Apt - Making it Work final report

Part Six - Project Outputs: Employer Guides

The project has produced employer guides for each of the workstreams. These give employers a number of recommendations and practical tips.

Each guide includes some generic sections that cover topics we feel employers should be familiar with. Examples that appear in the guides include:

• Why Inclusion matters
• Setting the scene and getting buy in across the organisation
• Baseline Data & Measuring Progress
• Celebrating Success and Achievements
• Including people with lived experience
• Recommended Core Training for Employers
• Inclusive Communication & Accessible Information
• Reasonable Adjustments
• Self Advocacy Skills & Employee Capacity Building
• Fair Work Principles
• Local Employability Partnerships (LEPs) and local support
• Supported Employment
• Links to resources

Implications of AI Use in Recruitment and Training

In addition to the employer guides, Scottish Government asked us to consider the implications of employers adopting more AI processes and the impact that may have on disabled employees.

We have addressed this in the Workplace Digital Accessibility Guide, which outlines potential barriers and biases in using AI in recruitment and training and top tips on how to remove and reduce those barriers. Additionally, we have created an example HR policy on AI Use and an example statement of how employers can use AI in recruitment and training fairly and responsibly. Links to these are available in the employer guide.

Outline of Employer Guides

a. An Employer’s Guide to Equitable Workplace Induction & In-Work Support

Includes:

• Review of current materials & approaches
• Accessibility
• A guide on review process
• Getting feedback from inductees
• Recommendations on in-house testing of training courses
• Processes and models that can work for smaller employers
• Example of materials e.g. induction checklist, Wellbeing Passport, In-Work Support Plan, Pulse Survey, Reasonable Adjustments form

b. An Employer’s Guide to Positive Workplace Conversations (including an introduction to the Why You Askin’? campaign)

Includes:

• Positive conversation principles
• Successful approaches for employers including examples questions
• Description of Why You Askin’ campaign and resources for employers
• Examples of questions for appraisal and supervision documents

c. An Employer’s Guide to Workplace Digital Accessibility and how to make eLearning & Intranets accessible for all employees.

Includes:

• What accessibility is and why it matters
• Difference between accessibility and reasonable adjustments
• Everyday accessibility principles
• Guide to improving in-house systems and eLearning
• Online accessibility including meetings and training
• Making documents accessible including Word, PDF and PowerPoint
• Employer Responsibilities and what disabled staff should expect

d. An Employer’s Guide on Improving Workplace Consultations including Establishing Employee Groups.

Includes:

• Overview of potential consultation approaches and tools
• Principles of effective employee consultation
• Introduction to Reverse Mentoring and some resources
• Processes and models that can work for smaller employers
• Guide to establishing employee groups

The Employer Guides can be found on the Apt website: Apt Resources – Employer Guides