26/05/2025
As part of our Diversity & Inclusion Month, weโre proud to share a powerful testimonial from Vadim Solovei who shared his story of resilience, adaptation and being truly seen.
In this special spotlight, our colleague opens up about the challenges and triumphs of navigating both life and work with a disability and how , empathy and honest dialogue can make inclusion more than a policy โ it becomes a culture.
Read the full testimonial below. โฌ๏ธ
๐๐ก๐๐ญโ๐ฌ ๐ฌ๐จ๐ฆ๐๐ญ๐ก๐ข๐ง๐ ๐๐๐จ๐ฎ๐ญ ๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎ๐ซ ๐๐๐ข๐ฅ๐ฒ ๐ฐ๐จ๐ซ๐ค ๐๐ฑ๐ฉ๐๐ซ๐ข๐๐ง๐๐ ๐ญ๐ก๐๐ญ ๐ฆ๐จ๐ฌ๐ญ ๐ฉ๐๐จ๐ฉ๐ฅ๐ ๐ฆ๐ข๐ ๐ก๐ญ ๐ง๐จ๐ญ ๐ฌ๐๐ ๐จ๐ซ ๐ฎ๐ง๐๐๐ซ๐ฌ๐ญ๐๐ง๐?
I have a physical disability that significantly limits my mobility, so I need to plan every part of my day very carefully. One thing that most people might not see is how much effort goes into organizing my workspace and daily schedule to fit my needs. Simple things like setting up my computer, reaching for equipment, or even taking breaks require careful planning and sometimes creative solutions.
๐๐จ๐ฐ ๐ก๐๐ฌ ๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎ๐ซ ๐๐ข๐ฌ๐๐๐ข๐ฅ๐ข๐ญ๐ฒ ๐ข๐ฆ๐ฉ๐๐๐ญ๐๐ ๐ก๐จ๐ฐ ๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎ ๐๐ฑ๐ฉ๐๐ซ๐ข๐๐ง๐๐ ๐ฐ๐จ๐ซ๐ค๐ฉ๐ฅ๐๐๐ ๐ญ๐จ๐จ๐ฅ๐ฌ, ๐ฆ๐๐๐ญ๐ข๐ง๐ ๐ฌ, ๐จ๐ซ ๐ข๐ง๐ญ๐๐ซ๐๐๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง๐ฌ?
My disability has made me more conscious of the importance of physical accessibility and flexibility in the workplace. I need to carefully organize my workspace and manage my time and energy throughout the day to stay comfortable and productive. Working remotely has been a significant benefit for me, as it allows me to participate fully in meetings and daily work without facing physical barriers. However, attending in-person events like team buildings or office gatherings can be challenging due to accessibility issues and the extra planning required for me to participate. This sometimes makes it harder to connect with colleagues in informal settings.
๐๐ฌ ๐ญ๐ก๐๐ซ๐ ๐ฌ๐จ๐ฆ๐๐ญ๐ก๐ข๐ง๐ ๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎ ๐ฐ๐ข๐ฌ๐ก ๐ฆ๐จ๐ซ๐ ๐ฉ๐๐จ๐ฉ๐ฅ๐ ๐ข๐ง ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐ฐ๐จ๐ซ๐ค๐ฉ๐ฅ๐๐๐ ๐ฐ๐จ๐ฎ๐ฅ๐ ๐๐จ โ ๐จ๐ซ ๐ฌ๐ญ๐จ๐ฉ ๐๐จ๐ข๐ง๐ ?
I wish more people in the workplace would be mindful of accessibility when planning events or meetings, especially when it comes to in-person gatherings. Sometimes, itโs easy to overlook the challenges that colleagues with disabilities might face when attending team-building or office events. I also think itโs important for people to feel comfortable asking questions and having open conversations about accessibility, rather than making assumptions.
At the same time, I want to say that my colleagues have been very supportive and understanding, and I really appreciate their willingness to help when I need it. It makes a big difference to know that Iโm part of a team that cares and is open to feedback.
๐๐ก๐๐ญ ๐๐จ๐๐ฌ ๐ข๐ง๐๐ฅ๐ฎ๐ฌ๐ข๐จ๐ง ๐ฆ๐๐๐ง ๐ญ๐จ ๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎ ๐ฉ๐๐ซ๐ฌ๐จ๐ง๐๐ฅ๐ฅ๐ฒ?
For me, inclusion is about more than just being able to work or join meetings online โ itโs about having a real chance to participate in life, both professionally and socially. The reality is that the environment around me is still very unfriendly for people with mobility challenges. Even though the city has started to make some improvements on the main streets, itโs still far from enough. Most places remain inaccessible, and just getting outside can be a huge challenge.
A good example is my own building. For a long time, leaving my apartment was a real ordeal: I had to ask for help every time, and the process was exhausting and stressful. Recently, thanks to the amazing support from my colleague Viorel (Iโm really grateful for this!), we managed to install a ramp at my entrance. Unfortunately, it broke in less than a month, and now weโre trying to figure out how to fix it. Still, having even a temporary ramp is a big improvement, because before that, going outside was almost impossible.
Because of all these barriers, I spend almost all my time in a kind of โvirtual worldโ โ working, socializing, and even relaxing online. While Iโm grateful for the technology that makes this possible, I really wish I could spend more time in the real, physical world: meeting friends, going out, and having more face-to-face experiences. True inclusion, for me, would mean not having to fight for every little bit of access, and having the freedom and resources to enjoy life outside my apartment.
