It’s thought that one in ten of us experience some degree of dyslexia.
And while the difficulties of dealing with dyslexia are often thought about in relation to full-time education, when it comes to jobseeking they can be easily overlooked.
We’ve spoken with Dyslexia Action UK, a national charity with over 40 years’ experience in supporting people with dyslexia and literacy difficulties. We’ve also spoken to Claudette Jacobs, an experienced dyslexia employment coach and current jobseeker, to find out how employers can make sure they’re not missing out on the top talent.
Here are a few of their top tips:
Equality
Under the Equality Act 2010, employers are required to make ‘reasonable adjustments‘ to enable dyslexic employees to undertake their work effectively.
These may include:
• Publishing company-wide information in alternative formats such as audio files or large print
• Enabling staff to have a choice of coloured backgrounds, overlays and fonts
• Creating the right work environment
• Implementing specialist one-to-one training for dyslexic employees in areas such as time management, organisational skills and concentration/memory-improvement techniques
• Considering assisted technology and software such as voice-recognition and word prediction software
And whilst these measures may be tailored towards current employees, prospective employees should be treated no differently when it comes to tact and inclusivity.
In order to attract the right applicants to the role, you need to ensure your role can be seen and accessed by the greatest number of individuals.
Indirect Discrimination
Claudette Jacobs is a dyslexia awareness advocate and coach for dyslexic employees, and has had severe dyslexia for around 17 years. She has worked with companies such as Bloomberg and KMPG, and as a current jobseeker, knows the difficulties faced first-hand.
‘Jobseekers with dyslexia may be at a distinct disadvantage, not because they are wrong for the role, but because of processing data issues. And, despite the Equality Act, some recruiters may still be indirectly discriminating against them as a result.’
So, what can recruiters do to make sure they keep an open mind about potential applicants?
Here are some of Claudette’s suggestions on how to keep your recruitment inclusive:
• Try and make sure your application form is compatible with voice assisted software
• If you use an accessibility mode on your application form, locate it where it stands out and instantly catches users’ attention
• Ensure that text can be resized, and that the background colour is either changeable or is a neutral colour
• Ensure that application forms can be increased in size so it’s easier to input without visual stress
• Do not state that CVs are not accepted, as this could be a reasonable adjustment and an alternative format to an online application form
• If additional information is required, such as passport number, request it at the beginning of the application
Finally, she points out that using the correct terminology, not to mention an openness for receiving applications in different file formats, could go a long way to increasing the accessibility of your application forms:
‘Some employers state that if you have a problem filling out the application, you should get in contact with their HR department’, Claudette explains. ‘This is not a positive statement and doesn’t encourage inclusion; even by simply changing the copy to reflect a more inclusive approach, for example something along the lines of: “If you wish to apply in another format other than an online application form please contact…”, is a much more effective way of allowing applicants to feel comfortable.’
What’s more, an openness to accepting offline applications allows dyslexic jobseekers to submit something they’re happy with, without any potential difficulties in using the online forms provided.
If you’re a recruiter who would like support to ensure your application process considers the needs of dyslexic jobseekers, visit Dyslexia Action’s website.
If you are a dyslexic jobseeker or recruiter and have any insights which may help inform this article, we’d love to hear from you. Leave a comment below with your views, or feel free to get in touch with us directly.
