The Great Big Workplace Adjustments Survey 2023: What did graduates tell us?

As part of The Great Big Workplace Adjustments Survey 2023, 99 graduates with a disability or condition (who have graduated and started work within the last five years) told us about their experience of getting adjustments at work compared to university.

Our findings show that disabled graduates experience multiple barriers when moving from higher education into work, many of which are not anticipated by universities, graduates or their employers.

These barriers exist throughout the transitions process from job application and interview stage through to onboarding and getting workplace adjustments.

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The Great Big Workplace Adjustments Survey 2023 – graduating university and entering work   – accessible PDF

If you would like this report in an alternative format please email us.

View press release: Disabled graduates face barriers when moving into work

What graduates told us

• 27 per cent of graduates said they had different adjustments at university to when they got a job.
• 77 per cent of graduates had either Disabled Students Allowance (DSA) in university or Access to Work (ATW) in employment, but not both. This means many graduates are not able to ‘carry over’ or ‘passport’ their adjustments or the content of the DSA award into work.
• 64 per cent of graduates found it very difficult or difficult to apply for a job. This included the application portal being inaccessible, recruitment information being long and repetitive, and assessments being inaccessible and irrelevant to the job they were applying for. Assessment centres were a common source of frustration, and many said they were tiring and inaccessible. Graduates also told us they felt their interview changed when the interview panel saw they had a disability.

“I watched people’s face fall and then stop interviewing me properly when I went in with my mobility aid.” A disabled graduate

• Graduates don’t feel well-prepared by their university to have disability and adjustment related conversations with employers. 57 per cent did not feel their university prepared them at all well for talking about their disability and discussing adjustments with a potential employer. 48 per cent told an employer about their disability because they needed adjustments.

“At University, support was thrown at me. In my job, it has to be tracked down. As a student I could access mental health support easily. However, there was nowhere to go from here on leaving. As an employee, the provided support is poor and you have to go private or get the minimum the NHS can provide.” A disabled graduate

Recommendations for employers

• Application processes should be fully accessible with all relevant information advertised.
• Job descriptions should describe the job well and accurately and include any physical demands of the job and expectations around working hours and travel.
• Interviews and skills testing should be relevant to the role.
• Assessment processes should reflect the reality of the job. Long, physically demanding assessment centre days are rarely reflective of the inclusive and flexible nature of a job and working environment.
• Candidates should be made aware of adjustments that may be available. Keeping in mind that these may be different to adjustments the person has had previously.
• Employers should not ask disability or health related questions prior to offering someone a job aside from in seven restricted circumstances (see the report for more detail). Candidates should be aware of why disability-related questions are asked and that they are under no obligation to answer them.
• Any conversations prompted by graduates about their disability prior to offering them a job should be managed within the remit of  Section 60 of the Equality Act 2010 (pre-employment disability and health questions).
• Any disability-related information shared should be used appropriately.

If you require this content in a different format, contact enquiries@businessdisabilityforum.org.uk.