Blog

The passport that smooths career journeys

13 Mar 2023

When travelling abroad, your passport contains all the information authorities need for you to enter a different country. Ingeus has its own passport that works in the same way.

The Workplace Adjustment Passport allows colleagues to record any health conditions in one document, helping to smooth their journey through the business when moving between teams or taking on new roles.

It was introduced by Melisa Cunningham, Employee Relations, Diversity & Wellbeing Specialist with the support of colleague Disability Champions. She says: “If somebody has a disability or condition that might affect their day-to-day activities, the passport highlights what those conditions are, what a bad day might look like, what aspects managers should be aware of if a team member goes off sick and records any reasonable workplace adjustments that might be needed.

“The key thing is that colleagues don’t have to have repeated conversations about their health condition. They can share the passport with their manager, saving them from having to go into detail time and time again.”

The passport form is downloaded from the company’s intranet and, once filled in, belongs to the employee to share with their manager.

Melisa says: “While some people are comfortable with their disability or health issue and will tell us when they join, others feel a massive stigma about it.

“For example, menopause, despite the efforts of celebrities like Davina McCall to make it a more everyday subject, can still be a source of embarrassment despite the potentially serious effects it can have on a person’s working day.

“And with neurodiversity some people may not really be aware what support they need to progress their careers.

“So we let people know about the passport when they join us and it makes them more confident in talking about their condition because they know they won’t have to keep having the same conversation.

“We recognise that everyone is unique, with their own approaches to work and social opportunities. We value difference and want to ensure we provide an environment in which people can be authentic and reach their full potential.”

There has been interest in the passport scheme among employers that Ingeus encounters as part of its employment support contracts, and there are plans to expand it within the business.

An Inclusivity Passport is being considered that could, for instance, document a person’s gender identity, religious or caring responsibilities.

Rachel Tillet is one of those managers to have experienced the value of the scheme. The Performance and Delivery Manager on the North West Work and Health programme urged a colleague to complete the passport document after they were struggling with an ongoing health condition. The resulting conversation not only led to the business providing devices to support the colleague, but also gave Rachel a better understanding of the person’s needs.

She says: “Because I knew about their health condition I was able to recognise when they may be having a bad day and then I could adapt tasks or workload to support.

“I think the workplace passport is a valuable tool to support staff and it gives a platform to have an open and honest conversations about health conditions and their potential effect on work. The more we know, the more we can support!”

Ingeus is a Disability Confident employer with a strong diversity and inclusivity culture. If you’d like to see what jobs are currently on offer go to https://ingeus.co.uk/careers