Customised Employment (CE)

What is customised employment (CE)?

Customised Employment (CE) is a flexible process designed to help individuals with disabilities find and keep jobs tailored to their unique skills, interests, and needs. Unlike traditional job searches, CE focuses on job customization, ensuring a good fit for both the individual and the potential employer. This approach highlights the belief that everyone, including people with disabilities, brings value through their unique skills and abilities.

The CE process ensures that job tasks align with the individual’s strengths while meeting job requirements of the employer. By focusing on collaboration, customised employment creates opportunities for real-life work experiences that lead to long-term success.

Key components of customised employment

CE involves four essential steps to ensure a personalized and effective approach: HBR’s disability employment and inclusion research

1. Discovery

The journey begins with identifying the individual’s strengths, interests, and goals. This step may include interviews, observations, or assessments. The goal is to uncover the person’s soft skills, communication skills, and other talents that make them unique. By understanding these factors, we lay the foundation for a tailored job search.

2. Customization

Once discovery is complete, the next step is to match the individual’s skills with specific job duties. This may involve working with hiring managers and team members to modify job tasks, adjust working hours, or provide accommodations. The focus is on creating a role that benefits both the individual and the employer, ensuring a good fit for all parties.

3. Placement

In this stage, the individual is placed into a customized role. It includes collaborating with the potential employer to secure the position, provide necessary training, and ensure the individual is prepared. Placement focuses on equipping the individual with the right tools for success, both technically and socially.

4. Support

Ongoing job coaching and support are provided to help the individual adapt and grow in their new role. This may involve mentoring, additional training, or regular check-ins. The goal is to help the individual meet and exceed job requirements, ensuring they thrive in their new job title.

What types of jobs can be customised?

Customised employment can be applied to almost any type of job, from entry-level positions to high-level roles. Examples include:

• Administrative support: Data entry, filing, and scheduling.
• Customer service: Answering inquiries, managing clients, and assisting shoppers.
• Service industry: Cleaning, landscaping, and food preparation.
• Technical fields: IT, healthcare, and engineering.
• Manufacturing: Assembly lines or machine operations.

The key lies in tailoring job tasks to align with the individual’s strengths while meeting the needs of the employer. Adjustments can include modifying schedules, breaking down tasks, or providing specialized training and development.

Why does CE matter?

CE promotes equal opportunities for individuals under frameworks like the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). It encourages inclusive practices in the hiring process, enabling people with disabilities to showcase their work experience and capabilities. By focusing on individual potential, CE fosters success for both the worker and the potential employer.

This approach benefits not just the individual but also organizations, as it helps them find dedicated employees who bring unique skills to their workforce.

Customised Employment is a win-win for employers and job seekers, proving that with the right job development strategies, any role can be tailored to match the needs of both. It’s about redefining opportunities to create meaningful careers for all. SHRM’s customised employment guidance

Customised employment enables organizations to tap an underutilized talent pool while supporting workplace inclusion for individuals with significant disabilities. Using pre-employment assessments alongside a structured hiring plan drives results. Strong talent acquisition focused on skills-based hiring improves outcomes.

Frequently asked questions