Action 5.3B Create a mutually agreed action plan for the implementation and review of support.

Guidance

Employers have a legal duty under the Employment Equality Acts to make ‘reasonable accommodations’ for disabled employees when needed. They must implement ‘appropriate measures’ to ensure disabled people are supported in the workplace. A mutually agreed support plan arising from an employee-led needs assessment process (see Action 5.3A) provides a systematic approach to actioning employee supports and mitigates legal risk for the organisation.

This collaborative approach fosters trust and ensures that both the employee and the organisation are aligned in their efforts.

“Learn as much as possible. Many of the first steps are about having policies in place to support recruitment and establishing best practice like a reasonable accommodation passport (which documents agreed supports).”

WIDE Consultation Participant – Employer

Information that Should Be Included in an Action Plan are:

1. Basic Information: Document the employee’s contact details as well as the name and contact information of the assessor.
2. Identify Accommodations Needed: Begin by discussing and identifying the specific accommodations required. Aim for a creative, solution-focused response that addresses the employee’s unique circumstances.
3. Detail the Action Plan: Develop a step-by-step action plan using the SMART criteria (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-bound). The plan should include:
   • What: Identifying the specific accommodations required and agreed. Aim for a creative, solution-focused response that addresses the employee’s unique circumstances as identified in the needs assessment. See further below some examples of areas that might be covered in recommendations.
   • Who’ll be told: Specify who will receive what information and for what purpose, ensuring GDPR compliance and confidentiality. Depending on the individual’s needs, this might include for example the employees line manager, members of their team, or professionals in IT, Health & Safety or Facilities.
   • Responsibility: Identify who is responsible for initiating and implementing which supports. It’s also useful to cover how any costed supports are funded, and whether an application to the Work and Access Fund which covers the cost of many supports for NGOs and private sector employers, will be required (see Action 5.3C).
   • Expected Timeline: Define when each support identified is expected to be available and when it can be expected to be used. Aim for timely implementation to ensure the employee is not disadvantaged.
4. Review Period and Method to Initiate a Review: Include a trial period for the employee to test the supports and assign the assessor or someone else in the organisation responsibility to check in with the employee on the effectiveness of support within a given timeframe. Highlight that a review can be requested by the employee themselves at any time if their supports are proving ineffective or their circumstances change.
5. Agreement and Informed Consent: Include a section to be signed by both employer and employee that they have mutually agreed this support plan and will constructively work to implement it. Informed consent should be sought for the sharing of information with individuals required to implement the support plan.

The supports recommended in the Action Plan will be individualised, and highly dependent on the individual’s disability and the demands and environment of the role (see Action 5.3A). However, some examples of areas covered in the Needs Assessment which you may provide recommendations on in Support Plans over time include:

• Communication of Tasks: Providing clear and concise instructions, checking for understanding or using multiple formats (verbal requests followed up with written bullets) to convey tasks and information.

“I like working as part of a team when things are explained well, and you feel secure. When this happens, I feel included”.

WIDE Consultation Participant – Disabled Person

• Adaptations to Workplace Environment: Modifying workstations to be ergonomically suitable, installing ramps or bathroom adaptions to make the workplace wheelchair accessible, or creating sensory-friendly spaces to reduce noise and distractions.
• Location of Employee: Offering flexible work locations (e.g., remote work, different office locations), fixed desk position, providing quiet or private workspaces for better hearing and concentration, ensuring accessible parking and transportation options.

“We have a ‘hot desk’ system… One of our employees is visually impaired, so she needs certain software and equipment. So, despite the hot desk system, we make sure this desk is always available for her.”

WIDE Consultation Participant – Employer

• Technology Supports: Providing assistive technologies (e.g., literacy aids, text to speech, magnification software), ensuring software and hardware are accessible and compatible with assistive devices, ensuring mainstream technology (e.g. Teams) assistive features are ‘enabled by IT, and offering training on how to use assistive features and technologies effectively.

“The company asked for my advice in anything they could do to help me. I was using an app on my phone that really helped me. So, I researched it, and they implemented new software throughout the entire office. I wanted to be independent, and I was allowed this”.

WIDE Consultation Participant – Disabled Person

• Work Schedule Adjustments: Allowing flexible working hours, providing additional breaks or rest periods as needed, or changing task allocation to accommodate different needs.
• Health and Well-being Supports: Highlighting availability of an Employee Assistance Programme or any other mental health resources and support services.
• Professional Supports: Providing access to a personal assistant (PA) or Sign Language Interpreter as required, or allowing employees to bring a PA, they have arranged themselves.

“Being allowed to bring my support to work is huge for me…Some people have a wheelchair, or assistive technology, but I have an advocate who knows me well and knows how to support me – especially getting to and from work. Some employers who cover costs of assistance make a massive difference.”

WIDE Consultation Participant – Disabled Person

• Training and Development: Providing tailored training to employee’s team to enhance inclusivity of team environment and ensuring general training materials are accessible and inclusive.
• Health and Safety: Developing a personal evacuation plan if required and informing the employees team of important health information they may need to support them in an emergency such as the existence and location of an epi pen and what to do in the effect of a seizure.

To bring a more consistent and systematic approach to the implementation of supports, develop an action plan template for your organisation and embed it into support procedures.

Resources to implement supports are frequently low or no cost (see Action 5.3C) and with the right mindset, creative solutions and workarounds can often be found appropriate to the business size and scope. Additionally, the Work and Access Fund covers the cost of many workplace adaptions/supports for NGOs and private sector employers (see Resources and Action 5.3C).

By creating a mutually agreed action plan for the implementation and review of support, your organisation demonstrates a commitment to inclusivity and equity. This approach not only enhances the well-being and productivity of disabled employees but also promotes a supportive and collaborative workplace culture.

“Talk to me about what supports I need rather than assuming what I need.”

WIDE Consultation Participant – Disabled Person