Reasonable adjustments

Sandy Powell FCInstCES IEng MInstRE, CICES Deputy Chief Examiner (Geospatial) 

How CICES is supporting individuals

YOU have probably heard the term ‘reasonable adjustments’ but why do they exist, what are they, and to who do they apply? The ‘why’ part is the easier question to answer. One of the key principles under the Equality Act 2010 is that organisations must make reasonable changes in their practices to ensure that their services are accessible to everyone.

The ‘what’ aspect is a bit more subjective due to some statements within the act such as ‘to take such steps as it is reasonable to have to take to avoid the disadvantage’. But what is deemed reasonable?

In this context, generally something would be considered reasonable, if: 

• The organisation can afford to pay for the adjustment.
• The adjustment does not cause harm to anyone’s health and safety.
• The organisation can practically make the adjustment.
• The adjustment will make a difference to individuals by removing or reducing the disadvantages they experience.

One of the key principles under the Equality Act 2010 is that organisations must make reasonable changes in their practices to ensure that their services are accessible to everyone.As to ‘who’ do reasonable adjustments apply to, the act states that a person has a disability if they have a physical or mental impairment – and that impairment has a long-term adverse effect on the person’s ability to carry out day-to-day activities (long term is generally accepted as being 12 months or longer).

Some impairments that would be covered are:

• Cancers, tumours, strokes and other long-term illnesses.
• A visual impairment – certified as blind, severely sight impaired, sight impaired or partially sighted.
• Neurodiversity – (dyslexia, dyscalculia, dyspraxia, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), autism spectrum condition, etc.) 
• Multiple sclerosis.
• Depression that has a substantial adverse effect when it happens and is likely to happen again.

There are many forms of reasonable adjustment and there is definitely no ‘one size fits all'. This makes the process of identifying and making reasonable adjustments more of a bespoke arrangement for the individual for which they are put in place.

Support

As one of the institution’s golden threads; equity, diversity and inclusion (EDI), is at the heart of everything it wants to achieve. There has been a great deal of activity in the background with regards to disability support that has so far gone unnoticed. One positive step in this direction, is the introduction of CICES’s first reasonable adjustments policy. This policy will provide clear parameters to all existing and new member applicants who may need reasonable adjustments and where these can be achieved – the biggest challenge is knowing who needs them.

Even with good support and mentoring, the membership reviews can be an anxious time for most individuals – even without a disability.To understand who needs reasonable adjustments requires two-way communication between CICES and its members. Should anyone require reasonable adjustments, the first step is to let a member of CICES know so they can advise on who best to liaise with to ensure that the appropriate steps are taken in reviewing their individual needs.

For those who are starting membership applications, upgrading, or mentoring an applicant, it is never too late to let the institution know you would like consideration for reasonable adjustments. Working in the strictest of confidence the CICES team will support you in both the application and review processes. In the last year, the institution has applied reasonable adjustments to several membership reviews giving each applicant a fairer opportunity.

The following is an extract from a recent member who approached CICES and asked about the reasonable adjustments that could be provided in their application.

‘I had been introduced to CICES in 2022 by a colleague in the industry. My colleague had previously contacted the institution regarding commercial training, and couldn’t recommend them highly enough for high standards of service and interpersonal qualities.

These core attributes meant a lot to me because at this point in my career I wanted to become a member of a chartered institution having spent the best part of ten years in the construction industry.

I wanted my experiences and skills to be recognised by the industry and it would become an important reference point to see how much my career had progressed.

The only stumbling block I had concerns about rested with reasonable adjustments. Since experiencing a stroke at the age of 17 in 2004, I had made great forward strides in my life during recovery and career. I wanted to be treated fairly during the assessment process as I deserved to be given a fair shot in comparison to others who hadn’t experienced the same life challenges and been adversely affected.

The assessment process incorporated exacting the same format as anyone else would experience. I essentially received additional time and the assessors provided a relaxed approach to mitigate anxiety in word finding when questioned under pressure. By knowing I had the time available actually worked in a positive way because I can’t remember needing too much additional time to demonstrate my competencies.

