Socializing in the Workplace

Now, here's one of the most difficult challenges for me; socializing in the workplace.  At the best of times, when I worked in a mainstream workplace, I always found it a bit difficult to socialize.  As a blind person, it is often difficult at the best of times to be able to tell when and where to socialize.  It is often difficult to find where people are gathered and in many cases we have to use our sense of hearing to find the action so to speak.

 

When it comes to going out to restaurants with coworkers, we often have to depend on our sighted colleagues to lend a helping hand.  Getting to the restaurant, finding a table, knowing what's on the menu, and so on.  We even have to depend on sighted assistance to help us navigate our way to the bathroom and back to our places at the table. 

 

There are many tiny things that much of society may not think of when it comes to a blind person being able to socialize in the workplace but there you have it.  If we are in unfamiliar territory, then we would definitely need sighted assistance to help us navigate and find our way and if we need to locate friends and acquaintances then the same would apply.

 

I'm Donna J. Jodhan your friendly accessibility advocate wishing you a terrific day and encouraging you to go out there and educate your coworkers about how blind persons socialize in the workplace.

Visit www.acb.org to learn more.