Disability Support | Guidance for Managers | Managing Staff with Disabilities

There should never be assumptions about someone’s ability to perform to a high standard due to a disability or health condition. Developing an inclusive culture means recognising that people with a disability or long-term health condition can thrive at work if they have the appropriate understanding and support.

Ensure all team members have equal access to training and development and career opportunities. For example, if training is being delivered outside your team member’s workplace, check that the training is accessible.

Remember that performance management should, in essence, be a positive process and focus on the support needed to help everyone perform to the best of their ability. To effectively manage your teams’ performance, you should have regular discussions with all your team members on a one-to- one basis. These discussions can be formal meetings focused on the individual’s work, providing constructive feedback, and identifying development needs.

However, a more informal approach can be an effective way of giving ongoing feedback and exploring any issues affecting an individual’s performance, such as an underlying health condition. In addition, informal conversations can be used to identify possible solutions to overcome any barriers a person is facing and help them perform to the best of their ability.

Discussions or meetings about performance should focus on the employee’s work, but asking straightforward, open questions about how they are and whether anything affects their performance can encourage people to open up about any health issues.

The performance management process must take complete account of any health condition or disability where there is under-performance on the part of an individual. These should be fully explored and discussed before any formal process is initiated. In addition, the focus of any performance management process should be on improvement and supportive measures to help someone reach their potential.

If underperformance is an issue, you need to discuss potential adjustments or support that could help bridge someone’s gap in performance. Possible adjustments could include extra training or supervision, providing a mentor or adjusting someone’s responsibilities.

Having an effective framework to retain people with a disability or health condition is crucial – it saves money on recruitment and training and prevents businesses from losing valuable skills and talent. If a team member becomes disabled or if their existing condition worsens, line managers should, as far as possible, treat them in the same way as a new starter who has a disability. But be aware that they may still be coming to terms with their disability and how it is affecting their day-to-day life.

Initially, someone may not want to discuss their disability with their line manager. If this is the case, line managers should make sure there is signposting for the individual to have a confidential discussion with someone else, for example, the EDI Unit, their People Partner or People Employee Relations Manager. 

If a person is looking to return to work after a long absence, make it clear you are open to having a discussion with them about making reasonable adjustments to help ease them back into work. These could include, for example:

• A phased return to work, initially working certain days a week or having shorter days for a period of time (and adjusted duties during that time)
• Re-designing a person’s job role
• A move to a different role

If you’re aware that your new team member has a disability or health condition, arrange to talk to them as soon as possible after their appointment to discuss any adjustments they may need in their new job, so these can be put in place before they start. In addition, it might be helpful to confirm the next steps and any agreed adjustments in writing. 

As with all employees, you should discuss the job with the new starter on their first day, familiarise them with workplace policies and practices, and outline your expectations. Ensure your new team member has the equipment and adjustments needed to do the job as soon as they start. If anything is not in place, tell the individual what you are still waiting for and when it is expected.

Once the new team member is in position and has a clearer sense of their day-to-day work, their line manager should have a further discussion with them to ensure the agreed adjustments are meeting their needs.

Keep a written record of any agreed adjustments; through the Reasonable Accommodation Application Form which will be kept on an employee’s HR file; this will help you and your team member to review the adjustments made and how well they are working. This record can also be used to pass information to a person’s new manager if they move jobs in the future.

Heads of School/Department and departmental colleagues can support new employees with disabilities to integrate into an organisation by:

• Providing new employees with a buddy or a mentor. The buddy can provide critical social support as the employee adjusts to a new role.
• Ensuring that after an employee with a disability has been working in a position for six months, their employer/line manager, with support from the EDI Unit, checks that they are comfortable participating in social events to help the employee’s continued integration into the workplace.
• Ensuring that employees with disabilities are included in all work-related social activities, the employee’s line manager should monitor this.