Case Study
Businessman at DHL Group - Deutsche Post

DHL Group is a global logistics and mail communications group. In Germany, the DHL Group includes Deutsche Post, which focuses on mail shipments, and DHL, which focuses on parcel shipments. Diversity, equal opportunities, inclusion and belonging play an important role at the Group. These aspects are therefore also seen as success factors for the Group. To implement this, for example, people with disabilities are to be actively supported in inclusion so that they can contribute their skills and thus fully exploit their potential.

The man has a limb deformity (dysmelia) of the arms and legs. This results in limited mobility, limited reach, limited handling ability and reduced physical strength. He can only walk short distances and is therefore dependent on the use of a power wheelchair.

The man completed commercial training in a vocational rehabilitation facility. He has worked for Deutsche Post for many years and for several years in the Direct Marketing Center at one of its branches.

The employee works at a computer workstation in the office. His tasks include planning seminars in the Direct Marketing Center for commercial customers and personnel management.
To compensate for disability-related restrictions, the workplace has been equipped with:

• an individually adapted work table with electric height adjustment (for wheelchair access underneath), ergonomic recess on the table top (for better access to work equipment on the desk) and special table bases (electrically retractable and extendable drawer on the right and easily pull-out utensil tray with bow handle on the left),
• a telephone swivel arm that can be electrically moved forwards and backwards and manually height-adjusted and rotated (for optimum and ergonomic positioning of the telephone when making calls),
• electric devices for punching and stapling underlays for filing and folders (for use with little strength and handling effort),
• a gripper to extend the reach, for example to pick up fallen objects from the floor,
• an electric wheelchair for the office with an electrically height-adjustable seat as a replacement for an office chair (to improve mobility and to reach higher counters or objects) and
• a small field keyboard (cf. Picture) with integrated mouse control (Hula Point) for people with limited reach.

All assistive products and operating elements (e.g. the switches for height adjustment of the work tabless) are located within the employee's limited reach and can be reached and used without major physical strain or forced postures.

The volume of work has been adapted to the employee's ability to work due to their disability.

The workplace is at ground level and can be reached without barriers from the disabled parking space located near the entrance. The door to the Direct Marketing Center building is equipped with an electric door opener and door closer. The man has a valid car driving license, but does not currently own a vehicle that has been converted to be suitable for disabled people. He therefore carpools to work with a friend.

The workplace design suitable for disabled people was 100 percent funded by the Integration and Inclusion Office. Contact with the Integration and Inclusion Office and coordination of the measure was handled by the Inclusion Officer and the branch's representative for severely disabled employees. The Technical Advisory Service of the Integration and Inclusion Office provided advice and support for the measure.
The workplace of the employee with a severe disability is counted towards two mandatory places in terms of the equalization levy (multiple counting).