International Day for People with Disabilities: The power of awareness

I joined Allianz Trade in 1999 and have had the opportunity to explore seven different roles within the company. Over the years, I’ve worked across different functions and projects, and it gave me a broad perspective on the business as well as a valuable experience in both operational and now in customer related roles. I’ve had an invisible disability since birth: a lack of depth perception (“vue du relief” in French). I realized it relatively late in life while playing badminton because I would often miss the shuttlecock after a long game, as I miss the perception of depth of field which requires constant adaptation. I was diagnosed with a disability in 2019. During a campaign on invisible disabilities held at Allianz Trade and organized by Christine Dupenloux, I reached out to her, and she guided me through the process. On a different note, but still as part of my introduction, I’ve been a photographer since I was 14, which I do alongside my role at Allianz Trade. It’s my way of seeing “depth of field” because the camera does the job for me. I understood more than why I loved so much this effect of having blurred background in portrait photography!

Returning to the office after the COVID period meant frequently switching screens between the one I had at the office and the one at home, and working in various environments with different lighting, which was quite challenging for me. After discussing with my doctor, we agreed that it would be best for me to arrange four days of remote work per week to limit the “overburdening” of my sight. It has made a significant difference, and I started feeling less exhausted after a workday. When I am at the office, I try to always be there on the same day, and schedule as many in-person meetings as possible to avoid constant screen changes because it strains my vision a lot. These adjustments have been helpful for me but since my disability is not something I tend to first discuss with new colleagues, I have received some comments from people who misunderstand my situation and perceive my remote work as a privilege. In this case I think awareness is key: the more we educate ourselves and openly talk about disabilities, the more naturally these accommodations will be discussed and understood.

I found that my disability has had a strong impact on my working style, as well as my time management, and my ability to adapt quickly to changes. It has made me more resilient, since I never complained about it and discovered the consequences of my disability lately. For instance, working mostly remotely has made me more people oriented as it made me recognize the value of in-person interactions. Indeed, I prioritize face-to-face discussions on office days, and I’ve found that it leads to more effective communication and collaboration on some topics which you cannot easily solve by chat or teams visio.

To me, an inclusive workplace supports people in openly discussing their needs and accommodations without having to justify them. To achieve this, a workplace must actively promote understanding and respect and let collaborators share what they’re comfortable sharing, whether they have a disability or not. Back in 2003, I worked with a colleague who had a prosthetic arm. He never directly mentioned he had one, and it took me a while to notice it because he had adapted his life around it so naturally. My own diagnosis has made me more aware of others’ disabilities, and I believe a workplace should encourage open, yet respectful, dialogue on this topic to make disabilities less of a taboo. Moreover, working in a very diverse team will also broaden people’s perspective on inclusion. For example, working in my international team has made me realize that everyone’s journey is unique, and that inclusion & equal opportunities strengthens our workplace. Allianz Trade has been getting better and better in terms of inclusivity, and I feel that the company is working to ensure this remains a priority. However, I believe true inclusivity is an ongoing process: we can’t stop advocating and raising awareness about it, both in and out of the workplace.

I’d like to see continuous awareness and education on disabilities integrated into the hiring process. It might also be helpful to remind within teams that disability declarations are personal and not disclosed, so managers are available to discuss someone’s needs without necessarily knowing every detail, to ensure privacy and to make it easier for an employee to disclose their disability if they are not yet a 100% at ease with it. This would also allow managers to guide their team members through the process of having an adapted work environment. Recurrent training on inclusivity and disabilities awareness, particularly for managers, is also key: especially considering that over 70% of disabilities are invisible.

One effective strategy is to give people a platform to share their stories like we are doing today with this series of interviews. When individuals with disabilities openly talk about their experiences, it can shift perceptions in a more personal and impactful way. Additionally, I think it's essential for training programs to be regularly updated to incorporate the latest insights and best practices in inclusion. Trainings in general are important because an inclusive workplace is a place where people are educated. This is why I believe awareness campaigns, like Allianz Trade’s internal one a few years ago on invisible disabilities, play a crucial role.