Making Recruitment Fair For Job Seekers With Dyscalculia
The recruitment process should be designed to assess a candidate’s ability to perform the job, not to create unnecessary barriers. However, for job seekers with dyscalculia—a learning difficulty that affects numerical processing—some hiring practices can be particularly challenging, especially when numeracy tests are included.
Employers have a responsibility to ensure their recruitment processes are fair, inclusive, and transparent.
Here’s how they can make a real difference for candidates with dyscalculia.
Only Use Numeracy Tests When Essential
Numeracy tests are often included as a standard part of recruitment, even for roles that don’t require high-level numerical skills. This can unfairly disadvantage candidates with dyscalculia.
Before adding a numeracy test to the process, employers should ask themselves: Is this skill genuinely necessary for the job? If the role involves financial analysis or data-heavy decision-making, then it may be reasonable to assess numerical ability. But for many roles—such as customer service, creative industries, or administration—requiring a numeracy test could be an unnecessary barrier.
Instead of making numeracy assessments a default requirement, employers should carefully consider whether a test is truly relevant to the role.
Disclose Numeracy Tests Early in the Process
One of the most frustrating experiences for a job seeker with dyscalculia is progressing through multiple interview stages, only to be told at stage four or five that they need to complete a numeracy test. If they struggle with numerical tasks, this could be the only reason they don’t progress—despite excelling in every other aspect of the role.
To avoid this, employers should be transparent from the start. If a numeracy test is part of the process, candidates should be informed at the job advert or application stage.
Clear early disclosure gives candidates the opportunity to:
- Preparefor the test.
- Request reasonable adjustments(such as extra time or an alternative assessment format).
- Make an informed decisionabout whether the role is a good fit.
A simple statement in the job advert—such as “Please note: A numeracy test will be part of the assessment process for this role”—can prevent wasted time and frustration for both employers and candidates.
Offer Reasonable Adjustments
Under the Equality Act 2010, employers are legally required to provide reasonable adjustments for disabled candidates, including those with dyscalculia. This means offering support to ensure they are not unfairly disadvantaged.
Adjustments could include:
- Extra time to complete numeracy tests.
- Allowing the use of a calculator or assistive software.
- Providing an alternative assessment method, such as a verbal explanation of numerical reasoning instead of a written test.
Employers should actively encourage candidates to request adjustments and ensure their recruitment teams understand these legal obligations.
Consider Alternative Assessment Methods
For roles where numeracy is essential, there are fairer ways to assess candidates than a standard timed test. Employers should consider:
- Practical tasks relevant to the role(e.g., estimating stock levels for a retail position).
- Open-book assessments, where candidates can use reference materials or a calculator.
- Verbal questioningin an interview to assess numerical reasoning in context.
By adopting a more flexible approach, employers can test the skills they actually need while ensuring fair access for neurodiverse candidates.
Final Thoughts: Fair Recruitment Benefits Everyon
By being more thoughtful about numeracy assessments, employers can create a recruitment process that is fairer, more inclusive, and more effective. Not only does this support job seekers with dyscalculia, but it also ensures businesses don’t miss out on talented candidates simply because of an unnecessary test.
If your organisation includes numeracy tests as part of recruitment, ask yourself:
- Is this test truly necessary for the role?
- Have we disclosed it early enough for candidates to prepare?
- Are we offering reasonable adjustments where needed?
Small changes can make a big difference in making recruitment fair for everyone.
In the Workplace
It is really important that a supervisor or a manager strives to create and maintain a workspace that is inclusive and encourages people with Dyscalculia or any other neurodiverse condition to feel safe and supported. Always start by asking what the individual is anxious about and how best they can support them.
Some Individuals with Dyscalculia do not feel confident in disclosing that they are Dyscalculic for fear that it will be misunderstood, and it will prejudice their chances of selection and success. They may have had a negative experience of Dyscalculia during their education, or in previous employment. Others may never have been formally diagnosed and may think their challenges are due to a lack of ability. An accessible and inclusive culture, with a clearly communicated inclusion policy will encourage higher rates of disclosure from individuals and support those with undiagnosed Dyscalculic challenges.
A useful tool for an employer is to complete a Workplace Adjustment Passport (sometimes called a Manual of Me.) with the dyscalculic employee. The purpose of the Passport is to capture all agreed workplace adjustment requirements of employees. The aim is to minimise the need to re-negotiate workplace adjustments every time an employee moves post, moves between departments or is assigned a new line manager. This document belongs to the employee and their line manager should have a copy.
Workplace Passports
The aim is to support employees with a disability, health condition
or those who are undergoing gender reassignment in the workplace and will also be of help if you do wish to move between departments.
The passport has three main functions:
- to support a conversation between an employee and their line manager about the disability, in this case dyscalculia, and any workplace adjustments that might need to be made
- to act as a record of that conversation and adjustments agreed
to act as a record of any adjustment made for employees as supportive measures.
The passport will be particularly helpful if you change line manager, as it will help the new line manager to understand what workplace adjustments the employee had been receiving previously and avoid the need to begin the process again.
