I work as an Administration Officer and have been under review in my work and am in the last stages. Unless I pass this final stage by February I will be out of a job.
I have dyspraxia. I have been told I have to improve my accuracy. I do lots of work on spreadsheets and the problems normally occur with big spreadsheets where i just don't notice numbers not adding up or where I've missed something out. I'm quite good at excel so that's not the problem. It's just mistakes don't pop out and I have to check and re-check which I just don't have time to do, plus it gets really tiring.
My work know i have dyspraxia and i've been through Access to Work. Maybe I am just not capable to do it but I have been in this job for 4 years and I don't want to leave it.
Has anyone got any ideas on how I can improve my accuracy. If at all that is possible. I have been under review now for over a year and have really worked hard to improve it. Any ideas would be useful.
thank you
administration work - problems with accuracy
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ellie-blue
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Re: administration work - problems with accuracy
You're basically 'under review' because you have dyspraxia- this is completely unacceptable and discriminatory. The things you are under review for are exactly the kinds of things which people with dyspraxia or related conditions such as dyslexia and attention deficit disorder would struggle with in an administrative role. However, that does not mean that people with dyspraxia shouldn't be working in admin, it means it is the legal duty of the employer to provide 'reasonable adjustments' to ensure that the person with dyspraxia can succeed in this kind of role.
I have previously worked in admin assistant roles and have personally hated them, but the kinds of things which you are being criticised for are the kinds of things which I did. When doing lots of repetitive work such as data entry or filing, I made errors after I'd been doing the work for a while, and I also started to get tired, which of course slowed me down. People with dyspraxia are very prone to this happening, as our brains put in more effort than a 'non-dyspraxic' brain would when we're doing repetitive tasks, so we end up tired and struggle to focus. Unlike you, my admin jobs were temporary, so it was easy for employers to push me out, plus I've never actually told the line manager of any office I've worked in that I have dyspraxia. On leaving one of my temp admin jobs, I received a letter from my manager, in which he was basically having a 'dig' at me- he told me that I would 'by now appreciate the importance of speed and accuracy in this kind of work.'
I don't know what your educational background is, but IMO people with dyspraxia who have a high level of literacy skills are often better suited to doing work where they can use their brains (eg compiling reports). The kind of work you are doing is not the kind of work which will get the best out of someone with dyspraxia. However, as you have told your employer you have dyspraxia, they are legally required to provide for your needs- in your kind of role, this could involve allowing you more time to complete tasks, giving you short regular breaks to 'recharge your batteries' and ensuring that you regularly alternate tasks so that you don't spend too long on one particular task. I don't know whether your dyspraxia has any sort of impact on your speech, but if it does not, perhaps you would be good at dealing with enquiries on the telephone? Using the telephone wasn't particularly good for me, as I do have some speech issues caused by dyspraxia, but if you don't have speech (or auditory processing) problems and telephone use is important at your place of work, maybe your employer should give you opportunities to do that.
If your employer continues to expect you to do the same kinds of work without any adjustments, then announces in February that 'you're out on your ear,' you would have a case for discrimination on the grounds of disability and should immediately seek legal advice. To prevent it coming to that, you should get support now. Key4learning may be able to help you- here's the link for them:
http://key4learning.com/
It seems as if your employer also needs to be educated about dyspraxia and about what they need to do to provide appropriate support for you. You should refer them to this guide from the Dyspraxia Foundation:
http://www.dyspraxiafoundation.org.uk/d ... ia_1.0.pdf
If you think your line manager is going to be unapproachable or isn't likely to understand, it would be a good idea to contact your employer's HR department.
I have previously worked in admin assistant roles and have personally hated them, but the kinds of things which you are being criticised for are the kinds of things which I did. When doing lots of repetitive work such as data entry or filing, I made errors after I'd been doing the work for a while, and I also started to get tired, which of course slowed me down. People with dyspraxia are very prone to this happening, as our brains put in more effort than a 'non-dyspraxic' brain would when we're doing repetitive tasks, so we end up tired and struggle to focus. Unlike you, my admin jobs were temporary, so it was easy for employers to push me out, plus I've never actually told the line manager of any office I've worked in that I have dyspraxia. On leaving one of my temp admin jobs, I received a letter from my manager, in which he was basically having a 'dig' at me- he told me that I would 'by now appreciate the importance of speed and accuracy in this kind of work.'
