#BuildForceblog comes this month from our Support Manager Gayle Doyle:
We know that how someone leaves the armed forces is important and especially so when someone considers themselves to be neurodivergent.
This article is designed to guide you through recruitment and onboarding, where workplace adjustments can remove barriers and help employees thrive. As we head into Neurodiversity Celebration Week, which runs from the 16-20 March, this has been written with neurodivergent individuals in mind, but much also applies to other conditions.
The Armed Forces are excluded from the disability discrimination provisions of the Equality Act 2010 (for reasons of combat effectiveness that sit outside of the purpose of this article), but beyond the Armed Forces, the Equality Act 2010 places a duty of care on employers to make workplace adjustments for those with disabilities. This is a big shift for service leavers (who may have until now masked their condition) and it is important to understand how this might impact a service leaver’s employment journey.
So, what might be helpful to know? Here are my responses to our top 10 questions that arise during recruitment and settling into a new role:
1. Should I share my condition during the recruitment process? The Equality Act 2010 says employers must not ask candidates disability or health-related questions before they have offered the person a job however, there are exceptional circumstances when questions can be asked.
Read: This article from the Business Disability Forum, although directed at students, explains the reasons really clearly.
2. If I do choose to share, when and how might I do this? You may see a question during the recruitment process asking if you need any ‘reasonable adjustments’ at interview. This, and the evidence of membership of schemes such as Disability Confident, act as indicator of an employer’s desire to do the right thing. If this is the case, or, you have developed a psychologically safe relationship with your mentor or recruiter then this is a good time to start sharing your needs.
You do not need to share your condition but sharing what reasonable adjustments you need to remove any barriers to success can be a great first step. Examples might include: asking for clarity about the specifics of the interview (when/how/who), requesting questions in advance (for slow processing/reading speeds), to ensure you are not disadvantaged. If you share your condition prior to receiving an offer, your prospective employer should disregard this.
Once you have your offer, your employer can openly discuss your adjustments (and condition if you wish) with you. If possible, see if you can get key adjustments in place from your start date – you might choose to have an initial conversation with your line manager in a pre-start call or alternatively, your HR business partner should be able to guide you.
Tip: You may deal with different teams across your recruitment experience. Don’t assume any adjustments will be passed on from stage to stage. It may be helpful to ask, for example: ‘can I check that you have a record of my adjustments from the previous stage?’
3. I don’t have a formal diagnosis, does this matter? There can be several reasons why someone might not have a diagnosis of a neurodivergent condition, but case law tells us that a diagnosis is not needed for an individual to be entitled to workplace adjustments.
Prepare to have a constructive conversation with your new line manager, outlining the challenges you’re experiencing and how these underpin the adjustments you’re requesting. Read up about suggested workplace adjustments for your condition, thinking about what might work for you – take a look at the Genius Within A-Z of reasonable adjustments, and work through the Service Leavers Adjustments Passport – GOV.UK using the guidance notes provided.
4. What happens when I start my job? If you have already discussed adjustments for the recruitment process, again, don’t assume that these will be shared at onboarding. The adjustments you need for your role are likely to differ from those you had at interview. Whether you have shared your challenges or not, try to find a good time to have a chat with your line manager, perhaps away from ‘the work’ over a coffee to bring up your needs.
Remember that you may need to re-share your adjustments when you change roles/line manager. An adjustments passport (or similar in your organisation) can help to make this easier.
Tip: If your condition is likely to mean you will struggle with aspects of your role without adjustments, please find a way of sharing your challenges and ask for support during your early weeks of employment. It’s better to address them sooner rather than sharing them when you find yourself on a performance improvement plan. If you are not comfortable sharing with your line manager, try to find a colleague who can help, or reach out to other disability or neurodivergence networks in your organisation (if available). Alternatively, your HR business partner can help you start the conversation.
5. Where can I find out more about adjustments that might be helpful? The wait for diagnosis is lengthy. Genius Within, leaders in Neurodiversity support in the workplace are trying to flip the diagnostic challenge around with their Genius Finder profiler which can be accessed instantly to help you identify your strengths and development areas. It also provides you with helpful suggestions for adjustments which you can build into your own action plan. You can also find out more about Neurodivergence in the Construction industry and a broad range of adjustments in Neurodiversity in Construction: A Manager’s Toolkit delivered by the National Federation of Builders (NFB) in collaboration with Genius Within.
If you find yourself struggling when in role, you could check out whether your employer offers diagnosis if you don’t already have it (this may be available via their private health insurer). Alternatively, you could consider asking for a ‘workplace needs assessment’ to indicate what adjustments may be helpful for your specific role, via an occupational health provider. Access to these services will differ from business to business but your line manager or HR Business Partner should be able to advise.
It’s also helpful to know that professional and academic institutions also offer adjustments for teaching, exams etc – be sure to discuss any needs early on in your studies.
6. What if I do not get the support I hoped for? Be patient – disability is still catching up from an inclusion perspective. However, the significance of neurodivergence in the industry has been identified. For neurodivergent individuals seeking to join the industry, where 1 in 4 workers consider themselves to be neurodivergent compared to 1 in 7 in the general population, the 2023 National Federation of Builders and CITB report ‘Neurodiversity in Construction’ stated:
| ‘Being neurodiverse made people more rather than less likely to want to work in construction.’ |
Line managers in the workplace have often never had to manage someone who needs adjustments. Many end up doing nothing for fear of doing the wrong thing. Take a stance that you are on a learning journey together and bring in experts along the way if you need them.
7. What if I am on medication for my condition? You should consult your employer’s drug and alcohol policy to understand any special requirements relating to medication. Information about any condition or medication used to treat it is confidential and protected by law.
8. Is there anyone already in employment that I can speak to? Yes! BuildForce has a number of mentors who have shared their neurodivergence with us and are happy to share their lived experience. You can ask the BuildForce team, in confidence, about being matched with a neurodivergent mentor.
9. How can I look after my mental health – this all sounds overwhelming? Being neurodivergent can lead to difficulties and misunderstandings that may increase the risk of stress, anxiety or depression, and research indicates that neurodivergent people are more likely to experience mental health issues. The Neurodiversity in Business: Research Report 2024 backed these findings reporting much lower wellbeing amongst neurodivergent individuals compared to their neurotypical colleagues.
Speak to your GP if you are struggling or, if you have already started working for your new employer, find out if they have an employee assistance programme, or mental health pathway as part of their private medical insurance scheme. Other help and advice is included in the following links:
National Autistic Society – mental health and autism
Mind – mental health and autism
You’re never on your own — BuildForce is also here to support you through our Mental Health and Suicide Prevention Programme.
It’s easy to get caught up in the law but evidence shows us that taking a proactive approach to get adjustments in place early and enabling ongoing collaboration between a line manager and colleague, and gaining clarity around what the expectations are of your role, your strengths and challenges are on a regular basis will go a long way to ensuring you thrive.
Best,
Gayle
Gayle was a co-founder of the disability network at her previous employer and worked within the Health and Wellbeing team with a focus on improving pathways for those with disabilities, long-term health conditions, mental health conditions and neurodivergence, in conjunction with occupational health and employee assistance programme providers and via upskilling programmes. She was also responsible for launching the Hidden Disabilities Sunflower and supporting Disability Confident accreditation.