Pre-Employment Functional Assessments

Pre-employment functional assessments, also known as functional capacity evaluations (FCEs) or physical capacity assessments, are tests designed to evaluate a job applicant’s physical capabilities to perform the essential tasks required for a specific job. These assessments help employers ensure that potential employees can safely and effectively carry out their job duties while minimising the risk of injury or performance issues.

The first step in a great pre-employment assessment is understanding the inherent requirements of the job. Our expert assessors can work with you to understand your workplace and roles. We can help with creating a job task analysis or we can use documentation you may already available.

Pre-employment functional assessments typically involve a series of tests or exercises that measure various aspects of physical capacity, such as:

1. Strength:
   Tests may assess an applicant’s lifting, pushing, or pulling abilities, as well as grip strength, to determine their ability to handle job-related tasks that require physical force.
2. Flexibility:
   Assessments may include tests for range of motion, stretching, and bending to evaluate an applicant’s ability to perform tasks that require flexibility and mobility.
3. Endurance:
   Tests might measure an applicant’s cardiovascular fitness, stamina, or ability to perform repetitive tasks for extended periods of time.
4. Balance and coordination:
   Assessments can evaluate an applicant’s ability to maintain balance and perform tasks that require hand-eye coordination or fine motor skills.
5. Posture and body mechanics:
   Functional assessments can also assess an applicant’s ability to maintain proper posture and use correct body mechanics while performing job-related tasks.

Conducting pre-employment functional assessments offers several benefits for both employers and job applicants. These benefits include:

Investing in workplace safety provides numerous benefits to the organisation and staff.

1. Ensuring workplace safety:
   Functional assessments help identify an applicant’s physical capabilities, ensuring they can perform their job tasks safely and effectively. This reduces the risk of workplace injuries and promotes a safe working environment for all employees.
2. Reducing workers’ compensation claims:
   By ensuring that employees are physically capable of performing their job tasks, employers can minimise the risk of workplace injuries, leading to fewer workers’ compensation claims and lower associated costs.
3. Compliance with legislation:
   Pre-employment functional assessments help employers comply with Australian laws and regulations, such as the Disability Discrimination Act 1992 and the Fair Work Act 2009. These assessments ensure that employers are not discriminating against applicants based on their physical abilities and are providing reasonable accommodations when necessary.
4. Improved productivity:
   Hiring employees who are physically capable of performing their job tasks efficiently can lead to higher productivity levels and better overall performance.
5. Reduced employee turnover:
   By ensuring a good fit between the physical requirements of a job and an applicant’s capabilities, employers can reduce the likelihood of employees leaving the job due to difficulties in performing their tasks or experiencing injuries.
6. Enhanced reputation:
   Employers who prioritize workplace safety and employee well-being by conducting pre-employment functional assessments can boost their reputation as responsible and caring organisations.
7. Supporting informed hiring decisions:
   Functional assessments provide valuable information about an applicant’s physical abilities, which can be used in combination with other pre-employment assessments to make more informed hiring decisions.

Who conducts Portable Health’s pre-employment medicals?

Our pre-employment assessments are conducted by AHPRA-registered physiotherapists, who are experts in human physiology, and biomechanics. Our practitioners are all experienced in workplace injury prevention and rehabilitation, so they understand the inherent demands of jobs across different industries and environments.

Where do you conduct pre-employment assessments?

We have offices throughout Newcastle, the Hunter and Central Coast regions. We can also work with our partner network to deliver pre-employments Australia-wide.

How do we get started?

To speak to us about our pre-employment assessments, simply contact our friendly team on 1300 380 999.