I don't know what your educational background is, but IMO people with dyspraxia who have a high level of literacy skills are often better suited to doing work where they can use their brains (eg compiling reports). The kind of work you are doing is not the kind of work which will get the best out of someone with dyspraxia. However, as you have told your employer you have dyspraxia, they are legally required to provide for your needs- in your kind of role, this could involve allowing you more time to complete tasks, giving you short regular breaks to 'recharge your batteries' and ensuring that you regularly alternate tasks so that you don't spend too long on one particular task. I don't know whether your dyspraxia has any sort of impact on your speech, but if it does not, perhaps you would be good at dealing with enquiries on the telephone? Using the telephone wasn't particularly good for me, as I do have some speech issues caused by dyspraxia, but if you don't have speech (or auditory processing) problems and telephone use is important at your place of work, maybe your employer should give you opportunities to do that.
If your employer continues to expect you to do the same kinds of work without any adjustments, then announces in February that 'you're out on your ear,' you would have a case for discrimination on the grounds of disability and should immediately seek legal advice. To prevent it coming to that, you should get support now. Key4learning may be able to help you- here's the link for them:
http://key4learning.com/
It seems as if your employer also needs to be educated about dyspraxia and about what they need to do to provide appropriate support for you. You should refer them to this guide from the Dyspraxia Foundation:
http://www.dyspraxiafoundation.org.uk/d ... ia_1.0.pdf
If you think your line manager is going to be unapproachable or isn't likely to understand, it would be a good idea to contact your employer's HR department.
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ellie-blue
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Re: administration work - problems with accuracy
Thank you so much for your reply. That was really useful. I shall read the information and definitely look up the website you suggested. This process has caused me quite a bit of stress for me and at times i felt very substandard and useless nd I am tired of all of it but i don't want to give in. I'm pretty stubborn that way. However if I can't keep this job then hopefully I shall find one that is better for me. Thanks again
Re: administration work - problems with accuracy
By under review do you mean supervision and appraisal?
If so then you need to use it to your best advantage, because it is designed to help you give your best service to your employer and/or it's customers.
A weakness has been identified, dyspraxia has been acknowledged.
You need to tell them what you need in order to effect improvements to your work. You indicate that it's not a capability issue more of an reliability problem with a high rate of errors. Then you need to analyse how this is happening. Are you under time pressure? Can you improve your time management? Can you better structure your working load?
It sounds to me like you probably know exactly how to do your job, but struggle with time and organisation. You need to know how to get the best out of yourself and be assertive enough to ask and get the conditions you need.
In my work... I've recently been offered increased responsibility and entrusted with things of big importance. It often requires taking down notes of instructions that can come thick and fast, which for me means scribbling down a load of disordered incoherent mumbo jumbo in my very worst handwriting. Now I know if I leave it like that then I'll easily confuse myself and likely end up misinterpting instructions or forgetting things which equals mistakes. So knowing myself.. I have to be assertive to ask for pauses, to clarify things and to have time to re-write my notes in a fashion which makes sense. That may seem like doubling work and wasting time, but what it actually does is provide method and structure and allows me to fly through the tasks. It's taking a difficulty and turning it around which also gives me confidence.
My boss has also indicated that there could be a pay rise possibility, so there's also incentive.
Good luck with your reviews. I hope you find the methods best for you.
If so then you need to use it to your best advantage, because it is designed to help you give your best service to your employer and/or it's customers.
A weakness has been identified, dyspraxia has been acknowledged.
You need to tell them what you need in order to effect improvements to your work. You indicate that it's not a capability issue more of an reliability problem with a high rate of errors. Then you need to analyse how this is happening. Are you under time pressure? Can you improve your time management? Can you better structure your working load?
It sounds to me like you probably know exactly how to do your job, but struggle with time and organisation. You need to know how to get the best out of yourself and be assertive enough to ask and get the conditions you need.
In my work... I've recently been offered increased responsibility and entrusted with things of big importance. It often requires taking down notes of instructions that can come thick and fast, which for me means scribbling down a load of disordered incoherent mumbo jumbo in my very worst handwriting. Now I know if I leave it like that then I'll easily confuse myself and likely end up misinterpting instructions or forgetting things which equals mistakes. So knowing myself.. I have to be assertive to ask for pauses, to clarify things and to have time to re-write my notes in a fashion which makes sense. That may seem like doubling work and wasting time, but what it actually does is provide method and structure and allows me to fly through the tasks. It's taking a difficulty and turning it around which also gives me confidence.
My boss has also indicated that there could be a pay rise possibility, so there's also incentive.
Good luck with your reviews. I hope you find the methods best for you.
“When the moon hits your eye like a big pizza pie
That's amore”
That's amore”
Re: administration work - problems with accuracy
I agree with Alleycat.
