Onboarding for employees with disability and neurodivergence
Onboarding is a process of welcoming, familiarising, and integrating new employees into the organisation. For the employee, this process can include:
- getting to know the manager, team and role.
- learning organisational policies and practices.
- establishing social relationships and building a sense of belonging in the workplace.
- building an understanding of the organisation’s culture.
“Onboarding sets you up for how you view the organisation, how you work within the organisation and how safe you feel. It is important to be seen and heard and feel that you matter”
– Participant of co-design workshops
What is induction?
Induction aims to provide new team members with practical tools, systems and knowledge necessary to start their role with confidence and competence. It informs new team members about the organisation and their role within it. It might cover information about:
- what the organisation does
- an organisational chart highlighting different branches and teams
- what the team’s role and function is, and may introduce the names and contact details of team members
- expectations of new team members in their role.
Inductions might include touring the work environment and facilities, meeting the team, collecting workplace access cards or keys, collecting technology and completing mandatory training.
Inductions often cover elements required by law, such as the organisation’s work, health and safety obligations and procedures. It is also common for new team members to complete training modules that cover a range of key topics like diversity and inclusion, fraud and corruption, security awareness, amongst others.
Onboarding will often be concurrent with a probation period, and managers will provide a new team member with information to help them understand their obligations and how to fulfil the agency’s expectations during the probation period.
Workplace adjustments
All team members have the opportunity and right to request workplace adjustments. Under the Disability Discrimination Act 1979, it is unlawful for an employer to refuse to provide workplace adjustments to a person with disability. Under workplace relations legislation, it is also unlawful to discriminate against certain protected attributes (one of which is disability).
An employee can speak to their manager and/or the HR team to request adjustments, or ask the agency what supports and adjustments they provide. Adjustments are put in place to assist employees to be able to carry out their role and complete their work.
Once an agreement is in place, the team member may choose to complete a Workplace Adjustment Passport and ensure the information is correct and up to date.
The APSC is leading a project for the Disability Royal Commission recommendation related to developing and implementing APS-wide principles on workplace adjustments, and an APS-wide workplace adjustment passport. Work is currently underway, and this page will be updated with further information in the coming months.
Relevant information
Disability discrimination (Australian Human Rights Commission)
Know your rights about disability discrimination and harassment (Australian Human Rights Commission)
Case study: Preparing for day 1
Manager perspective: Jo
Jo manages a small team and is aware that new team member, Steve, will be joining in four weeks. Steve has shared details about a medical condition they have and indicated they may require workplace adjustments to perform their role effectively. Jo feels a bit uncertain about having these types of personal conversations, so they contact HR for guidance and refer to the Inclusive Onboarding Toolkit for practical tips.
Jo arranges an introductory meeting with Steve to discuss the role, team, and the nature of the work. In the email invitation, Jo checks Steve’s preference for meeting in person or online and includes a brief agenda to structure the conversation. The conversation provides an opportunity for Jo to get to know Steve, explore their working and communication preferences, and discuss any required adjustments.
Jo is mindful of maintaining Steve’s privacy and confirms that any information shared about their needs will be treated confidentially. Jo listens carefully and takes notes. Steve is unsure of all the adjustments they require, so Jo provides reassurance they can have ongoing conversations.
Following the meeting, Jo collaborates with the relevant business areas to prepare Steve’s workplace adjustments ahead of their first day. Jo also emails Steve a summary of their conversation, confirms the agreed adjustments, and warmly welcomes them to the team. Jo’s future focus is on understanding how to best support Steve to thrive at work.
New team member perspective: Steve
Steve is excited to start work at a new agency. They have signed their employment contract, received an onboarding package from HR, and received an email from their new manager, Jo, offering to meet in person or online before they officially commence work. This early gesture sets a positive tone for the onboarding process.
Steve agrees to meet in person at the café in the office lobby. They appreciate receiving an agenda as it allows them to prepare for the meeting. In previous roles, Steve has shared details of their medical condition with the agency, only to find the information wasn’t passed on or acted upon. Now, Steve values Jo’s interest in reaching out for a conversation.
During the meeting, Steve is grateful to hear more about the role, the team, and the work. They feel Jo takes the time to understand their working and communication preferences and adjustment needs. The conversation is respectful and focused on enabling Steve to thrive, not on personal details or limitations. Steve feels comfortable sharing.
After the meeting, Steve receives a follow-up email confirming the agreed adjustments, welcoming them to the team, and a link to the Onboarding Toolkit. By the time they start, adjustments are in place and conversations about workplace support feels inclusive and ongoing. Steve feels confident to speak up if future needs arise.
Starting a new job with a disability can be daunting, but Steve’s experience shows how inclusive leadership, clear communication and early planning can create a welcoming onboarding experience.
Glossary of key terms
This glossary reflects the key terms used in this document to reflect an inclusive onboarding process in the APS.
