New disability inclusion awareness and training resources for the utilities sector

With one in four people in the UK identifying as disabled, it is important that service industries, such as the utilities sector, can meet the needs of disabled customers.  Many customer-facing staff in the utilities sector are not desk-based, which can present problems when creating awareness and training resources that staff can access on devices while they are on the go. 

Paul Pether, a Content Project Manager at Business Disability Forum, highlights a new pack of disability inclusion resources for ‘desk-free’ utility workers, which have been created with help from Business Disability Forum Members working in the sector, including energy supplier, OVO.   

Disability inclusion is most effective when it’s shaped by the voices of disabled colleagues. Their insight brings clarity and authenticity to every stage of the journey. That’s why employee engagement is central to the way we at Business Disability Forum support our Members and Partners.

Desk-free workers 

“Across our membership, members of staff are engaging and serving disabled consumers on a daily basis,” explains Paul “Many of these customer-facing roles are ‘desk-free’.  Whether working out in public, in-store, or in customers’ homes, desk-free workers are focused on giving great customer service through practical tasks – and may not be able to access more formal or complex forms of disability inclusion training in a typical working day. 

“We want employees from all backgrounds and levels of experience to feel confident in offering inclusive service to their customers. So, with the support of our Members and Partners, we’ve created a new range of simple, bite-sized resources to fit into the often-hectic day of a desk-free worker.” 

What are the resources? 

“This first set of ‘Think Disability’ resources is aimed specifically at workers in the utilities sector,” continues Paul. “It covers topics such as customer home visits and accessibility around street works, both of which we know can present significant barriers for disabled customers.” 

OVO has been a Member of BDF for three years. Louise Bailey, Belonging Lead at OVO, was part of the steering group of utility companies which helped to develop the new resource. 

“Our engineers are busy helping our customers in their homes – and don’t always have access to full learning resources. They need information which is easy to access and easy to implement. 

“BDF’s desk-free workers project was a perfect opportunity for us to get involved and create a resource specifically for our field engineers. With one in four people in the UK having a disability, our engineers frequently interact with customers who have different needs. It’s crucial that we get these interactions right.” 

Different formats

The ‘Think Disability’ resources are designed to educate front-line staff on disability inclusion in a number of different formats, including: 

• Short digital guides and videos – offering clear practical guidance on how to navigate common work-based scenarios in a disability-inclusive way 
• Disability fact sheets – looking at common disabilities that may impact how a customer interacts with your organisation 
• Toolbox talk packs – providing team leads and supervisors with all the resources they need to deliver sessions on different disability inclusion topics   

“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,” says Paul.   

Louise explains why creating an accessible customer experience is so important.  

“At OVO, we’re dedicated to making sure energy is accessible to everyone. This means providing our customers with the help they need in a way that works for them. It also means equipping our people, especially those on the front lines, with the tools and support they need to deliver outstanding service. 

“That’s why our partnership with BDF is so important. We work with them to continuously improve how we support both our customers and our people. 

“The new resources will help our engineers better understand the needs of our customers, have more productive conversations, and communicate in a way that works for everyone. Because our engineers are always on the go, we made these resources—including videos and toolbox talks—quick and easy to access online. These tools don’t just provide information; they bring to life the barriers people with disabilities face, helping our team become more aware and proactive in removing them. 

“I was personally passionate about this project because energy is a lifeline for so many of our customers. It powers life-supporting medical machines and the technology, like iPads, that provide communication and comfort for some neurodivergent individuals. 

“In the energy sector, we have the Priority Services Register, which flags customers who need extra support, especially during power outages. By combining this information with the new BDF desk-free resources, our OVO engineers can feel confident that they are providing the best possible experience for every customer, in their homes.” 

How Business Disability Forum can support you

As part of the resource pack, we offer an implementation guide -supporting colleagues in the utilities sector to identify the best ways to distribute the desk-free resources, encourage workers to engage with them, and measure the impact they have. 

And if you are a Member or Partner organisation, your assigned business partner is on hand to encourage and support the use of these new resources with your desk-free colleagues.  

We are excited to be developing and widening the resource set to other sectors from 2026 onwards – starting with a focus on the retail sector. 

For more information or to make an enquiry, you can visit Business Disability Forum’s ‘‘Disability Inclusion For Desk-Free Workers” page.