The Importance of Making Reasonable Adjustments Accessible to All
According to data in 2024’s Neuro-inclusion at Work report by the CIPD, 70% of organisations surveyed said EDI was a critical priority for their business, with 60% identifying neuro-inclusion as a focus for their business. Contrastingly, however, only 53% of employees surveyed in the same report said their organisation had an open and supportive work environment, where they felt able to talk about neurodiversity. With a growing understanding around neurodiversity and the positive impacts diversity and inclusion can have for both employees and organisations, it is important to appreciate that every individual requires different things in order to flourish.
The workplace is no exception – whilst some of us may have similar experiences and skills to our colleagues, everyone will have unique perspective or strength that they bring to their team, and what works for some will not work for everyone. As a result, it can be highly beneficial for organisations to consider what changes can be made to support and empower their employees, including those who are disabled or are neurodivergent. Additionally, employers are required to provide reasonable adjustments in the workplace for disabled employees and candidates under the Equality Act (2010).
Whilst not every neurodivergent individual will identify as being disabled, most will meet the definition of disability under the legislation. It is therefore important that they are provided for within adjustments policies, and that conversations around support and adjustments are treated sensitively, recognising that people will have different preferences around language, as well as different needs.
What are Reasonable Adjustments at Work?
Reasonable adjustments (RAs) are changes that an employer can make to remove or reduce barriers that may impact on an individual’s ability to work comfortably and to their full ability – whether these are barriers that may present challenges to an individual with a physical disability (such as requiring the use of a wheelchair) or a neurodifference (such as autism, dyslexia, dyspraxia or ADHD among others). Reasonable Adjustments are specific to an individual and can cover any area of work, meaning that they can be tailored to any line of business.
Common Misconceptions Around Reasonable Adjustments at Work
There are many misconceptions surrounding reasonable adjustments. Here, we will dispel some common ones to ensure organisations can create more inclusive workplaces.
’A neurodivergent individual needs to have a diagnosis in order to receive reasonable adjustments’:
This is not true, and a diagnosis is not always required. There are a whole range of reasons why some individuals may not have a diagnosis - from personal choice, through to long waiting lists to be diagnosed and even being unaware that they have a neurodifference due to a lack of understanding and misconceptions around neurodiversity. However, a lack of diagnosis shouldn't prevent individuals from being able to access support that enables them to navigate challenges and work to their best potential, and this is supported by employment case law. UK law states that employers must make reasonable adjustments for disabled staff members.
‘Employees must disclose their disability and/or neurodifference and ask for reasonable adjustments’:
Requesting adjustments should not be the obligation of the employee. If an employer is aware that their employee is disabled or neurodivergent, they should offer Reasonable Adjustments but not assume that they will be required, as some individuals may not need formal adjustments. If an employee chooses not to disclose that they have a neurodifference or disability, they are not required to do so. This can be considered a ‘grey area’ – if an employer knows that their employee is neurodivergent or disabled but hasn’t engaged with them to offer Reasonable Adjustments, the organisation could be liable, however, organisations may not be aware of an employee’s neurodifference for reasons mentioned above.
Therefore, we advise organisations to ensure that they always ask employees whether they have any access requirements or need any adjustments. It is best practice to do so on a regular basis, as opposed to just during the onboarding process, as these requirements can change over time. A good example could be to routinely ask colleagues if they have any access requirements when scheduling meetings, thus creating a supportive workplace culture. Another idea could be to engage in conversation during one-to-one’s and check in with employees to ask if they are encountering any challenges and whether there is anything that you can provide support with. It is important to ensure employers have open conversations to ensure staff wellbeing.
‘Providing adjustments is unfair and gives preferential treatment’:
The intent behind supplying reasonable adjustments is not to give preferential treatment but to make sure that disabled and neurodivergent individuals are supported, can thrive at work and are not disadvantaged compared to their colleagues. The focus is on equity so that every employee has an equal chance to succeed. The impact that any adjustments would make on colleagues should be taken into consideration when deciding if something is reasonable or not. Many adjustments are easy to implement and can be applied to the entire workforce, without singling out specific staff. Therefore, by removing any barriers to success that may be present, all employees benefit. This leads into the most common misconception that ‘Reasonable adjustments are expensive and time-consuming’, which we will explore below.
‘Reasonable adjustments are expensive and time consuming’
Employers may be concerned that implementing adjustments will end up being expensive and time consuming, but this isn’t the case. As we’ve already mentioned, most reasonable adjustments cost nothing, and only an estimated 4% of adjustments incur a cost. As well as getting support from their organisation, employees can also apply for support from a government scheme called Access to Work which can provide employees with a grant to pay for the equipment/support they may need, over and above what is ‘reasonable’ for employers to provide.
Reasonable adjustments can include:
Making changes to the working environment e.g., Providing an allocated quiet space for those who find background noise challenging, particularly in an open plan office.
Changing an individual’s working arrangements e.g., Allowing hybrid working between periods in the workplace and working from home.
Finding a different way to do something e.g., Restructuring meetings so that they are accessible where prior notice is given to all attendees of the agenda and planned breaks are provided within these.
Providing equipment, services or support e.g., Providing assistive technology to allow an individual to work more efficiently and in line with their strengths so that they can meet their deadlines more easily.
Building a Neuro-Inclusive Workplace Culture
By putting adjustments in place and focusing on supporting individuals to maximise their unique strengths and talents and manage any challenges they may face, employers can build a neuro-inclusive workplace culture that empowers employees and encourages them to be their authentic selves at work. Furthermore, we want to re-iterate the fact that Reasonable Adjustments can not only benefit neurodivergent and disabled individuals, but other employees as well, meaning that businesses can get the best out of employees when they feel heard and supported.
Further information on reasonable adjustments in the workplace can be sought from ACAS.
To discover how you can implement reasonable adjustments into your organisation and get tailored advice on creating policies and procedures to support and empower your neurodivergent employees, book in a chat with one of our team today.
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