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Workplace Needs Assessment
Learn more about Workplace Needs Assessments, a process that reviews the working patterns of employees who may need extra support to carry out their work.
What is a Workplace Needs Assessment?
A workplace needs assessment is a process that reviews the working patterns of employees who may need extra support to carry out their roles. Employers will use a workplace needs assessment to identify any reasonable adjustments to make for staff with disabilities, neurodiversity, or Specific Learning Differences. And, usually, an independent assessor carries out the assessment in-person or remotely.
Assessors will highlight any difficulties an employee may be experiencing in a report. They’ll consider the impact of someone’s working environment as well as the systems and equipment used. Employers then receive a report with recommended support ranging from assistive technology to environmental changes and one-to-one sessions. Recommendations can then be implemented directly by an employer or through the government’s Access to Work scheme.
Why are Workplace Needs Assessments Important?
A workplace needs assessment is a critical way to give staff with Specific Learning Differences the support they need to thrive at work. Assessments will highlight any difficulties neurodiverse staff face and make recommendations for reasonable adjustments. Under the Equality Act 2010, employers do have a legal obligation to support any reasonable adjustments for staff with neurodiversity.
Also, research suggests neurodiverse workforces can offer a competitive advantage by up to 30%. For example, employees with autism often bring excellent attention to detail, creative talents, and specialist knowledge to office environments. And this can lead to innovative projects and ideas. To do this, they will often need an assessment to review their needs and recommend the right tools to support them.
Carrying out a needs assessment can lead to many benefits in the workplace:
- Higher morale
- Improved job satisfaction
- Motivated staff
- Increased productivity
Estimates suggest around 15% of the workforce have some form of neurodiversity. But around half of them don’t realise it yet. So, whether they’ve received a diagnosis yet or not, employers must provide support in a formal Workplace Needs Assessment.
Did you know that you can request Caption.Ed through a Workplace Needs Assessment?
What is Caption.Ed?
Caption.Ed is a piece of note-taking and captioning software recommended through Access to Work.
Our users use Caption.Ed to:
- Capture information from online and in-person meetings
- Record the audio or video of a session
- Take notes effortlessly
- Generate meeting transcripts
Compatible on Mac, Windows, Chromebook, and mobile devices. Caption.Ed is also ISO 27001:2022 compliant.
Why would Caption.Ed be useful for me?
Caption.Ed supports professionals by:
- Reducing anxiety around information retention
- Increasing focus and concentration
- Supporting independent working
- Boosting confidence and providing peace of mind
Who is Caption.Ed best suited for?
The majority of our users identify as disabled or neurodivergent. Caption.Ed has provided life-changing support for:
- Employees who are deaf or have hearing loss
- Employees who require note-taking support
- Employees who are neurodivergent
- Employees who struggle with anxiety and/or depression
Request Caption.Ed in Your Needs Assessment
We’re here to help
If you’ve got questions about accessing Caption.Ed through a Workplace Needs Assessment, reach out to the team.
Step 1
Speak to your employer
Arrange a time to speak with your employer about your intention to apply for a workplace needs assessment.
Step 2
Make an application
There may be different providers to approach for an assessment. Do note that each one will have a different application process.
Step 3
Have the assessment
Assessments can happen either in person or remotely. These can take around 1-2 hours.
Step 4
Receive your report
Both you and your manager should receive your workplace needs assessment report within a few weeks of the assessment.
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