots of features and options that help you write with accessibility in mind and that your content can be read and understood by as wide an audience as possible.

Use our checklist for to improve the accessibility of documents or publications, both print and online.

Seven things to check on your Word documents

1. Use a proper heading structure

Using headings helps structure your document. It makes them easier to follow and enables screen readers to navigate your document by its headings. 

It is even easier for users to navigate your document if your headings are descriptive.

In this snippet from our popular Accessibility for copywriters training course, Jack Baker, Senior Accessibility Consultant at AbilityNet shares how to write descriptive headings and labels.

2. Write in plain language

Plain language means communication that the reader can understand the first time they read it.

It can be defined as a simple, clear, conversational style that uses everyday words and an active voice.

3. Use accessible fonts and text size

Using an inaccessible font can slow your receiver from reading your document. When typing up your document, select a clear and easy to read font. The weight and size of your text need to also be considered. These formatting considerations are especially important for your readers with sight impairments.

4. Provide meaningful description/alt text for any images included

Having alternative text for images makes it easier to follow the meaning on the document and it is very easy to add them in Word.

Not every image needs a description, however. A screenreader will read out all the descriptions you add, so make sure you only add text where it is important to understand the contents of the image. It's very easy to click a box in Word to tell the screenreader that the image is purely decorative.

5. For content-heavy documents, use lists 

Using numbered or bulleted lists in documents can be a very useful way of breaking up complex, content-heavy information, making it easier to read and follow.

6. Make sure hyperlinks make sense as standalone information

Adding hyperlinks in Word is very easy through right-clicking on any word or group of words. However, the hyperlink makes sense as standalone information.

It can be useful to provide the full URL in brackets after the descriptive link so that it is available if the document is printed or if users wish to cut and paste it.

7. Use the Accessibility Checker

You can check the accessibility of your document in Word by using its built-in Accessibility Checker.

The ‘Check Accessibility’ button is available under the ‘Review’ menu. This highlights accessibility-related problems with your document, describes why you should fix them, and gives you guidance on how to do so.

For more complex documents, you will need to consider the accessibility of data tables, use of colours and metadata. Check out our factsheet on creating accessible documents for more information. 

Learn more about document accessibility

Further Resources

• Keep up to date with accessibility issues with the AbilityNet newsletter 
• Discover more accessibility and inclusive design training for Content and Designers
• Find out about AbilityNet's free live webinars
• Unsure where to start with digital accessibility? Speak to our experts for help

Do you know how to make your documents accessible? 

Document accessibility is crucial but often overlooked compared to web accessibility. It significantly impacts many people, and everyone who creates documents as part of their job can contribute to making them accessible. Discover three top tips to help you start thinking about the accessibility of the documents you produce. 

James Baverstock is a Principal Accessibility Consultant at AbilityNet who specialises in document accessibility. He contributes to AbilityNet’s training programmes for Microsoft Office, PDF (Portable Document Format), and InDesign accessibility, as well as conducting accessibility audits for PDFs and Office documents. As a certified Accessible Document Specialist (ADS) from the International Association of Accessibility Professionals (IAAP), he is well-versed in the field.

1. Optimise document structure

When creating a document in Microsoft Word, use appropriate heading styles to mark out sections of your content. Utilise Heading 1 for your main heading and nest other headings appropriately, such as Heading 2, Heading 3, etc., to create a logical structure. 

Using lists can also break up your content and improve readability. Properly styled headings and lists enhance readability for everyone, especially users of screen readers or braille displays, by making the structure more accessible.

2. Utilise the Microsoft Accessibility Checker

Always use the Microsoft Accessibility Checker when working with Word or other Office applications like PowerPoint, Excel, or Outlook. This tool identifies accessibility issues such as images without alternative text and instances of low color contrast between text and background. 

To use the checker in Word, go to Review > Check Accessibility. The checker will highlight problems like charts lacking alternative text and hard-to-read text contrast issues. It also provides additional information on why these issues are problematic and offers guidance on fixing them. Keeping the accessibility checker active while you work allows you to identify and address issues in real time. 

3. Ensure PDFs are tagged

When creating PDFs, always ensure they are tagged. Tags act like invisible labels that inform screen readers about document elements such as headings, lists, tables, alternative text for images, and the reading order of the content. 

To check if a PDF is tagged, look for the “Tagged PDF” field in the Document Properties. Office applications can produce tagged PDFs by default when saving to PDF. By using headings and lists and following the accessibility checker’s guidance, these accessibility features should carry over to the tagged PDF. Adobe InDesign also offers robust tools for producing tagged PDFs. 

Avoid printing to PDF in Office applications and InDesign, as this does not produce tags. Instead, use the Save As Adobe PDF option or select PDF as the format when saving. If you use different software for producing PDFs, ensure it can create well-tagged PDFs, as not all applications offer this capability. 

Learn about document accessibility 

Implement these practices to make your documents more accessible to everyone. For more detailed guidance, check out our following resources:  

• For individual learning: How to create accessible documents with Word training course  
• For you and your team: Organise accessible document team training  
• For your organisation: Creating accessible content in Office 365  

Speak to our accessibility experts 

This blog is a transcription of AbilityNet’s TechShare Pro conference 2023 selection of bite-sized 'Lightning Talks' from accessibility experts, highlighting top tips and advice on accessibility topics. Watch the video recording below.

Join us for TechShare Pro 2024 in person in London or online for two days of sharing and learning about accessibility, disability inclusion and much more... 

Book your ticket for TechShare Pro 2024