What is a Workplace Functional Assessment?

Can they do the job?  What reasonable adjustments are required? Do they need a graduated return-to-work plan of hours?

What is a workplace functional assessment? Employers often want to know the answer to these questions and so this assessment will do that.

It may be that an employee is struggling to do the work tasks due to various reasons, they have:

  • Had an injury, recently.
  • Been diagnosed with a new medical condition.
  • Age-related aches and pains.
  • Been awaiting treatment, such as surgery.
  • Been on sick leave, so have not done the tasks for some time.

Fit Note and Reasonable Adjustments

Employers may have correspondence from the individual’s GP. A ‘Fit Note’ may have been completed by the GP indicating the individual ‘may be fit for work’. It may indicate that ‘reasonable adjustments’ under the Equality Act 2010 are required, such as a phased return to work, altered hours, amended duties or workplace adaptations.

An employee may be working, but with a medical condition so ‘reasonable adjustments’ may also apply.

Specialist medical letters may be available and appointments may be ongoing for treatment and rehabilitation. Healthcare may be provided by NHS services or privately.

Generally the GP cannot provide an opinion on what the individual worker can or cannot do, as this requires specialist assessment by a workplace health specialist service, often known under the ‘umbrella term’ of an Occupational Health Service.

Types of Occupational Health Services

Occupational Health Services may be available internally, within your organisation or they may be contracted in.

The services can vary greatly.

Some may have a team of health professionals available to advise and provide a service on many different matters.

From prevention advice and treatments, such as flu vaccinations, pre-employment medicals, healthy lifestyle advice etc.

To the other end of the scale, providing complex case management advice and assessments. Such as assessing physical ability to perform tasks, mental health assessments, reasonable adjustments and advice on decisions such as ill health retirement (IHR) etc.

Some Occupational Health teams consist of OH specialist nurses and doctors, known as Occupational Health Physicians. Only a doctor can diagnose a health condition. Often the GP or NHS /private specialist service doctors will have done this.

The team can also include physiotherapists, psychologists, occupational hygienists and occupational therapists.

Generally the team will have a wide skill mix, due to their past work roles, so they can compliment each others range of expertise.

Some work from their own premises, holding sppointments away from the workplace. Others conduct their services at the workplace.

Occupational Therapists

Occupational Health Services are also delivered by smaller uni-professional teams.  Health Care Professionals can advise on work and health matters, where it falls within their expertise.

Occupational Therapists are experts in assessing physical and mental health, function and ability.t the worksite in a meeting room. They can also look at the job task area to perform detailed more assessments of the job demands, including the environment and equipment in use. This can assist when deciding on solutions and reasonable adjustments which are required.

Occupational Therapists find practical solutions so individual’s can be independent in activities and work to their full potential.

Occupational Health Assessments at work

The type of Occupational Health Assessment will depend on the individual’s health need and what job they perform.

Occupational Health Services may be available within your organisation or you may contract in these services. The services can vary greatly. Some may have a team of health professionals available to advise and provide a service on many different matters. Such as flu vaccinations, pre-employment medicals, healthy lifestyle advice etc.  Through to complex case management advice and assessments. Assessing physical ability to perform tasks, mental health assessments, medical retirement etc.

Some Occupational Health teams consist of OH specialist nurses and doctors, known as Occupational Health Physicians. Only a doctor can diagnose a health condition. Often the GP or NHS /private specialist service doctors will have done this. The team can have physiotherapists, psychologists, occupational hygienists and occupational therapists in the team. Generally the team have a wide skill mix, due to their past work roles, so they can compliment each others range of expertise.

Occupational Health Services are also delivered by smaller uni-professional teams.  Health Care Professionals can advise on work and health matters, where it falls within their expertise. Occupational Therapists are experts in assessing physical and mental health, function and ability. They find practical solutions so individual’s can be independent in activities.

The type of Workplace Functional Assessment will depend on what job the individual performs.

What is a Workplace Functional Assessment – Active Job Roles & Sedentary Job Roles

Functional Capacity Evaluation – for Active Job Roles

A Functional Capacity  Evaluation (FCE) is a specialist assessment, specifically designed to assess ability to perform physical work. Like lots of walking, standing, reaching, lifting and kneeling tasks for low level work tasks.

This assessment is different from a general ‘functional assessment’ that may be performed by a Health Care professional (registered with the HCPC), looking at an individual’s ability to perform personal care and domestic daily activities. It is a researched (standardised) method of assessment used by Health Care Professionals. Specialist training and testing equipment is required.

A questionnaire about the job demands will have been completed by the Line Manager.

Before the assessment, 1 hour is allocated to assess the work task environment and processes. A Job Demands Analysis. This enables the assessor to have a clear understanding of the job tasks. Also to understand if there are any ergonomic and reasonable adjustments that would be possible, if required.

A meeting room at the workplace is required to conduct the assessment.

The assessment process then begins with a review of the individual’s medical history, current symptoms and treatments. Also discussion about non-work activities. The individual will then estimate their ability to perform the work tasks and postures.

Individuals will then perform practical tests, simulating the work tasks, to gather accurate detail of their current level of ability.

They will only perform tasks which are safe for them to do. If an individual has a knee issue, so they are unable to flex/bend their knees to squat, they will not be asked to perform any lifting from the floor. It would be unsafe for them to do so and could lead to further injury.

The assessment will establish the physical abilities of the individual and their difficulties. It collects information which is relevant to the tasks of the job.

Job Match? Can they do the job?

