Disability inclusion resources for Desk-Free Workers 

Disability inclusion resources for Desk Free Workers

• For desk-free, frontline workers who interact with customers.
• Digital guides, fact sheets, videos and easy-to-use toolbox talks.
• Help desk-free staff feel confident, informed, and supported in their roles.
• Build a more accessible, inclusive, and disability-confident culture. 

Diane Lightfoot, CEO, Business Disability Forum​

I’m delighted to introduce the Desk-Free Workers Project, an initiative developed to support the colleagues who are so often the face of your organisation – those who generally work away from desks and interact directly with customers or members of the public.

These workers are at the heart of inclusive customer service. The way they interact with disabled customers can shape someone’s whole experience, leading to either lasting loyalty or disappointment and disengagement. That’s why it is vital that customer-facing workers feel confident and equipped to offer great service to everyone.

The Desk-Free Workers Project is designed to help you make that happen. We have developed a comprehensive set of practical, situation specific resources, tailored for workers who spend most of their time away from a desk or computer. The tools are engaging, easy to use, and directly relevant to real working environments, whether that’s on a construction site, on the shop floor, or out in the community.

Inclusion isn’t just the right thing to do, it’s good for business. Supporting your whole team to be inclusive boosts engagement, productivity and innovation. And in doing so, it strengthens your reputation as a brand that truly values equity and delivers on it, every day, for every customer.

‘Think Disability’ resource pack: what’s included

As part of the Desk-Free Workers Project, we have created a set of ‘Think Disability’ resources. These are designed to educate your front-line staff on disability inclusion in a number of different formats, including:

• Digital guides and videos – These educate workers on four topics (Home Visits, Work In Public Spaces, Communication and Less-Visible Disabilities), providing them with clear practical guidance on how to navigate common work-based scenarios in a disability-inclusive way. Each of the four topics is covered in both a digital leaflet and a video, ensuring that workers with different learning styles will be engaged.
• Disability fact sheets – The four disability fact sheets take a more specific look at common disabilities that may impact how a customer interacts with your organisation. The facts sheets support workers to recognise and understand common disabilities, and provide them with tips on how to improve the experience for customers with those disabilities.
• Toolbox Talks Menu – Many customer facing teams have opportunities for informal team training to be delivered by the Team Lead. Our Toolbox Talks provide Team Leads with all the resources they need to deliver sessions on the four disability inclusion topics (Work In Public Spaces, Home Visits, Communication and Less-Visible Disabilities). Each pack contains comprehensive delivery notes, and an optional PowerPoint slide deck that can be shared with the team digitally or printed off as a hard copy to support the session.
• Implementation guide – Our guide will support you to identify the best way to distribute the desk-free resources throughout your organisation, encourage workers to engage with them, and measure the impact they have. We want to ensure you get as much out of them as possible.

How will the Desk-Free Workers project benefit you?  

Delivering excellent customer service means making sure every customer feels welcome, respected, and understood. By removing barriers and building confidence across your teams, you can create experiences that work for everyone, including disabled customers who are too often overlooked. The benefits go beyond individual interactions – they will strengthen your workforce, your reputation, and your bottom line. Here’s how the Desk-Free Workers project will bring value to your organisation. 

Your disabled customers and service users will gain: 

• Equal access to your services, without barriers. 
• Clear, confident and respectful interactions from your workers. 
• A smoother, more consistent customer experience from start to finish. 
• Greater trust that their needs will be understood and met. 

Your desk-free workers will benefit from: 

• Practical skills to respond confidently to a wide range of customer needs. 
• Real-world examples and scenarios that make inclusion second nature. 
• A clear framework for talking about accessibility with customers and colleagues. 
• Greater pride in delivering excellent and inclusive service. 

Your organisation will experience: 

• Stronger customer loyalty from an underserved market. 
• Positive recommendations from customers who value your commitment to inclusion. 
• A stronger reputation as a brand people trust and recommend. 
• A culture where disability is discussed openly and confidently, so workers and customers feel supported to share their needs. 

How we developed the disability inclusion resources 

As an alternative to the longer-form toolkits and guidance in our Knowledge Hub, these resources are intentionally short, simple and available in different formats for workers on the go.  

We’ve co-created these resources with people with lived experience of disability and a steering group consisting of BDF Member and Partner organisations, who have supported us to talk directly to their desk-free workers to ensure the content resonates with them.  

Access and pricing 

Businesses can access and use the desk-free workers resource set via a two-year licencing agreement.​ 

BDF Partners: Free access 

BDF Members: 50% discount on the non-Member rate (pricing tiered based on number of users) 

Non-Members: Contact us for pricing 

Not a Member yet? Find out more about the benefits of membership 

Contact our team

For more information about our desk-free workers resources, and to discuss costs talk to your BDF Business Partner or email us at membership@businessdisabilityforum.org.uk

If you require this content in a different format, contact enquiries@businessdisabilityforum.org.uk.