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November 12, 2008
When You Feel Marginalized on the Job
You have a visual impairment, but you have a job. You consider yourself fortunate because you’re working.
But are you growing in your career? Are you in a work situation which is helping you reach your full potential? Or, do you feel marginalized and conveniently swept into a comfortable corner of your company or organization?
If you are no longer expected to obtain further training due to the low expectations of your supervisor, you may be in trouble. You are being handicapped much worse than any visual impairment can.
In such a case, your supervisor is not doing what's best for you or the company because he or she is not empowering you, even though you’re a person who would probably use the training to its fullest.
So, today I’d like to tell you about Tom.
Tom is 38 years old. He lost his vision three years ago to diabetic retinopathy. Before his visual impairment, he was a satellite TV engineer for XYZ Corporation, where he is still working as a customer rep, a job the company offered him (and he accepted) when he could no longer do his engineering work.Tom feels good about having a job, particularly during these tough economic times, but, at the same time, he’s uncomfortable about it.
For one thing, he finds his job rather unchallenging compared to his engineering work, which he did for seven years. He would like to work in a unit where he could use his engineering skills, even though he has a visual impairment.
In fact, when pressed, Tom will admit he feels like he’s been diverted into a “safe” job and is being treated differently than his co-workers, particularly when it comes to training and development. It’s a feeling Tom has never put into words, even for his family or his closest friends.
He cannot access the company’s training modules (available to his co-workers through the corporate intranet), has not attended off-site seminars (due to transportation difficulties) and often is not told about professional development opportunities that he later finds others have attended.
Tom used to enjoy being a part of his unit’s engineering team, particularly when it was called upon to brainstorm about how to solve a particular problem. But, now he feels isolated because he deals with customers on a one-on-one basis (mostly by phone) and gets to interact very little with his fellow customer reps.
To be truthful, Tom resents his supervisor, and the strain on him is taking its toll.
"It has been uncomfortable knowing that I go to work each morning where they really don't want me," he says. "No comments have been said to me directly, but others have mentioned a few back-handed looks and raised eyebrows that I have received from my supervisor."
Ideally, management people need to show a sincere intent to address the career aspirations (in terms of accessible training, career development and internal advancement) of those they supervise, but that’s not always the case in the real world.
See “Use Leadership to Help an Employee With a disability Grow in his Job.”
Check “Clear the Way to Achievement for Your Visually Impaired Employees.”
See “Choose the Right Mentor for a New Employee Who Is Visually Impaired.”
If you were Tom, how would you effectively address the issues in his situation?
Add your comments to this posting
Posted by Jim Hasse at November 12, 2008 09:36 AM
Comments
I can appreciate Tom's situation. Thirty years ago, I became totally blind as a result of diabetic retinapathy. At the time, was just out of college having been trained in Public Policy/Mass Communications and, had just begun a position with a State agency as their Community Education Officer, i.e. Press Relations.
I apologize in advance as comments contained herein may appear to a Reader as "mean spirited" however, I do not spin responses to inquiries, lessening the reality factor, prefering to answer based on my nearly 30 years as a professional who must overcome blindness in order to be equal and, in many cases surpass my non-disabled colleagues in order to be successful. I've re-arranged responses to several of Tom's inquiries to provide a logical presentation, specifically:
1) Not Challenged Since Being Offered Customer Service Position. I believe this is an individual determination. As posted previously, in tough economic times where organizations are not agressively hiring, unemployment increases each week and the entity is seeking to do more with les, Tom needs to address the question, "What can I contribute, regardless of visual disability, to my employer to enhance their bottom line and make me an operational essential component of the team?" Tom needs to evaluate the duties of his current position and incorporate his knowledge, skills and abilities (KSA's) into the dynamic then strategically make his abilities known and the likely impact of his Supervisor taking advantage of this ready resource to enhance the team's bottom line and efficiency.
2) Intranet (internal) training not available/accessible. Hmmmm. Whose career is most important here? Tom's of course! Tom needs to explore what readily achievable Assistive Technologies (AT) can be secured to allow him to access training opportunities. He need explore the operating platform of his employer to determine what AT may already be available and, if there's none, what "Open Source" AT he can secure to provide him the necessary access to the training materials. As far as what training is available, Tom needs to be agressive on his own behalf and, network! Ideally, identify the IT Person who is responsible for maintenance of the intranet and, make them his friend. Once you have this resource ask what specific training is available; how is it being developed/presented; is there an opportunity to become involved in its development to insure it's accessibility to all employees and, offer to aide in the AT incorporation to enhance Tom's contribution to the organization.
3) Don't know about external training. Why not? Questions immediately come to mind--Is Tom asking what's available off-site? Is he looking at topical Websites to identify training opportunities? Has he advised the Training/HR Departments of his interest in attending off-site training and, request they notify him of its availability? Has Tom done the Homework to identify training opportunities and, then present his interest to his Supervisor? Training/HR Department?
4) Transportation is difficult. And, your point is? If Tom responds to the questions posed in Item 3 above, chances are likely they'll be others interested in the same training. This is especially true if the training is scheduled by the Training/HR Department. Tom can ask in this case for the Names/Departments of others who may be interested in the training, contacting them to determine if they'd like to car pool. If this option is not available, it's Homework time again! Tom needs to evaluate his options including cost and, select the most effective, cost-effective solution to insure he can access the off-site training. Developing his own transportation options, Tom may be able to use this to his adantage as, if it becomes necessary for a Customer Services Representative from his Department to visit clients, he can volunteer demonstrating his willingness to his Supervisor to make additional contributions to the organization's bottom line.
Posted by: James J. Elekes, M.Ed, MPA, CPM at November 12, 2008 03:03 PM
The first posting nails a majority of the issues.
Work relationships are a critical piece of the process and if the supervisor is treating him differently because of his blindness that opens a potential can of worms? Perhaps a sit down with the boss to explain that the loss of sight is not a loss of intelligence, capability, skills or knowledge. All of these are critical problem solving components needed in every organization.
Regarding training, ask for opportunities to build on your skills. Ask for the training opportunities, ask for them to be accessible and if treated differently, document, document, document.
Consider looking for other opportunities or consulting work. An engineer is still an engineer. He has abilities that can make a major contribution to someone if not to his current employer. In today's economic environment the employee is a commodity and unless we differentiate ourselves, we shall be treated without the respect that we deserve.
Know what you want. Ask for it and keep asking no matter what the answer is. Advancing in the face of difficult odds requires persistence, consistency and adaptation. All skills that I know he has in abundance.
Posted by: bmayse at November 18, 2008 11:27 AM