Jobs involving manual work are totally unsuitable for dyspraxics. Jobs involving call centre, retail, sales and administration can be unsuitable. I have worked in the same call centre for over a year but the work is repititive. If the computer dials the phone number in the call centre, it is more tiring, the problem with call centre work is the targets.
If you are a graduate, maybe you can work in academia, journalism, publishing, writing, photography, start a business, Statistician, IT, marketing etc, something where the dyspraxic has the skills which few other people have. The problem is that , the recession period is long because of the time taken to recovery.
The environment is probably better in the public sector, charity sector, retail companies or financial services but there is a variation.
Jobs involving manual work are totally unsuitable for dyspraxics. Jobs involving call centre, retail, sales and administration can be unsuitable. I have worked in the same call centre for over a year but the work is repititive. If the computer dials the phone number in the call centre, it is more tiring, the problem with call centre work is the targets.
If you are a graduate, maybe you can work in academia, journalism, publishing, writing, photography, start a business, Statistician, IT, marketing etc, something where the dyspraxic has the skills which few other people have. The problem is that , the recession period is long because of the time taken to recovery.
The environment is probably better in the public sector, charity sector, retail companies or financial services but there is a variation.
Re: administration work - problems with accuracy
I can sympathise. I have a number of IT based qualifications but we are talking about covering most of the 90's and the first 2-3 years of the new century. From 1995 which was my first certificate to 2003 which was my last certificate. I have problems remembering all the ways to use the various MS Applications like Word, Excel, Access and PowerPoint.
But my main issue I worry most over is typing speed. I know I lack speed because I lack accuracy. Every few key presses I am pressing the wrong one. A lot of jobs require you to have a huge degree of typing speed. Well over 30wpm which is about what I was last clocked at.
And also Admin is bad for Dyspraxics because you could be suddenly handling many different tasks all at once. That is why they ask for an ability to prioritise workload. You have to be able to do that to cope.
When the issue of my Dyspraxia first came to light I remember a letter regarding some assessment I think that was done. And the letter says I am best suited to a repetitive work where I am doing just one or two simple tasks. So I think Data Entry and any simple and repetitive job is good for Dyspraxics. OK it may be tiring but you are not being asked to do lots of difficult tasks. It is all simple and straight forward. A job in that may be good for Dyspraxics.
Most people who are way above average intelligence would be bored ridged by a repetitive job where they are doing only one or two simple but important tasks. They would demand more from their job and would be very unhappy. Suddenly they are the ones who are the fish out of water.
I have always believed everyone has a place. Just because they fail in one are doesn't make them total failures. Just put them in a place where they would be the better skilled.
But my main issue I worry most over is typing speed. I know I lack speed because I lack accuracy. Every few key presses I am pressing the wrong one. A lot of jobs require you to have a huge degree of typing speed. Well over 30wpm which is about what I was last clocked at.
And also Admin is bad for Dyspraxics because you could be suddenly handling many different tasks all at once. That is why they ask for an ability to prioritise workload. You have to be able to do that to cope.
When the issue of my Dyspraxia first came to light I remember a letter regarding some assessment I think that was done. And the letter says I am best suited to a repetitive work where I am doing just one or two simple tasks. So I think Data Entry and any simple and repetitive job is good for Dyspraxics. OK it may be tiring but you are not being asked to do lots of difficult tasks. It is all simple and straight forward. A job in that may be good for Dyspraxics.
Most people who are way above average intelligence would be bored ridged by a repetitive job where they are doing only one or two simple but important tasks. They would demand more from their job and would be very unhappy. Suddenly they are the ones who are the fish out of water.
I have always believed everyone has a place. Just because they fail in one are doesn't make them total failures. Just put them in a place where they would be the better skilled.
Re: administration work - problems with accuracy
I know this post is a bit old but i just want to add my experance off this as well
I have been doing some office / store room based work (I work agency temp) and the work there was data entery, sorting out things, keeping records, knowing exactly what your doing when wrighting things down, keeping wrighting readable etc etc.
Its safe to say that I really dident like that work - I mean I will do it as its a job and its tempory and I wouldent mind so much if the supervisor wasent a massive pain and critising me for every thing wrong. I.e. thats not what you should wright down and there for that matter, I can't read your wrighting, why have you done that and a lot of put downs to the point of insult etc. Its safe to say he dosent accept fools at all so there was no real tollarance for any mistake.
The thing is that it was only tempory work and I just put up with it, I had to really as its work and I can't really let down the agency who the work was through.
