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EY – an employer embracing diverse abilities

Posted on • Career planning, Carers, Disabilities and health conditions

Image of Beth MacDougallI didn’t join professional services partnership EY because it’s is a global organisation, or because it has an expansive client network. It was very simply for two reasons: The commitment to supporting staff with disabilities, and the internal support community the EY Ability Network. This is an employee-led workplace community group which brings together persons of diverse abilities, including neurodivergence and long-term health conditions, to meet and share lived experiences, learn from each other, raise awareness, and celebrate the community.

Useful information and advice about handling factors such as disability and health in your career and in recruitment processes can be found in these OU resources:

As someone starting out on their career path with a newly acquired disability, finding a place of employment where I felt supported and empowered was essential. Those first steps in applications always incite some nervousness for everyone. I had always felt like I would maybe be starting a few steps behind, because of my disability. Now I know that my disability is what allows me to bring diversity of thought and experience to my workplace, as well as key strengths, such as adaptability, resilience, and communication skills.
At EY, we want the adjustments process for all candidates to be collaborative, therefore we will always ensure you have one key point of contact to go to with any queries. We will work with you on what supports you best, and if you’re not sure, we will work with you and one of our specialist partnerships to ensure you receive the most appropriate support. We also have a tailored application process for those requiring adjustments, so that you can inform us of how best to support you, and your communication preferences for all follow up conversations.

Some of our adjustments include:

  • Up to 25% extra time for online tests on our assessment portal.
  • Offline adjusted assessments with extra time where needed.
  • Screen reader compatibility for most assessments.
  • Familiarisation communications outlining what to expect from each stage assessment.
  • Assistive support during assessments where needed (e.g. interpreters).

These are only some examples, we understand that everyone’s support preferences are different, therefore the focus of our adjustments will be on supportive collaborative conversations with you on what works best for you. All employers have a legal requirement to, as far as possible, make reasonable adjustments to assessment processes, therefore please never hesitate to reach out to ask for support, we will learn from you.

Beth MacDougall is an Assistant Manager for Student Recruitment and Disability Champion for EY Northern Ireland. Passionate and committed to inclusion for all individuals of all abilities, Beth is Co-Ability Lead for EY UK Student Recruitment as well as Deputy Co-Chair in the EY Ability Network, EY’s community network that celebrates and supports people living with disabilities, long-term health conditions and neurodivergence. Focused on empowering diverse abilities in the workplace, Beth is an active advocate for Ability Inclusion, delivering awareness and education talks across the UK on accessibility in recruitment and wider workplace inclusion. Beth shares her own experiences navigating the workplace as a person with a disability and how the strengths and skills developed as a result of living with a disability have allowed her to build her career and bring change to workplace organisations.