I am about to start work
There are many things to think about before you start work. The following sections may help you plan for your first days at work. Getting some information in advance may make the transition easier.
It may help reduce anxiety if you make some preparations when you start work or move to a new environment
First impressions are very important, so put time into creating a positive impression
You may want to think about the following things before you start work.
Getting to your workplace
As well as the cost of travel, you also need to plan your journey and routes to work. Traffic can be very different in the rush hour, so you might want to consider a practice run so you know what time you might need to leave home and also what time you’re likely to get home at the end of the day.
Lunches or other breaks
Decide whether you’re going to take lunch in, eat in the canteen or buy food locally. Make this decision based on the local facilities available and what you prefer to eat. Find out whether the people you will be working with take their own lunch in, go out to a shop or to a canteen to buy lunch. It can be helpful to go with them and choose something you like to eat. If you have a restricted diet, take in something you like from home until you have worked out the food options
Budgeting
Most jobs pay weekly or monthly in arrears which means you may have to work for up to a month before you get paid
Make sure you have enough money to pay for the following:
- Travel to and from work. Make sure you work out how much it will cost to get to work and home again at the times you need to be there. If you are doing shift work, the cost and time taken to travel at night can be different if there is not public transport at that time.
- Meals. You will need money to pay for food to make meals at home, or that you buy while out at work.
- Pension. It is compulsory for your employer to sign you up for a workplace pension scheme. Money will be deducted from your pay and placed into your pension fund. In some roles you are able to pay an additional proportion of your earnings into a personal pension, that will give you more money in retirement than the standard government pension. You won’t pay tax on any earnings invested into your pension, but your weekly or monthly pay will be lower.
Clothing
Different types of clothing are appropriate for different work environments
You may need to buy clothes for your new role if you don’t already have some that are suitable, or if the company doesn’t provide a uniform. Having secured the role, you’ve probably met some people who work there and seen the workplace, so will have an idea of the types of clothes that are suitable for that job.
It’s important to get clothes that fit you well and that meet your sensory requirements. Some stores have a ‘quiet shopping hour’ (usually early on a midweek morning). Sone stores may offer a personal shopper service, where someone who works there can help you find what you need, based on your description or pictures of the sort of things that other people are wearing at your new place of work. If you need help to make alterations, the shop may be able to do it themselves (e.g. shortening trousers to suit). If not, a dry cleaner or tailor shop will be able to do alterations.
Uniforms
Some employers provide uniforms for their staff. Have your measurements handy so that you get a uniform which fits well. Comfort is key.
It helps if you can wear the same as other people doing the same sort of job as you, but you may need to find alternatives to meet your sensory needs
Sensory adjustments to clothing
Many autistic people struggle with fabric textures and fit. If you cannot wear an item of clothing without being deeply uncomfortable, think about what alternatives you might like to try – you can then ask for these as reasonable adjustments. Stick as closely as you can to the items other people at the same level are wearing whilst being comfortable. Changes you could make include:
- One size looser in the same item
- Wearing tight layers under your clothes, such as a vest, or compression shorts for example
- Swapping a formal tailored jacket for a softer material in a similar cut
- Swap an item of stiff or itchy material for a softer version of the same item
- Choosing brands which have printed labels, rather than itchy fabric ones or cut out the labels once you are sure they fit
- Wearing a hat and/or tinted glasses to reduce visual glare
- Wearing comfortable shoes
Managing anxiety and avoiding burnout
You are likely to be feeling very nervous in the run up to starting a new job, so make sure you manage other demands carefully to avoid burnout. Reduce unnecessary activities that deplete your energy and increase time with your passionate interests and other activities which make you feel good. Make sure you also get plenty of rest.
Personal hygiene
Being clean and smelling good is important to everyone in a working environment. People find it hard to talk about personal hygiene issues and may hesitate to mention it to you. Make sure that you and your clothes are washed frequently and consider using a deodorant.
The job itself
Before you start, you may want to refer back to the advert or job description to remind yourself what you’re going to be doing and what’s important to your employer. You can keep researching once you have the role if it helps you relax and prepare for the challenge ahead. You might want to use the internet to learn more about the company, its customers and its employees – your future colleagues. Think about learning more about the role, so that you can be ready to make a great first impression.
