Guidance on specific disabilities and conditions

  • By Buckinghamshire Business First
HR and Recruitment
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Learn about some of the different disabilities and health conditions people can have and find resources to help you support employees and potential recruits.

Employers play a vital role in supporting disabled people and people with health conditions into work. There is a great deal of support and advice on offer to employers to ensure they are able and prepared to do this in the best way, including government guidance on employing people with disabilities and health conditions.

One focus is on disability awareness and etiquette, which involves educating people about different disabilities and conditions and how to engage with people in a way that allows them to carry out a specific task.

This is predicated on the simple philosophy: “Do not assume”. Do not assume that someone needs help or views their disability or condition as a negative thing. In this way, we can challenge outdated social conventions rather than reinforce them.

“Disability awareness is the practice of knowing, acknowledging, and accepting individuals’ experiences as they relate to disability. Moving beyond your own level of comfort is key to a greater understanding.” - Disability Rights UK

How much do you know about different disabilities and conditions?

With all disabilities and long-term health conditions, a personalised approach to support in the workplace is essential, as every employee will have different experiences and needs.

Assessments, such as those undertaken by occupational health teams, can help to establish how best to enable an employee with a disability or long term-health condition to be successful at work. Employers can also ensure their recruitment practices are accessible and inclusive.

Learn more below about some of the different disabilities and conditions people can have and find resources to help you support current and potential employees.

ADHD (Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder)

Autism

For more detail about how to conduct an interview process for people with autism, read this article.

Cerebral palsy

Down's syndrome

Dyslexia

Dyspraxia (developmental coordination disorder)

Hearing impairment

Learning disabilities

It is estimated that up to 1.5 million people in the UK have a learning disability. They may have difficulties learning new skills and coping independently with everyday tasks, but there are lots of business benefits to hiring people with learning disabilities.

Long-term health conditions

A long-term condition is a condition that cannot, at present, be cured but is controlled by medication and/or other treatments/therapies.

The six major health conditions - cancer, cardiovascular diseases including stroke and diabetes, chronic respiratory diseases, dementia, mental ill health, and musculoskeletal disorders - affect millions of people in England, with data showing that one in four people suffer from two or more of these major long-term conditions.

People with progressive conditions, and conditions or impairments that are automatically classed as a disability, are protected by law under the UK Equality Act. These include conditions such as being registered blind, facial disfigurement, cancer, HIV infection, and multiple sclerosis.

Mental health conditions

Mental health encompasses a diverse range of conditions. They are not always work-related, but workplace circumstances can exacerbate certain conditions.

Mental ill health is recognised as a disability under the UK Equality Act, with employees entitled to reasonable adjustments in the workplace to accommodate their mental health needs. Read more about mental health and employment laws.

Not everyone feels comfortable disclosing their mental health conditions at work. Managers can foster a positive workplace culture by regularly checking in with employees about their wellbeing, ensuring manageable workloads, and promoting healthy work habits.

General resources

Depression

Anxiety

Stress

Eating disorders

Phobias

Neurodiversity

Neurodiversity refers to the natural variation in human brain functioning, acknowledging that human brains differ in how they process information, communicate, and handle sensory input. People with similar ways of thinking, communicating, and processing information often share a sense of identity, such as being autistic, dyslexic, or having ADHD.

Unfortunately, neurodiversity has often been overlooked in designing workplace processes and environments. This oversight may work for the majority but prevents many neurodivergent individuals from performing their best at work. In contrast, organisations that prioritise neurodiversity see significant benefits, such as hiring a more diverse workforce, improving managerial skills, enhancing employee wellbeing, and boosting retention rates.

There are now a wide range of assistive technologies that can support employees with specific learning difficulties such as ADHD, dyslexia, dyscalculia, and dyspraxia to be effective in the workplace. Microsoft have produced some useful information about different types of assistive technologies. The Access to Work scheme can advise and recommend various assistive technologies for the whole range of disabilities.

SEND

* SEND is a term used if an individual has a special educational need and/or disability which means they need additional support.

Visual impairment

Other conditions

Dyscalculia

Epilepsy

Insomnia

Narcolepsy

Developing a Disability Inclusive Workforce - an employer guide

The Disability Inclusion Guide explains the benefits of hiring disabled employees and is packed full of information and resources on how to:

  • support new and existing disabled employees
  • ensure your recruitment process does not exclude people based on disability
  • talk about disability in an inclusive way
  • learn about different disabilities and conditions
  • become a disability confident employer
  • develop the best team possible

DOWNLOAD THE GUIDE HERE >

Want to know more?

For more information and support, contact the Workforce Skills Team at Buckinghamshire Business First:

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HR and Recruitment