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| Accessible Formats | Alternative ways of presenting information (e.g. alt text, large print, Braille, audio, easy to read) to ensure everyone can access the content. |
| Accessibility | Addressing and removing issues with workplace design and systemic barriers that prevent some people from performing their job confidently and competently and developing their career. Making arrangements to job and workplace design to maximise job satisfaction, engagement and productivity. |
| Assistive technology | Equipment, systems, devices or technology that help people to perform tasks in the workplace. Examples include screen readers, speech to text software, braille, keyboards and magnifiers. |
| Barriers | Physical, procedural, attitudinal, cultural, or systemic obstacles that prevent employees from accessing, participating in,or contributing to the workplace on equal terms. |
| Belonging | When people feel accepted, recognised, and everybody’s views and contributions are integrated, valued and respected.People feel confident and inspired to bring their whole selves to work because differences are embraced as strengths. |
| Bias | A disproportionate weight in favour of or against something or someone. While we can process bias consciously or unconsciously, it can have unintended consequences or unfairly influence our decisions and our thinking. |
| Captioning Services | Real-time or recorded text display of spoken words during meetings, presentations, or videos to support accessibility. |
| Disability | Disability is diverse and everyone has unique experiences. There are different ways of thinking about disability. The models of disability are frameworks to understand how society views and responds to disability. |
| Diversity | The differences found in people that create their unique identity, including age, caring responsibilities, cultural background, religion, disability, cognitive diversity, gender, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander identity, sexual orientation, and socio-economic background. It also encompasses profession, education, political views, values, work experiences, and organisational role. |
| Equality | The principle of treating all individuals the same,regardless of their personal circumstances, background, or needs. |
| Equity | Treating people fairly but differently. Equity promotes fairness by identifying differences and allocating resources based on need. |
| Flexible work arrangements | Work options that allow employees to vary their hours, location or work patterns to accommodate individual needs (e.g.,remote work, flexible start/finish times, job-sharing, part-time hours). |
| Hidden, invisible or Non-Apparent Disability | A disability that is not immediately apparent, such as chronic illness, mental health conditions, or neurodivergence. |
| Identity | The way we define ourselves and include our values,beliefs, and personality. It can include those dimensions listed under ‘Diversity’ and encompasses the roles we play in our society and family, our past memories, our hopes for the future, as well as our hobbies and interest. |
| Inclusion | When people can access opportunities and are regularly asked to contribute perspectives and ideas. For instance, inclusion occurs when people of different backgrounds, experiences, perspectives and abilities, are included on committees, consulted, and invited to comment. |
| Inclusive language | Using accurate and respectful language to creates a culture where all people can feel respected, valued and included. |
| Induction | The induction process informs new team members about the organisation and their role within it. It might cover information about what the organisation does and expectations of new team members. An induction aims to provide a person with practical tools and knowledge necessary to start their role with confidence and competence. |
| Intersectionality | The ways in which peoples’ lives are shaped by the intersection between multiple social identities, such as age, gender,sexuality, ethnicity, race, socioeconomic status, religion, location, living arrangements, and marital status; and the ways in which these inter sections can result in unique experiences of discrimination or marginalisation. |
| Lived experience | People with unique knowledge, abilities and attributes. They draw on their own life-changing experience, service use and their journey of recovery and healing, to support others. |
| Neurodiversity | The range of differences in individual brain function and behavioural traits, regarded as part of normal variation in the human population. |
| Onboarding | A process of welcome and familiarising new team members with the organisation, including getting to know their manager, team and role; learning organisational policies and practices; and establishing social relationships and a sense of belonging in the workplace. |
| Personal Emergency Evacuation Plan (PEEP) | An individualised and documented plan that outline show a person with disability or other adjustment need will evacuate a building in an emergency. |
| Pre-employment | The period after a new team member signs their employment contract but before they arrive on Day 1. Depending on the role and commencement date, this period can last several weeks to several months. |
| Psychological safety | A shared belief the environment is safe to take risks and be vulnerable. People feel valued, able to express ideas and ask questions, and do not feel they will be punished for speaking up. |
| Social model | Disability as the interaction between people living with impairment and an environment filled with physical, attitudinal, communication and social barriers. From this perspective, disability is not inherent or individualised, but is produced by a world where systems, processes and structures do not accommodate the wide variety of skills, need sand capabilities that make up humanity. |
| Systemic barriers | Institutional processes, policy, systems, and environment that disproportionately impact underrepresented cohorts and can harm people from entering the workforce, feeling safe at work, progressing their career, being their authentic selves at work. |
| Unconscious bias | Unintentional stereo types and beliefs and about different social and identity groups that are automatic and/or ingrained and can influence behaviour and perceptions and actions. |
| Workplace adjustments | A change to the work environment, practices, or equipment that enables a person with disability, injury, health condition or other needs (such as caring responsibilities etc.) to perform the requirements of their job and participate equally in employment. |