I found the experience inclusive, appreciated the time spent by assessors to accommodate my personal requirements and couldn’t positively suggest a better institution in the civil engineering sector to join. CICES treats everyone as individuals.

I’m now working with the institution to make the assessment process even more inclusive from applying to join all the way through to being a registered member.’

Not all the support is based around the review itself, the advice and guidance can be on how to adapt reports and presentations to enable you to present the information in a way that works for you.

Even with good support and mentoring, the membership reviews can be an anxious time for most individuals – even without a disability. It is important that the reasonable adjustments put in place help to bring anxieties and fears down to a level that are manageable, ensuring applicants are not disadvantaged during their review.

Some of the adjustments that have already been applied which include:

• Clear advice and guidance to the examiners of possible areas where the candidate may struggle.
• Start with a longer introduction to allow the panel and candidate to become more relaxed prior to starting with each member of the panel gaining a better awareness any significant traits that could impact on the review.
• Longer review period to remove any anxiety created where an individual is focusing on the clock. 
• Reviews conducted outside of the standard review weeks, which gives both the candidate and examiners more opportunity to prepare. 
• Staged reviews with clear break points so that candidates can refocus or compose should they become stressed or anxious.

Reasonable adjustments are not new in CICES. They have been applied before and will continue to be applied for all members and applicants. There are a number of different adjustments to help understand what has been applied before and some idea of what could be available to you.

The written application and reviews

• Consideration is given in written assessments for spelling, grammar and word choice.
• Providing application forms in an alternative format.
• Additional time for the review – no fixed time limit to be imposed.
• Quiet, distraction free interview environment.
• Additional time to allow candidates to read text and absorb the content.
• Consideration made should the candidate not use the correct words or terminology.
• Use of different visual display support equipment.
• Use of text questions via chat or other means.
• Any other adjustment requested by the applicant will be reasonably considered. 

The venues for events and reviews:

• Consideration to the access requirements of a venue.
• Adjacent parking.
• Un-assisted access.
• Additional access time or procedures.
• Time of day the event or review takes place.
• Consideration to the light and sound conditions.

It must be made clear that this is not a definitive list and every time a request is made it will be reviewed and evaluated – what works for one individual may not be appropriate or reasonable for someone else.

What impact do reasonable adjustment really have?

This is a question I have heard before, so let’s look at their benefits. Reasonable adjustments allow for an inclusive culture and society which will benefit from the views, thoughts and ideas of a broader spectrum of individuals. Those with neurodiverse conditions will see the things from different perspectives or from an analytical point of view to those who are non-neurodiverse.

Those with physical disabilities will view things based on their own experiences which may well be overlooked or not even considered by those without physical disabilities.

There are also reasonable adjustments that when requested, help and support all, not just a few, for example:

• Agendas – so everyone knows what is being discussed and can accurately plan ready for the meeting.
• Timed or phased meetings – so individuals can attend the areas that apply to them not the whole meeting.
• Using the ‘Do Not Disturb’ function in MS Teams and people actively respecting this. 
• Flexible working arrangements – for a better work life balance which has a positive health impact.
• Consider open plan offices – this type of environment may not just impact individuals with sensory issues.
• Deadlines – give realistic timelines for when you want a task completed. Phrases like ‘can you review this report’ could be considered as whenever you have time but, the person requesting may mean by tomorrow morning. 
• Respect – when individuals are busy try and send a message asking them to contact you when they are available rather than interrupting them.

Given the above, one question to ask is are adjustments always applied? The answer isn’t a simple yes or no. However, as long as the adjustments are reasonable and there is a sufficient time period allowed to make arrangements, then they will be applied.

Finally, there are plans to introduce minor changes to the membership application forms, as well as providing space in the special requirements tab in the member profile area on the CICES website. We are constantly developing and evolving to ensure we support our membership in the most appropriate and equitable manner possible – there will be more to come. Watch this space!!!. 

Sandy Powell FCInstCES IEng MInstRE

CICES Deputy Chief Examiner (Geospatial)