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Diversity, Disability and Deb Dagit: Working for an Inclusive Corporate America - Deb Dagit

Deb Dagit

Deb Dagit believes that, “Having a more diverse team leads to greater innovation and creativity as well as opening up the possibilities of different perspectives”. As the Executive Director of Diversity & Work Environment for Merck & Co., Inc.- one of the world’s largest pharmaceutical corporations, Dagit insists that disability be included in the diversity discussion. Ms. Dagit was born with Osteogenesis Imperfecta (brittle bone disease). She is 4 feet tall and walks with a cane. Ms. Dagit is one of the most well-respected spokespersons in the diversity field: lecturing to corporate executives, serving on the prestigious Conference Board Workforce Council on Diversity, garnering numerous awards, and has been instrumental in establishing disability-alongside other primary dimensions such as race, age, ethnicity, gender, and sexual orientation-as part of the realm of diversity.

From 1993-2001, Ms. Dagit was the Director of Learning, Communications, and Diversity for Silicon Graphics, and Diversity Manager for SUN Microsystems, Inc. from 1991-1993. From 1987 to 1991, she founded and led “Bridge-to-Jobs,” a unique and effective job placement service for people with disabilities that placed approximately 400 people with disabilities into jobs. During this time, she played an instrumental role in the passage of the American with Disabilities Act, working closely with the team at the Disability Rights Education and Defense Fund (DREDF), and former California Congressman, Norman Mineta (Secretary of Commerce, during the Clinton Administration).

Ms.Dagit insists that inclusion of people with disabilities is a matter of practicality. First, people with disabilities- 54 million individuals according to the U.S. Census- are too large of a consumer market to ignore. Secondly, inclusion of people with disabilities (as with any other minority group) increases employee engagement and retention, which in a global economy, can only be to the employer’s advantage. One of the benefits of a diverse workforce often cited includes forging comfortable customer relationships. Businesses attempting to sell their products to diverse markets can only aid this goal by having a workforce that reflects society- including people with all types of disabilities.

One of the frequent topics that Ms. Dagit addresses are questions on accommodations. She approaches the situation from the perspective that disability accommodations are fundamentally no different from adaptations that are made for non-disabled workers. Everyone has needs that have to be addressed in the workplace, be it a single mother, a long-distance commuter, or a person with a disability. Ms. Dagit feels that accommodating the needs of all employees- using an individualized approach- makes excellent business sense. Workers that receive accommodations (whether it is a flexible work arrangement, assistive technology, or facility modification) are more productive, loyal, and are generally more satisfied with their work environments.

Ms. Dagit states that one of the most common problems, especially in large corporations, is the lack of infrastructure and knowledge of available disability resources. When issues arise, no one knows where to go to resolve problems. Simple requests like accessible parking can turn into lengthy bureaucratic processes because there are no established procedures. In order to address this issue at Merck, she spearheaded the launch of a new Disability Accommodation intranet site this year that includes a 5-step disability accommodation process map, defined roles of stakeholders involved in the process, tips for interacting with people with various disabilities, specific internal contact persons, and a myriad of other resources. She also convened a new Disability Advisory Council at Merck-a cross-functional team with the objective of reducing barriers to employment and productivity for people with disabilities.

When speaking to corporate executives, Ms. Dagit strives to uncover the personal connections that nearly everyone has to someone with a disability- be it a family member, a friend, or themselves. She finds that discussing disability on a personal level makes disability issues seem much more commonplace and normal than most perceive. Establishing this individual association alleviates much of the fear and apprehension that arises when talking about disability.

Deb Dagit, as a woman with a disability, embodies diversity. In nearly 20 years as a disability advocate and a corporate executive, Dagit has seen incredible changes in the world that people with disabilities now live. No longer are people with disabilities relegated to living at home or institutions, now they are becoming recognized as a vital component in enhancing workplace diversity. These societal changes, especially in the corporate arena, are largely a credit to Deb Dagit and her tireless efforts towards an inclusive world.