“How do I ask my employer to support my participation in the Institute?”
This is a question we hear frequently from new and prospective. We strongly encourage our Fellows to talk with their employers about their interest in the program for a number of reasons:
- You may need to attend Fellow activities during traditional work hours
- The Institute is an exciting professional development opportunity that can benefit you AND your employer
- Your employer may be able to help support the costs of tuition
The majority of our Fellows’ employers recognize that Disability Lead is a win-win for Fellows and for them. In fact, some even proactively arrange for tuition sponsorship once they learn about a Fellow’s acceptance. But others can benefit from a direct conversation to learn more about how this program is as good for the employer as it is for the Fellow.
Robin Burnett, Disability Lead ’s Director of Education and Operations, recently sat down with Fellows Lori Goddard and Becky Staley to talk about their experiences asking their employers to support their participation. Lori is Vice President and Management Director for FCB Chicago, and Becky is MEWA Program Manager of Health Care Service Corporation (Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Illinois).
Robin: We know these initial conversations between Fellows and employers can be different for everyone depending on a number of variables, including internal culture. When you decided to apply for Disability Lead, can you tell me about that decision and what that conversation with your employer was like? How did you bring up the tuition support and the time away from work?
Lori: First, I went to my boss, and then my HR team. I explained that the program was an opportunity for me to grow my leadership skills, meet like-minded people, and sharpen my sense of identity as a leader with a disability. I talked about my personal excitement for the program and the value I thought it would help me bring to the company.
Robin: How did you frame that last part — the value you wanted to add as a Fellow?
Lori: Well, disability inclusion had actually been on FCB’s radar before I told them about Disability Lead. We’re a global advertising agency, and our clients are increasingly looking to build inclusivity into their brands. So, it’s very important for FCB to demonstrate that we are also committed to inclusion. It’s good for our business, it makes us a better employer, and frankly, it’s the right thing to do.
I explained to my boss that Disability Lead was a unique program — the first of its kind in the country — and that being a Fellow would give me new knowledge and tools around disability inclusion that I could bring back to FCB to inform our efforts to become more inclusive.
Robin: And how was your request received?
Lori: Both my boss and my HR team were immediately supportive and really embraced what I could bring to the company as a result of being a Fellow.
Robin: That’s terrific. And I loved what you said about companies making inclusion a part of their brand and what they’re known for. I was struck by the commitment of New York’s Fashion Week this year to feature models with disabilities on the runway as an illustration of inclusion as part of a forward-thinking mindset.
Lori: Yes, we are definitely seeing more and more companies who are embracing inclusion and making their commitment visible.
Robin: Becky, your company also supported your Fellowship tuition. How did you make the request?
Becky: Similar to Lori, I also made sure that my ask tied back to the larger goals of the company. Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Illinois’ mission is to do everything we can to support our members, in sickness and in health. Meeting members where they are and being inclusive is critical to how we execute that mission. I also linked the Fellowship to my personal goal of becoming a certified diversity executive. My management was glad to cover the full cost of the tuition out of our professional development fund.
Robin: That’s a great point — companies often have funds that are specifically designated for employees’ professional development. A number of Fellows have been able to access those funds to support their tuition.
Becky: Yes, and I believe employees need to have honest and frank discussions with employers, so they can get their needs, met, whether it’s an accommodation for a disability or a program like the Fellowship that supports your desire to learn and grow and become the leader that you need and want to be. Your employer won’t know what you need unless you ask.
Robin: This closely relates to the topic of employees choosing to self-identify as having a disability at work, particularly when their disability is invisible. Disability Lead actually requires that prospective Fellows be individuals who self-identify as part of the eligibility criteria for the program. When you talked to your employer about the Institute, had you already self-identified your disabilities at that point??
Becky: I have an invisible disability and had actually self-identified for years before applying. I felt comfortable doing so because the culture at Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Illinois is amazingly caring and supportive — it goes back to our mission and our commitment to diversity. I’ve always felt very well-supported by my management team.
Lori: With a visible disability, I have always been open about it. FCB has a culture that embraces diversity. But the discussion did help me realize that my disability is not as apparent to all as I always believed. I’m not shy about it, but I’m certainly more aware now that I have an opportunity and responsibility to help others feel comfortable with their disclosure and to help change perceptions about people with disabilities by being more open with my own story.
Robin: What are some of the ways your companies have more broadly benefited from embracing your participation in the Fellowship?
Lori: I’ve been partnering with our HR department to share what I’m learning in the Fellowship to aid and expand our company-wide inclusion efforts. I’m educating them while I’m educating myself, and it has fueled even more passion among my colleagues to do this right. The resources I now have access to are helping us find new ways to better support our employees.
Becky: After the first Disability Lead symposium, I started working right away on one piece of low-hanging fruit, which was making sure we have closed captioning available at company meetings and events. This is something that usually ends up benefiting everyone, not just those who are deaf and hard-of-hearing. I worked with vendors and our meetings team to make sure we are providing this accommodation.
Robin: Is there any final advice you would offer to new Fellows who want to ask their employers for support but are unsure about where to start?
Becky: Even if you’re feeling nervous about it, I would encourage you to go ahead and make the ask and just know that you’re worthy of it.
Lori: I agree wholeheartedly. It’s an important thing to do for yourself, and potentially for other people inside and outside your company as well. That brave first step to ask could be the start of great change.