August 9, 2019
A job fair post by an employee of food start up Swiggy on a social
media group for people with disabilities has triggered an important
conversation about the need for greater sensitisation. Companies in India are
increasingly hiring people with disabilities, which is welcome, but the
exchange is a reminder of the awareness gaps that need to be
overcome.
What does the Equal Opportunity Policy mean in the full
sense? And do companies that claim to practice it even know what it entails?
Questions triggered by an exchange that has broken out over a job fair post
on Facebook. The post was put up by an employee of prominent
food start up Swiggy on the group EnAble India
Volunteers, which is meant for people with disabilities.
One of the members Raghavendra Satish Peri, a
Hyderabad-based digital accessibility evangelist, who is visually impaired,
responded – “Is this job fair disabled-friendly? Is Swiggy willing to hire
people with disabilities, if yes, in what roles?”
To this, the Swiggy employee said there was a junior executive’s position
open. Peri then went on to ask for details regarding the sensitisation
process at Swiggy towards disabled employees and questioned whether the
workplace was truly accessible, as in his experience people with disabilities
are “subject to bullying”.
The exchange went on to acquire sharp overtones with the Swiggy employee
saying “First of all we didn’t invite you. So, please keep silent. Please
go through the ad carefully. We did not invite them”.
This has provoked a strong reaction from other group members who have
criticised Swiggy firstly, for posting on a forum meant for disabled people
and then for lack of empathy.
Vaani Shiva Soni, a former journalist commented: “This
group enables job opportunities for people with disabilities. So when you put
up a job advert.. it means there holds some opportunity for these people
right? Now, if this is not the case, why will you post about this job fair
here? ….When you say you haven’t invited them then don’t post the job
advert here. You are the Head HR right? You must be aware of these things?”
Another member Vishali Naren, Founder, Special Needs
Moms of India added, “Please understand. Visually impaired cannot
read text inside the pictures, just like how we cannot copy text from an
uneditable PDF, contrary to how we can copy text from a Word document. Not
only this, please understand that it’s you and me who must make the world a
better place for special needs”.
Claiming the employee who posted the advert is a volunteer, Swiggy made this
statement – “Swiggy is an equal opportunity organisation and we hire solely
on the basis of merit. We maintain a zero-tolerance policy towards any
behavior which is contrary to this value”. The statement goes on to say
that the company is conducting an internal inquiry and would
take “corrective steps”.
Speaking to NewzHook Peri said he was disappointed at the
lack of an apology. “This shows the culture of the company. I tried
educating this guy and he did not understand. You come into my space and
insult my community and that’s not on. Swiggy claims to be an equal
opportunity employer. What does that even mean?”
The episode underlines the large gaps that still persist when it comes to
accessibility and inclusion, believes Peri. Gaps that apply even to big
corporates that claim to practice diversity and inclusion. Shanti
Raghavan, Founder, EnAble India urges the community
to regard the incident as an opportunity.
This will be the thousandth example of lack of respect and awareness about
how persons with disability are tax payers who contribute to their family,
company and nation. The question for reflection: Is there an opportunity to
make Swiggy aware of the Equal Opportunity Policy mandated by the RPWD Act
and hence they become an equal opportunity employer through this encounter?
Is there an opportunity to make this employee and others increase their
knowledge about disability? We should use this opportunity to spread
awareness – Shanti Raghavan, Founder, EnAble India
The incident highlights the need for companies to actively work offering
equal opportunities in the complete sense, says P Rajashekharan,
Co-founder, v-shesh. “All organisations must progress towards
understanding what being an Equal Opportunity Employer mandates. This means
various departments, be it recruitment, HR, etc., are sensitive towards
people with disabilities, in demeanour and actions”.
At the same time, he says, recruiters are under tremendous pressure and have
many responsibilities and should be cut some slack. “I do believe the Swiggy
employee’s apology should have been more genuine and he should have expressed
remorse for the words used but it is also the organisation’s responsibility
to train the recruiters. The onus is on the management to check if their
infrastructure and manpower is sensitised”.
Read more about the Equal Opportunity
Policy