Induction is the process of helping a new employee understand their new role and the organisation they work in. A good induction can help you to settle into a workplace much quicker.
It is good practice for your employer to prepare for your arrival and integration into the job and the workforce. Ask at your interview if the company does an induction.
Not all workplaces have a formal induction process, but you can ask for an induction as a reasonable adjustment
What you need to know at each stage varies. More complicated roles with many different relationships, or jobs within large organisations may require more structured inductions. It’s good to have a written plan to support your first few weeks. This should be provided by the organisation ideally before you start work, but usually on your first day.
Your induction could be delivered to you by your manager, colleagues in different parts of the organisation at a welcome day, or online, using an ‘onboarding’ game or app. It will depend on the size of the organisation and the number of people joining at one time.
You may have to interact with a lot of people in the induction process which you might find challenging – if so, ask to work out a reasonable adjustment with your manager or supervisor
Induction can last up to 12 months depending on the job and probation processes. An induction could include:
General Information (These are usually delivered face to face in the first couple of days)
- Emergency procedures, such as what to do in case of fire
- Where you will be working
- Your work hours, timings of meal breaks (although these may be different during your induction)
- Where to find the toilets
- Arrangements for food and drink, transport and parking
- Smoking areas and policy
- Organisational structure (who’s who – names, roles and responsibilities)
- Dress codes
- Site layout, location and offices
- Where to find stationery and work supplies
- Security and issuing your staff pass and keys
- Important company health and safety procedures
Company Information: (Usually delivered in writing or online – you can ask to read these through at home in advance)
- Overview of organisational history and background
- Company mission statement, ethics and philosophy
- Brand awareness, market and competitor overview
Employment policies and procedures: (You may get these in writing to read though or a link to where to find it on the company IT system)
- Absenteeism, lateness, holidays and sickness
- Employment Benefits, including Employee Assistance Programme if one is offered
- Trades union membership
- Pay procedures, expenses, awards and incentives
- Grievance and discipline
- Staff management, probation, appraisals and mentoring
- Safe working, use of tools and personal protective equipment (PPE)
- IT, data protection and communications – including rules on use of social media at work (personally and professionally)
Job specific induction: (usually in the first week or month)
- Purpose of the job and job flow. What needs to be done by when and for whom?
- Introduction to tools, equipment, systems and technology needed to do the job including computers, phones, email, key programmes and apps
- Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) needed for the job and how to use it appropriately.
- Introduction to other team members, line management and HR for payroll, staff handbook.
- Training – role specific, mandatory training (e.g. Health and Safety), technology, software and systems
- Where to go to, who to call and who to ask for help
- How your performance will be monitored, and feedback provided
- Visits to colleagues based in other locations and ‘hands on’ experiences
- Visits to clients / suppliers or other stakeholders
You may want to work with your line manager or supervisor to pace the amount of information you are given at one time – it can be overwhelming to receive all of the information in one day
Or you may prefer to get straight into the actual work you will be doing and to have the induction alongside your normal duties.
If the help you need at work is not covered by your employer making reasonable adjustments, you may be able to get financial or support help from the Access to Work scheme.
If you have disability, or physical or mental health condition, you can talk to your employer about the changes they must make to your workplace in order that you are not at a disadvantage compared to others. These changes are called Reasonable Adjustments.
Access to Work can provide practical and financial support to help you start or stay in work. It can also give guidance to employers on supporting their employees.
Talk to your employer about reasonable adjustments before you apply for Access to Work
The scheme is run through Job Centre Plus offices. You can apply if you are about to start a job, unless you live in Northern Ireland where it is covered by Disability Living Allowance (DLA) and different rules apply.
Access to Work can be used to pay for support to get you to and from the workplace, or to provide practical support once you are there. It can pay for items or services including:
- adaptations to the equipment you use at work
- special equipment or software such Alternative or Augmentative Communication (AAC)
- adaptations to your vehicle so you can get to work
- taxi fares to work if you cannot use public transport
- a support worker or job coach to help you in an interview or in your workplace
- disability or autism awareness training for your colleagues
- the cost of moving your equipment if you change location or job
- mental health support for up to 9 months from the Mental Health Support Service – apply direct to Maximus and Able Futures.
You can apply for support from the Access to Work scheme if you are going into:
- Supported internship
- Traineeship
- Employment
- Self-employment
If a grant is issued, it can last for up to 3 years and can be reviewed as necessary.
