Employers Guide - Dyspraxia Foundation

Differences Explained
Dyspraxia Foundation Guide For Employers
These pages provide suggestions for
individuals and line managers to try out. You
will notice similar ideas suggested in more
than one area. The pages are not a complete
solution and are most effective when used in
conjunction with a specialist workplace
assessment. It may also be useful to provide
a mentor or coach to help focus on areas of
strength and weakness and help develop the
skill base with the individual.
The suggestions are framed with the premise
that:
• Their primary function is as a basis for
dialogue.
• They are not specific for a particular
job, grade or organisational culture.
• A ‘pick and mix’ approach for the job
and the individual is expected.
• They provide cost effective and easy
strategies for anyone, not just those with
hidden disabilities.
• Adapting to the requirements of the
workplace and developing new skills is
particularly demanding for an
individual with a cognitive processing
difficulty.
• The nuances of cognitive processing
difficulties are often hard for people
who do not have them to
comprehend.
These pages should help help the line
manager and Personnel Officer to support the
individual.
Co-ordination and Motor
Difficulties.
What are co-ordination or motor difficulties?
At the heart of the difficulties experienced by
people with dyspraxia are coordination and
motor difficulties. The impact can be very
varied from almost unnoticeable by anyone
other than the individual to substantial in the
effect. As dyspraxia can affect almost any
muscle group in the body there is a wide
range of possible difficulties that will affect
each individual differently.
No one individual will display the same profile
of strengths and difficulties
If the co-ordination of an individual is different
from everyone else, then the attitude of his
colleagues and line manager with regard to
his ability may be distorted. The way the brain
sends messages to limbs, mouth or eyes may
make the individual slower in tackling tasks.
However the quality of what is achieved may
be high.
Motor control may affect the way an
employee uses equipment or moves around.
Simple adjustments can make life easier, e.g.
electric hole punch, stapler etc.
Carrying out practical office tasks like
photocopying may be difficult for someone
with co-ordination or motor difficulties. An
individual may completely understand how to
do a task but have difficulty carrying it out.
The way an application form is filled in may
give the lie to the ability of an individual to do
a job. The result may be untidy if handwritten,
or perfect if typed and very great care taken.
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