Secrets and Big News: Enabling People to be Themselves at Work

Secrets & Big News is an engaging read about the subject of ‘declaration’ and ‘disclosure’ of disability in the workplace. Based on a two-year research project, the book details the reasons why people find it hard to share information and offers ideas for both employers and employees alike. 55 employers took part in the study and together they reached just over 2,500 of their employees who offered their views about what makes it hard to share personal information, as well as what makes it easier. The book is triggering a wave of new conversations between valuable employees and UK and global businesses. The book is not about medicine, politics or disability rights: it’s about what it means to be human and how employers can retain their talented people through periods of ill health and disability. The text is full of practical hints and tips for HRM professionals, diversity and inclusion specialists and employee network leaders. The Advisory Board for the project included representatives from Lloyds Banking Group, Business Disability Forum, Business in the Community, BT, Shell, Metropolitan Police Service, Coca Cola, and the Civil Service Disability Network. Secrets & Big News outlines 15 ‘Big Ideas’ for employers about how they can make it easier for their staff to share information about their disability and 15 ‘Big Ideas’ to disabled people about how to be more disability confident themselves. The report builds on the government’s recent Disability Confident campaign and engagement with employers across the UK.