Supporting our colleagues ’ needs
As occupational therapists are we always ensuring we put reasonable adjustments in place for our colleagues when required ? Based on their own recent experience , this is a question one RCOT member wants everyone to consider .
O
ccupational therapists are expertly qualified to work with employers to make sure they make reasonable adjustments so that workers with disabilities and / or long-term health conditions , are supported to do their jobs .
This applies to all workers , including trainees , apprentices , contract workers and business partners . But what happens when that ’ s not put into practice , or more specifically , when occupational therapists as individuals have responsibility to put reasonable adjustments in place for colleagues ?
But when one RCOT member applied for a role at a higher band – having disclosed their own needs at the start of the process , as a requirement of the application – their experience , sadly , was not a positive one .
' As occupational therapists , we ' re there to support and enable people to do the things that they need and want to do . We also need to be sensitive to our colleagues in respect of that ,’ they told OTnews .
‘ So , if I were to apply for a new role as an occupational therapist , and an occupational therapist was on the job panel , you would hope that that careful consideration would be given in relation to an individual ’ s needs at interview .’
They add that they ‘ always ’ disclose their disability or difficulty , because ‘ it ' s important for whoever is going to employ me that there is a transparency in the things that I find a challenge and also the things I find as my strength ’.
However , in this instance they were not asked about any reasonable adjustments , despite very clearly putting this in the statement . ‘ This led to a lot of disappointment , as I wasn ’ t able to engage in the interview process as best as I could . And I felt that I probably didn ’ t have the same positive experience as my peers who had the same interview ,' they explain .’
52 OTnews April 2023