Last reviewed: 22 June 2022
- Ask successful candidates about adjustments immediately after making the job offer.
- Stay in touch with them in the run-up to their first day and continue to offer to work with them to identify any adjustments they need.
- Make sure adjustments are in place before their first day wherever possible.
- If adjustments are identified and/or put in place after they start, adjust the new starter’s targets so they have the time they need to meet their targets.
When to ask new starters about adjustments
Before they start
In short, as soon as you have made a job offer. It is unlawful to ask candidates about adjustments they need in their role until you have made a job offer.
Once you have made a job offer, you should start working with the candidate to identify what adjustments they will need when they start working with you.
After they start
It may not be clear until they start whether a new starter needs adjustments, and if so, which ones. Managers should have regular check-ups with new starters to see how they are doing and ask if they need adjustments. They should also be on the look out for signs that a new starter is struggling and may need adjustments.
See our resource ‘Setting and reviewing targets’ for advice about how managers can support employees who need adjustments.
How to ask successful candidates about adjustments
Consider the language you use when asking successful candidates about adjustments. You want to make them feel welcomed and encouraged to be open about what they need.
They might not understand the language of reasonable adjustments so use the language of changes – is there anything that makes it difficult for them to do their job and would they like to discuss any changes to the way things are done?
Our resource ‘Asking about adjustments – Language’ has advice about how to ask questions about adjustments during recruitment.
Key considerations
- Ask successful candidates about adjustments they need in the role as soon as you make the job offer.
- Use positive language about adjustments – see our resource ‘Asking about adjustments – Language’.
- Offer to work with them to identify what adjustments may be needed. Describe how they are expected to work and suggest input from other teams such as HR and Occupational Health who can help identify adjustments.
- When adjustments are identified before their first day, ensure they are in place and working before the new starter’s first day.
- When adjustments are identified after a new starter has begun, adjust their targets so that they have time to achieve them after their adjustments are effective.
Further information
For tailored guidance, contact our Advice Service.
Read next
- Setting and reviewing targets
- Asking about adjustments – Language
- People Manager Toolkit – ‘Managing new starters’
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