Guidance for managers

In this section:

  Dyslexia and the law

  Reasonable adjustments

  How to become a dyslexia-friendly manager

  Supporting the ‘individuals’ needs

  Assessment process

  Purchasing Equipment

  Ownership of equipment provided via access to work funding

 

As mentioned, approximately 10% of the UK population has some form of dyslexia, which means that the majority of managers will manage staff with dyslexia at some time or another. Most people who have dyslexia have developed coping strategies over time. These can often enable individuals to face and deal with difficulties more easily. Dyslexia can still however cause problems from time to time for employees, often as a result of barriers encountered in the workplace.

 

Dyslexia and the law

The Equality Act 2010 defines a disabled person as someone with ‘a physical or mental impairment which has a substantial and long-term adverse effect on his ability to carry out normal day-to-day activities.’ Further information can be found in Appendix 1.

 

Reasonable adjustments

Employers have a duty to make ‘reasonable adjustments’ to make sure disabled staff are not put at a substantial disadvantage by employment arrangements or any physical features of the workplace.

A reasonable adjustment is a change that will make it easier for individuals to succeed at work. It must be a change that is needed because of a disability, and one which the employer can afford to make. This is based on key details such as the size of the employer. The change must not make things very difficult for the other people who work there. The law says that employers must try to make changes and must ask disabled people what changes they need. It is important to  first ask the individual  as they often know what works best for them.

For adjustments to be made it is important that employees disclose details of how their difficulties affect their work/working environment.

Examples of adjustments the employer may consider, in  consultation with their staff, and depending on the context could include:

• Providing modified equipment.
• Making instructions and manuals more easily read – in simple language.
• Providing someone to read or interpret.
• Being flexible about working hours - allowing the individual to have different core working hours and to be away from the workplace for assessment, treatment, or rehabilitation.
• Implementing a ‘buddy’ system to check calculations and/or any other critical tasks, for example in the administration of medication.
• Allocating some of the work to someone else, and;
• Providing training or retraining if an employee cannot do their current job any longer, or;
• Transferring the individual to another post or place of work (last resort).

Adjustments can be simple and inexpensive. It is important that the employer has a willingness to be flexible. It is anticipated that the employer and employee can work together to find which adaptations will be helpful and “reasonable”.

 

How to become a dyslexia-friendly manager

• Find out more about dyslexia.
• Identify workplace issues.
• Use effective communication methods.
• Encourage and support employees.
• Develop a culture of awareness and acceptance.
• Speak to your staff.

 

Supporting the ‘individuals’ needs

As the severity and nature of dyslexia varies, so do the strategies that help people overcome problems in employment. Not every member of staff that discloses they have dyslexia will need an assessment. Simple changes to work practices may be sufficient to meet their needs. The majority of these may be inexpensive and uncomplicated, please refer to the section ‘Reasonable Adjustments’ for further information.

A professional assessment may be required to identify individual support needs.

Specific difficulties are often not apparent until performance is reviewed or appraised by a line manager. The appropriate course of action will depend on the individual circumstances.

If the Line Manager thinks someone may have dyslexia and it is affecting their work performance but feels that it is inappropriate to discuss their concerns directly with the person, they should discuss their concerns with their Employee Relations Advisor and/or Occupation Health to plan a way forward.

 

Assessment process

Should an employee believe they have dyslexia, and it is affecting their work, they should contact the Occupational Health Service who will provide a form for the individual to complete and send to the Dyslexia Association. The Dyslexia Association will arrange a ‘Quick Screen’ assessment which will indicate the level of difficulty an individual has.

If the results show mild dyslexia, then reasonable adjustments should be considered first. If these do not help, please discuss a workplace needs assessment with your staff member and contact the Occupational Health Service who can advise on how to make a referral to Access to Work.

Specialist advice is essential to determine the most appropriate adjustments for an individual.

This process enables the Access to Work assessor to identify job and/or training requirements that are likely to place the employee at a substantial disadvantage in relation to their peers. The assessor will consider what adjustments will assist and support the employee and provide a list of recommended equipment, software and training that will help with their specific needs. They will also provide information on how to access funding to assist with the purchase.

If a staff member has had an assessment previously it may be that it is still applicable. If the individual’s circumstances have not changed and if they still work in a similar job role, they may not require another assessment.

If there has been a vast change in circumstances, for example if the individual was a healthcare assistant and is now a trainee nursing associate (TNA) and required to complete college work, the previous assessment would not reflect the change in circumstances and role and the assessment may need to be carried out again.

 

Purchasing equipment

When an Access to Work assessment has been completed the line manager will need to contact the IT department who will give advice on which hardware and software packages are available within the Trust.

The  manager  should then contact the Procurement team to obtain details of suppliers and the cost of any equipment, software and training that has been recommended.

Once the IT products have been delivered, a ticket should be logged with the ITC Self-Service Portal to arrange installation.

Important:  If someone is due to start work within the next 6 weeks or has been in post for less than six weeks,  Access to Work will fund 100% of any workplace adjustments that are needed, where eligible. After that time the amount of funding received reduces considerably. Any gaps in funding will be from the service budget as this is not centrally funded.

 

Ownership of equipment provided via access to work funding

Regardless of whether or not the Trust contributed financially to equipment obtained through Access to Work funding, the organisation owns the equipment, not the individual staff member. The following principles therefore apply:

• If moving to a new role  within the Trust, any equipment which is still required to support the individual in the workplace should simply be transferred to the new role. Both the existing and the new manager should be informed of any transfers so that assets can be appropriately managed
• If moving to a role  out-with the Trust, only equipment that has been manufactured to meet a colleague’s specific needs can be transferred e.g., a bespoke chair. Equipment such as rise and fall desks, standard office chairs with enhanced lumbar support, ergonomic keyboards/mice etc. can all be used to support the needs of other colleagues. Any transfer of bespoke equipment should be discussed with the line-manager and any budget holder before being removed from the site. IT equipment such as laptops and software are formally licensed by the Trust so cannot transfer over under any circumstances.
• If  leaving employment  e.g., retirement/transfer to self-employment etc., any bespoke equipment purchased for an individual staff member remains the property of the Trust. However, if it is of no benefit to other colleagues, due to it being designed to meet an individual’s specific needs e.g., manufactured to height, weight, or other orthotic needs, it may be possible for the staff member to purchase this equipment from the Trust for a reasonable sum, taking into consideration the condition of the equipment in terms of wear and tear. An agreement document should be signed outlining the transfer of ownership and responsibility for maintenance of the equipment by the individual, their service manager and Finance department.

 

Top of page