LEADING disability insurer UnumProvident, which has offices in Basingstoke, has joined forces with a charity to launch Workplace of the Future (WotF).

The scheme is a joint venture by the company and the Royal National Institute for the Deaf (RNID), the largest charity representing the UK's nine million deaf and hard-of-hearing people.

The aim is to demonstrate technology's potential to create an environment that allows people unrestricted access to all areas of business, regardless of physical disability.

UnumProvident, which took over a division of Sun Life Financial of Canada in Basing View, and RNID believe the outcome will result in a more diverse workforce, featuring increased numbers of older and disabled workers.

The main feature of the campaign is the WotF stand (pictured above) on display at each of the three main political party conferences this autumn.

Joanne Hindle, corporate services director at UnumProvident, said: "Technology has enormous potential to make workplaces more accessible and to allow disabled people to work effectively and fulfil their potential.

"The Disability Discrimination Act will apply to all businesses, regardless of size, as of this month.

"The changes required under the act will often be small, costing just a few hundred pounds to do so, but they can make a big difference to people's employment prospects, work attachment and retention capability."

And John Low, RNID chief executive, added: "The contribution that disabled people make in today's workforce has been overlooked for many years.

"We hope that employers from around the country will be encouraged to embrace technology to provide an equal playing field in the workplace for people with disabilities."

Features of the WotF stands are:

an ergonomically-designed desk and chair

the Nokia 9210i mobile text-phone, which allows deaf and hard-of-hearing people to communicate using text in "real time"

a speaking phone to enable blind and visually-impaired people to use SMS and other mobile phone services

a large trackball computer mouse for people with dexterity problems

a video showing employers how technology and small changes to working practices can make workplaces accessible to disabled people

testimonials from disabled people who have resumed normal working lives with the aid of assistive technology.