I know that a lot of people look down on repetive task work but for dyspraxics it can be the work that we can do well at. It does help as if we do well at it even if its just somthing basic or a 'dirty job' it can be rewarding as its somthing to do and possablie do well over with time
P.s. its good to be back on now I have a bit of time as the previous work is over (described in the start of the post).
I have been doing some office / store room based work (I work agency temp) and the work there was data entery, sorting out things, keeping records, knowing exactly what your doing when wrighting things down, keeping wrighting readable etc etc.
Its safe to say that I really dident like that work - I mean I will do it as its a job and its tempory and I wouldent mind so much if the supervisor wasent a massive pain and critising me for every thing wrong. I.e. thats not what you should wright down and there for that matter, I can't read your wrighting, why have you done that and a lot of put downs to the point of insult etc. Its safe to say he dosent accept fools at all so there was no real tollarance for any mistake.
The thing is that it was only tempory work and I just put up with it, I had to really as its work and I can't really let down the agency who the work was through.
I know that a lot of people look down on repetive task work but for dyspraxics it can be the work that we can do well at. It does help as if we do well at it even if its just somthing basic or a 'dirty job' it can be rewarding as its somthing to do and possablie do well over with time
P.s. its good to be back on now I have a bit of time as the previous work is over (described in the start of the post).
The real Mr Potato Head
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Captain_Ludd
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Re: administration work - problems with accuracy
I agree with AlleyCat on this, if you've told them about the Dyspraxia then they have a legal obligation to make adjustments.
Have they made any changes to accommodate you ? cos if not they should.
If they don't you and get sacked you can take them to tribunal or even court for unfair dismissal and I think you'd have a good case.
Sounds to me like the classic work attitude of "Oh Dyspraxia you say (no idea what it is, just pay lip service put her through the legally required courses and carry on) ".
I do find it interesting that you've been doing the job for over four years, have the problems only just arisen recently?
If so could it be something to do with a change in the work you've been doing, could you ask to be assigned other duties instead?
Your obviously pretty good at other aspects of your job otherwise you wouldn't have been there for over four years.
Also I don't think the situation is to do with you improving, its to do with them making a real effort to meet the medical needs of someone who is obviously a conscientious hard worker.
As a great man once said don't let the Ba****ds grind ya down
its just not worth the stress mate .
Have they made any changes to accommodate you ? cos if not they should.
If they don't you and get sacked you can take them to tribunal or even court for unfair dismissal and I think you'd have a good case.
Sounds to me like the classic work attitude of "Oh Dyspraxia you say (no idea what it is, just pay lip service put her through the legally required courses and carry on) ".
I do find it interesting that you've been doing the job for over four years, have the problems only just arisen recently?
If so could it be something to do with a change in the work you've been doing, could you ask to be assigned other duties instead?
Your obviously pretty good at other aspects of your job otherwise you wouldn't have been there for over four years.
Also I don't think the situation is to do with you improving, its to do with them making a real effort to meet the medical needs of someone who is obviously a conscientious hard worker.
As a great man once said don't let the Ba****ds grind ya down
its just not worth the stress mate .-
ellie-blue
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Re: administration work - problems with accuracy
hi everyone,
thank you so much for your comments and helpful advice. A lot has happened since i first posted. It was a very stressful time before Christmas as i thought i was going to be out to of a job by now but at the end of December i had an appeal meeting with the Chief Executive which was very positive. At the end of this meeting I was off review. We agreed that i could not match the level of accuracy required due to my disability and the continuince of me in this job was just leading to stress all round. I will still be employed but not in this post. I don't know what i'm going to be doing but I am going to have a job.
so thank you again.
thank you so much for your comments and helpful advice. A lot has happened since i first posted. It was a very stressful time before Christmas as i thought i was going to be out to of a job by now but at the end of December i had an appeal meeting with the Chief Executive which was very positive. At the end of this meeting I was off review. We agreed that i could not match the level of accuracy required due to my disability and the continuince of me in this job was just leading to stress all round. I will still be employed but not in this post. I don't know what i'm going to be doing but I am going to have a job.
so thank you again.
Re: administration work - problems with accuracy
That's great news, Ellie. I am so pleased that your employers have listened to you and are giving you the chance to stay in the organisation
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Captain_Ludd
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Re: administration work - problems with accuracy
Well done ,
Sounds like a good result all round, they get to keep a hard worker and you get to keep your job doing something that better suites you, result.
I didn't think they'd get rid of you
.
,Sounds like a good result all round, they get to keep a hard worker and you get to keep your job doing something that better suites you, result.
I didn't think they'd get rid of you
.