Around 1.5 million people in the UK have a learning disability, yet many of these individuals are not in employment. In fact, according to Mencap, it is estimated that in England alone over 90 percent of people with a learning disability are out of work. Furthermore, of those who do have a job, many are poorly paid, excluded from opportunities for promotion or in roles which do not match their skills or support their needs.
However, by actively engaging with people with learning disabilities during the recruitment process; HR professionals can both widen available talent pools and increase the diversity of their teams.
According to the Department of Health, the definition of a learning disability is a ‘significantly reduced ability to understand new or complex information or to learn new skills, with a reduced ability to cope independently which started before adulthood.’
The reasons behind low levels of employment amongst those with learning disabilities are deep and complex. The recruitment process is often a barrier to job opportunities. During recruitment, most employers look for certain qualifications and experience that many people with learning disabilities may not have. This results in individuals falling short when applying for subsequent roles and so the cycle continues. This may explain why just 6 percent of adults in England with learning disabilities, who are known to their local authority, are reported to be in some form of paid employment. With government data revealing an estimated 65 percent of people with learning disabilities would like a paid job, HR leaders who address these challenges will open themselves to this valuable pool of often overlooked talent.
According to the Joseph Roundtree Foundation, research shows that those with learning disabilities generally stay in a job for longer and have a strong commitment to work, as well as good punctuality records and low absentee rates. It’s also worth noting that although a person with a particular condition may learn more slowly than some people, they will often learn more carefully and perform tasks better than others over time.
The Joseph Rowntree Foundation also reports that employers say that enabling a person with learning disabilities to work for them improves their training, management and supervision generally.
While individuals with a learning disability tend to take longer to learn and may need support to develop new skills, there is no doubt that individuals with conditions in this area can make a valuable contribution to the workforce. Of course, there are roles that some people with a learning disability may not be suitable for, but there are many positions across a large number of sectors that could benefit from the skills of this demographic.
HR teams looking to tap into this underutilised talent pool must first reassess existing processes to ensure that they are inclusive. At the recruitment stage, for example, role criteria may be adapted to take into account relevant skills gained when doing work experience or voluntary work. Adjustments offered at interview may be allowing a support worker to sit in at interview stage to calm nerves, and using simple language rather than jargon. In some instances, a reasonable adjustment under the Equality Act may even be to waive the interview process altogether in favour of a work trial.
Once placed in a role, a buddy system may be beneficial for new recruits trying to find their feet. For example, to help explain ‘unwritten rules’ about interactions between colleagues, such as when it’s OK to interrupt someone when they’re busy. Procedures should also be reviewed to see whether they could be difficult for an employee with learning disabilities to comply with. Tasks may also have to be demonstrated rather than explained, but don’t make assumptions about someone’s ability to perform. In the same vein, it should not be assumed that an employee with learning disabilities doesn’t have ambitions or can’t progress in employment, so ensure they are offered viable paths to promotion.
Finally, remember that everyone with a learning disability is an individual who will bring different skills and expertise to the workplace. In fact, the way in which a person with learning disabilities does a job may hold lessons for the way other employees could improve in their own roles. Essentially, all organisations should be representative of the communities they serve, and by actively engaging with those with learning disabilities, HR teams stand the best chance of accurately reflecting their consumer base.
