I've had poor eyesight since birth, I can only see four per cent in my left eye, so I'm basically blind. Fortunately, outsiders don't notice this, but for me it is of course a major limitation. I also can't see many colours. This is sometimes a challenge in everyday life. If someone says: "Can you hand me the water bottle with the green label?", I simply reply: "Okay, what colour?" Then it's "medium", for example, and that's fine. In situations like this, my impairment is noticeable, but thankfully not usually.

I've spoken to my line manager, my team and my colleagues about it, and most of them know that I have something special. I deliberately say "special" because I don't see it as a disability. Every now and then, my boss asks me: "So, are you OK with your eyes?" and my colleagues sometimes ask the same question. Then we talk openly, but after that it's no longer an issue. Not for any of us.

My tip for affected colleagues
There's nothing to be ashamed of if you have a disability. But you should be open and honest about it with your colleagues and superiors. After all, just because you have a disability doesn't mean you can't perform at work.

I have been working at PENNY for ten years and have had type 1 diabetes mellitus for 20 years. With this metabolic disorder, the pancreas no longer produces the vital insulin, so I have to inject myself with it. I don't feel restricted by this, I can adapt well to it in everyday life and at work. I make sure that I keep to my meal breaks so that I can check my sugar levels and inject insulin if necessary.

My PENNY colleagues and managers really support me. For example, they know exactly when things could become critical, i.e. what happens if my blood sugar drops. In the worst case scenario, this could impair my ability to think and I would no longer be in control of my senses. But thank goodness that hasn't happened yet. They also make sure that I eat and drink enough, even when things get hectic at home. When they found out about my illness, they wanted to know what to do if something happened to me. So I organised a little "information event" where I explained everything to them in peace and quiet.

And my store manager takes my doctor's appointments into account when planning my work schedule so that I can keep them. And if something should happen spontaneously, we all make sure that we can organise it.

My tip for affected colleagues
Be open and honest. Talk to your colleagues. Use the representative body for severely disabled employees as a point of contact.

My left forearm is missing. The elbow joint is still there. Because I wear a prosthesis that I can move with muscle power, I have hardly any problems getting on with my work. For example, I can put heavier things on this prosthesis and heave them up onto the shelf with a "hair's breadth". If there is something I can't do, I ask my colleagues for help. Otherwise: packing, checkout - everything works. In my current store, we are a 1:1 team. I do everything that the others do. Except baking bread, which my colleague does. But beyond that, I do everything that comes up.

During the trial work, the boss initially said: "Oh, I wonder if this will go well." But then the colleague who was familiarising me with the job saw me cashing up and said to the boss: "She's got what it takes. We can use her." So, with admiration in her voice. I've been there ever since. And I don't want to leave.

My tip for affected colleagues
Not every disability is the same. But there are always ways and means. So be open to everything.