The assessment will help to decide:

  • Is there a job match of the individual’s ability to perform some or all of the work tasks.
  • Can they perform the role with reasonable adjustments, such as  ergonomic considerations, eg use a stool instead if standing is an issue. More breaks. Remove some tasks from their role temporarily or permanently.
  • Do they need reduced hours or a graduated plan of hours to return them to the role. What would be the specific advice for this plan, to increase steadily back to the full hours and full tasks.
  • If they are unable to perform any substantial part of the role currently.  Do they need further rehabilitiation and then re-consider the role in the future. Or are there alternative roles available, for the short term, or permanently.

If the individual does not have a current job role, a Functional Capacity Evaluation can be performed at their home address. It will establish their current level of ability and difficulty to perform all types of physical work postures and tasks. This information can then be used to assist in a Career Redirection Assessment and ongoing job search sessions.

Workstation Assessment – for Sedentary Job Roles

If they perform an sedentary/sitting desk based role, they most likely require a Workstation Assessment, also known as a Ergonomic Assessment. An individual’s workstation is ergonomically set up to minimise the risk of injury, prevent aggravation of symptoms and maximise productivity.

Ergonomics is matching the job tasks to the worker and the product to the user.

During an Ergonomic Assessment the assessor may look at not only the physical set up of the workstation, but also the associated work role and tasks.

The assessor gains a history of the person’s symptoms and an understanding of the physical and cognitive demands of the person’s role, in order to ensure the client’s work station is suitability organised in line with ergonomic standards and best practice guidelines.

Ensure any issues in terms of pain/fatigue or dysfunction are analysed and provide appropriate recommendations & education to overcome any possible barriers or issues.

Assessments are also conducted to support the return to work and design a return to work plan of hours. Also, for workers who work from home, to ensure their home work environment is safe and ergonomically set up.

Occupational Health Assessments at work

See the range of  Healthywork’s  Occupational Health Services (held Face to Face or some can be held via Video call)

See our Case Studies:

Ergonomic Assessment in an Office Role Case Study

Ergonomic Assessment of a Teacher Case Study

Ergonomic Assessment & Return-to-Work Case Study

Functional Capacity Evaluation of a Carer – Case Study

Functional Capacity Evaluation of a Caretaker – Case Study

Physical Job Analysis of a mechanic – Case Study

See our blog articles related to this topic:

Contact Us for further advice and a quotation.

See our Useful Links page which includes diagnosis specific advice from organisations which can help.

What is a Workplace Functional Assessment?

Interested in working together?

If you would like to work with us, or find out more about what we do, get in touch!

Contact Us

Recent Posts

Testimonials

David Higham Associates

Healthywork Clients - David Higham

They (the employees) were all happy with the work you did on the day you came in. Thanks a lot for your help. (Workstation Risk Assessments, November 2011)

Tine Nielsen David Higham Associates

FCE testimonial by Snows Group

FCE testimonial by Snows Group

FCE testimonial by Snows Group

We are extremely impressed with the service you have provided and will definitely keep your details on file for any future issues. (November 2011)

Samantha Cheesman Group HR Officer, Snows Group

Survey feedback following a DSE Assessment

It (The DSE Assessment) provided some invaluable advice and recommendations to help make my workstation more comfortable and prevent future injury.

Anonymous

Jan 2018

Anonymous

OTAL Ltd

An Ergonomic Assessment provided by Healthywork was well worth the money. The chair has been set up correctly, and is now more comfortable for the user and we have purchased the desktop equipment they suggested and this along with correct layout and improved positioning has really helped towards resolving the discomfort experienced.

Linda Marston Human Resource Manager OTAL Limited - HO Birmingham Innovative solutions to and from West Africa

Survey feedback following a DSE Assessment

Well worth having a trained professional actually observe you at your workspace as small adjustments can improve comfort and health.

Sept 2017

Anonymous

Watford Borough Council

Healthywork Clients - Watford Borough Council

Thanks very much for the (Functional Capacity) report which we have found extremely useful

Nicola Sharp

CRF Institute/Britains Top Employers

Our visit from Alison was an eye-opener. We thought that we knew what we were doing but every single team member learned something new. We learned how to use our equipment properly, we learned how to sit properly and we have all made adjustments to how we work since her visit. Everyone in the team has given feedback since that they are more comfortable in their daily work, and one person who has been in pain for months has changed her position and is now pain-free. Alison is friendly, easy to work with and great value for money. As manager, I thought that I would have to invest in a lot of new equipment but the reality is simply that we weren’t using what we had properly. I would definitely use Alison again and will write a workstation assessment into our on-boarding process for any new employees joining our team.

Eleanor Nickerson, Manager CRF Institute/Britains Top Employers

Avantek Computer Ltd

Healthywork Clients - Avantek

Alison @healthywork provided a very comprehensive report with recommendations to suit our clients needs. A very professional service.

Ergonomic Assessments provided in Bath, Oxford and Leicestershire.

Tony Lees, Avantek Computer Ltd, Leicestershire

FCE testimonial by WTW

FCE testimonial by WTW

FCE testimonial by WTW

I met with our client, Electrolux on Friday to review all their services and they couldn’t praise your recent report highly enough.  It is enabling them to work with the employee much more constructively. They advised that they will not hesitate to use your services again – so thank you so much.

 

 

Kate Barnes, Commercial Manager
Willis Towers Watson

GMG Color Ltd

Ergonomic Assessment Functional Capacity Assessment Evaluation DSE Assessment Workstation Milton Keynes Cambridge Oxford North London - gmg

‘I contacted Alison a couple of months ago and she came up to see me and my team quite recently, Alison was very thorough with everyone, some people needed an hour with her others just 10 minutes, however everybody got something out of her visit, the visit was informative but not long winded and not rushed.

I was also very impressed with the level of information supplied for each individual after the visit, which has enabled me to order what was needed (however I could have done without the cost this involved!!).

Overall I would highly recommend Alison and Healthywork Ltd’. (June 2017)

Ian Probert
GMG Color Ltd