Employers Need to Encourage Openness by MyPlus

Richard Woods, one of Lord Alan Sugar’s final five candidates in The Apprentice, recently revealed he lied to the show’s producers about a medical condition in order to participate.

Woods suffered three small strokes in the months prior to applying to take part, and he believed he would not be accepted to participate had he disclosed this information. Woods argues that people who have strokes are often associated with being fragile and stressed and so he left the information off his application. While taking part, Woods risked having another stroke and risked permanent damage to his left eye by refusing to have injections which would have required him to wear an eye-patch.

Reflecting on his decision, MyPlus Students’ Club CEO and Founder Helen Cooke CBE commented:

“The fact that Woods got to the final 5 in this tough competition shows that he is far from ‘fragile’ and that his disability is no ‘weakness’. In fact, it is likely that managing his medical condition has helped him to develop the resilience that enabled him to get so far. Employers, including Lord Sugar, must do more to encourage openness amongst applicants – not just to enable them to get the support they require but, as in this case, to ensure that people don’t put their wellbeing at risk as they pursue their dream job.”

If you are in the process of applying for a graduate position or new role, take the time to consider the benefits of being open about any medical conditions or disabilities. The related articles below may be of help as you decide.