Pre-employment Functional Assessments offer a cost-effective way to evaluate if candidates can safely perform job tasks based on their physical and medical capacity.
Background
Medical practice has shifted from static principles to data-driven methods like clinical reviews and economic analysis. In occupational medicine, this enhances prevention quality and empowers practitioners to offer evidence-based advice and strengthen their professional credibility.
The consensus was that fitness for work is mainly determined by physical demands and not by medical conditions (with psychiatric conditions a possible exception). In addition, the assessment of fitness for work is a better predictor of future health outcomes and costs than medical diagnoses.
Any health assessment should be appropriate to the requirements of the job role. Medical assessments are only justified when the job involves working in hazardous environments, requires high standards of fitness, is required by law or when the safety of other workers or of the public is at stake.
Generally, a health assessment by questionnaire is a foundation, and allied health professionals should advise against the application of physical or mental standards that are not relevant to the fulfilment of the essential job functions.
To meet duty-of-care without bias, case-specific risk assessments are key. Pre-employment medical checks help match candidates to roles, creating safer workplaces, reducing injuries, downtime, and insurance costs. This method also helps match the capacity of the employee to the role and promotes the reduction of risk and cost.
Pre-Employment Functional Assessments
Pre-employment functional assessments are evaluations used by employers to determine if a potential candidate has the physical capabilities to perform the job they are applying for without undue risk to themselves or others. Key aspects include:
Purpose
- Safety – ensures that the candidate can safely perform the physical tasks required by the job
- Fit for Role – assesses whether the candidate’s physical abilities match the job’s demands
- Injury Prevention – helps in reducing the risk of workplace injuries by identifying any physical limitations beforehand
Components
- Medical Review – a general health check to identify any medical conditions that might affect job performance
- Musculoskeletal Assessment – evaluates the strength, flexibility, and endurance of muscles and joints
- Cardiovascular Testing – assesses the candidate’s cardiovascular fitness and endurance
- Functional Tasks – includes job-specific tasks such as lifting, carrying, pushing, and pulling to simulate actual work conditions
Benefits
- Reduced Absenteeism – ensuring employees are physically capable, reduces the likelihood of injuries and related absences
- Improved Productivity – employees who are fit for their roles are likely to be more productive
- Legal Compliance – helps employers comply with occupational health and safety regulations
- <strong>Reduced Workplace Injuries & Claims – although not guaranteed, businesses who invest in Pre-employment Functional Assessments, will typically experience lower workplace injuries and resulting workers’ compensation claims
Process
The assessment typically takes approximately 60-90 minutes, depending on the scope and is conducted by trained allied health professionals, such as physiotherapists, exercise physiologists (EP) or occupational therapists (OT). It includes a series of tests and evaluations tailored to the specific physical requirements of the job.
Need help?
To ensure the validity of the Pre-employment Functional Assessment, assessments must be performed by an allied health professional. At ABILITY GROUP, our allied HEALTH ABILITY allied health professionals conduct pre-employment functional assessments for a diverse range of clients. Contact our team to discuss how Pre-employment Functional Assessments can benefit your business organisation.