Workplace Assessment
A Workplace Assessment is intended to identify how best to support an employee in the workplace. A Workplace Assessment is not an obligation for any employer. It will usually be undertaken if an employee has disclosed a condition and they are applying for Access to Work support, or the company have been advised to undertake one via HR. Access to Work advisors may request a Workplace Assessment to confirm the support needs, but this may depend on the opinion of the Access to Work advisor and the level of the support costs being requested.
If you have autism or another neurodivergent condition, you should consider asking for your Workplace Assessment to be undertaken by someone who has an in depth knowledge and understanding of your condition, so that they can make the most appropriate recommendations
If you are autistic, your employer has to make sure that you aren’t substantially disadvantaged when doing your job. To be able to ask for reasonable adjustments, you have to have disclosed that you are autistic or have another physical or mental health condition. You can tell them that you are autistic and request reasonable adjustments at any time.
The adjustments you need can be changed by agreement with your employer at any time as your needs change
The adjustments should take into account your full profile of needs whether autism-related or not. You must:
- Declare that you have a disability
- Ask for reasonable adjustments to be made.
Discuss with your manager what reasonable adjustments you need and have the outcome of the meeting recorded in writing.
The University of Portsmouth Autism Centre for Research on Employment (ACRE) has developed an assessment tool for autistic people with mild or no learning disabilities. The Cognitive Profile element can help you understand your strengths and weaknesses in social and communication skills; flexibility and planning; and sensory sensitivities. It includes a tailored support plan including recommended workplace adjustments.
You may want help from a job coach to interpret the results, which can be quite detailed.
Whether you complete an assessment or not, it can be helpful to review possible reasonable adjustments to help you perform in your job. These might include:
- Doing things another way such as:
- Having your own desk instead of hot-desking
- Allowing you to leave the building in advance of a scheduled fire alarm (provided you have practiced the process enough to be safe in the event of an emergency)
- Enforcing a policy that avoids people eating noisy or strong-smelling food near your workstation
- Allowing the use of noise cancelling headphones at work
- Agreeing changes to the uniform or dress-code to take into account sensory sensitivities
- Changing working hours to avoid rush hour travel times (such as starting and leaving earlier or later)
- Working from home part or all of the time
- Allowing employees whose condition causes them to suffer from ill-health to make a phased return to work, including flexible hours or part-time working
- Allowing you to work in or use a conference or meeting room if you need a quiet environment
- Modifying sickness absence triggers (these are the number of days’ absence when managers consider warnings, and possible dismissal, unless attendance at work improves)
- Modifying performance targets
- Putting communications in writing
- Having a scheduled daily meeting or conversation with your manager, often with the same format or agenda, to agree your plans for the day
- Being given agreed periods of notice regarding changes to your schedule, calendar or workload
- Making physical changes to the workplace such as:
- Swapping from fluorescent lights to a desk lamp
- Providing a desk in a small office, or quiet area rather than in a noisy open-plan office. Sometimes simply having a desk in the corner, where people can’t walk by on all sides can be an enormous help
- Installing horizontal roller blinds to prevent glare
- Allowing you to personalise your desk or work space – for example use of colours or comforting colours can sometimes help
- Offering you specific training opportunities, recreation and refreshment facilities
Think about the adjustments which will suit your specific needs – which will make you more comfortable and ensure you do the best job possible
Further guidance on reasonable adjustments is available from the government and from the Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service. Most reasonable adjustments are either free to make or inexpensive to implement. If needed, there may be financial support to make reasonable adjustments through the Access to Work scheme.
As well as formal Reasonable Adjustments, don’t be afraid to talk to your line manager about how you might best work together effectively
If you like regular feedback, ask to schedule a regular conversation to discuss how you’re getting on. If you know that you can ask lots of questions, ask your line manager whether they’d prefer you to ask questions as they arise, or jot them all down and then have one longer conversation where you work through the questions that have come up since you last spoke.
If you know that you can be easily distracted, agree the most important priority for the day with your line manager and write it down, so you know that you can refer back to it regularly. Similarly, feel free to say to colleagues that you need to concentrate on something for a while and request they don’t distract you at certain times.
The important thing is to communicate with those around you to help you perform at your best in your new role – your colleagues and your manager want you to succeed too!
