Last reviewed: 22 June 2022
- Virtual interviews can enable disabled people who find it difficult to travel to apply for roles that they can do either from home or from a location nearer to where they live.
- Thoroughly check the accessibility of any online platforms you use for online recruitment, including video conferencing software and any online testing.
- Employers still have a duty to make adjustments to remote recruitment processes – identify and remove barriers and invite candidates to discuss any changes or adjustments they need regularly.
- When onboarding remote new starters, make sure that any adjustments they need are in place as soon as possible.
- Talk to remote new starters who have adjustments about what they’d like the rest of the team to know about their working arrangements – for example, if they have different working hours.
Advertising remote roles
If a role is remote – to be or can be performed from the person’s home or a different location to where their manager is based – make sure to advertise that prominently in the job advertisement. This might encourage more applications from disabled candidates. . You should also outline how the rest of the recruitment process will proceed and how applicants can get in touch to talk about adjustments.
Make it clear in the job advert whether successful candidates will be asked to attend an office or other workplace at all, and if so, how regularly. A requirement to travel could impact whether a disabled person will apply for the job. Also consider whether the requirement to travel would be genuinely necessary for the right candidate – travelling long distances may be difficult for some disabled candidates who might otherwise be the best candidate for the role.
Equally, consider if it would be possible for the role to be office-based. Some disabled people may be more comfortable working in an office rather than remotely, as they can access amenities such as toilets and private spaces more easily. If this would be possible, state so in the job advert to avoid deterring such people from applying.
Remote interviews and assessments
If you are conducting interviews and assessments remotely, make sure you have considered all the barriers that this could involve for disabled candidates and take steps to remove them or provide adjustments where possible.
Remote tests and assessments
Check the accessibility of any online systems used to conduct remote testing and assessments. For example:
- Are they screen reader accessible?
- Can users easily zoom in to see any text more easily?
- How accessible is the font and colour contrast?
Also consider what possible alternative ways there are of completing the assessment and adjustments you can make. For example, could a person write their answers in their preferred word processing software and share it with you in that format instead? Could you complete the assessment verbally, for example over the phone or a video call? Could you allow a candidate to have extra time to complete the test where necessary? What is possible will depend on the nature of the test and the competencies you are seeking to assess.
If you use video conferencing software (such as Zoom, Teams or Skype) make sure colleagues using these apps are familiar with the accessibility features they can use. Let candidates know which platform and invite candidates to request a different platform if there are accessibility concerns with the one you are using. See our resource ‘A user’s guide to video conferencing apps’ for a breakdown of the accessibility features of popular video conferencing platforms.
Make sure you allow enough time to implement any necessary adjustments. For example, allow at least three weeks to provide a sign language interpreter.
Provide clear and detailed guidance to candidates about how to complete any tests and assessments.
Remote interviews
Consider the accessibility of any video conferencing software you use for remote interviews. If you use video conferencing software (such as Zoom, Teams or Skype) make sure colleagues using these apps are familiar with the accessibility features they can use. Let candidates know which platform and invite candidates to request a different platform if there are accessibility concerns with the one you are using. See our resource ‘A user’s guide to video conferencing apps’ for a breakdown of the accessibility features of popular video conferencing platforms.
Employers have a duty to provide adjustments for disabled candidates, including to remote interviews. Some common adjustments include:
- Providing communication support, such as interpreters or speech-to-text software.
- Allowing for the presence of a support worker at the interview.
- Allowing candidates extra time to answer questions. This can help candidates with disabilities that affect their learning or speech.
- Allowing a candidate to be interviewed by a single interviewer rather than a panel. This can help candidates whose disability is affected by pressure, such as candidates with disability that affect their speech.
- Allowing the candidate to choose which platform is used for the interview. Some candidates may be more familiar with the accessibility features of some platforms over others, and may therefore be better able to demonstrate their capability with their preferred platform.
- Conducting the interview in a different format, for example by telephone or in person. Some disabled people may find using a computer or video conferencing software difficult, and if communicating this way is not a core part of the role it may be necessary to consider other options for interview.
Make sure you allow enough time to implement any necessary adjustments. For example, allow at least three weeks to provide a sign language interpreter.
Remote onboarding
Even though they will not be working physically in the same space, it still important to think about how new starters will work with the rest of their team and their colleagues in the wider organisation.
Getting to know the rest of the team
Make sure the new starter is given the opportunity to know early who their colleagues are and how they will be working together.
Ask the new starter if they would like to share any details of their disability or working arrangements with their colleagues. Many disabled people are happy not to tell their co-workers if they have a disability, however some may find this easier, particularly if they have adjustments in place that will affect how they work together.
There may be some occasions where you need to tell the rest of the team, for example if the new starter has different working hours because of their disability, and therefore their colleagues need to know when they will not be contactable. In these instances, discuss this with the new starter before you share any details with the team. You have a duty to respect their confidentiality, so talk to the new starter about how you would like to share this information with the team and what they need to know.
Adjustments
Once you have made the job offer, ask if they need any adjustments to be in place when they start. For remote workers, adjustments could include:
- Assistive equipment – such as speech-to-text software or adapted technology like ergonomic computer mice and keyboards or larger computer monitors. Ask if they have preferences for any specific assistive technology and give yourselves enough time to obtain this, provide it to the new starter and have it set up where necessary.
- Flexible working – for example, changed hours of work to allow for medical appointments or therapy.
- Communicating with them in a certain way – for example, if they have a disability that affects their hearing, it may be better to communicate with them by email. In cases like this, change any policy you have about how to communicate to include the new starter’s needs.
Wherever possible, make sure adjustments are in place when they start or as soon as possible. If necessary, delay their start – potentially placing them on paid leave – until adjustments are ready.
What is necessary will depend on the role, the individual and the organisation. Contact our Advice Service for tailored advice.
Workspace assessments
It is worth conducting a workspace assessment with the new starter to ensure their workspace is comfortable and safe for them. This can tell you if they need any extra equipment or support and avoid health and safety risks to the individual from working in an unsafe workspace.
This can be a form that the new starter is asked to complete. You could work with Occupational Health teams to provide this for disabled new starters who need more specialist support.
Further information
For tailored advice, contact our Advice Service.
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