Disability inclusion for desk-free workers

Introduction to our Desk-Free Workers Project

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, including those working in shops, visiting customers in their homes, or serving the public in shared spaces.

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 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, sector-specific resource packs, 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, 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.

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, Street Works, 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 (Street Works, 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.

What are the potential benefits?

Delivering excellent customer service means making sure every customer feels welcome, respected, and understood. By removing barriers and building confidence across your team, you can create experiences that work for everyone, including disabled customers who are too often overlooked. The benefits go beyond individual interactions: they strengthen your workforce, your reputation, and your bottom line. Here’s how our project will help.

For your disabled customers and service users:

• 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.

For your desk-free workers:

• 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.

For your organisation:

• 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 resources

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

Access and pricing

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.