Reasonable Adjustments
What does the equality act say about reasonable adjustments?
Reasonable adjustments in the workplace are small changes made to support employees with disabilities, neurodevelopmental conditions, or specific needs, enabling them to perform their job duties effectively and on an equal basis with their colleagues. Reasonable adjustments can also be made for candidates, e.g., during the interview and recruitment process.
Myths
1) Reasonable adjustments are too expensive to implement
Reality: Most reasonable adjustments cost nothing. For adjustments that do incur a cost that cannot be reasonably covered by the business, there is a scheme called Access to Work, which provides employees with a grant that can cover the costs of support needed.
2) Providing reasonable adjustments gives preferential treatment
Reality: Reasonable adjustments are not designed to give anyone an advantage, but to remove the potential disadvantage or barrier, therefore giving the candidate or employee a fairer chance to succeed. The aim is to level the playing field.
3) Employers do not have to provide reasonable adjustments.
Reality: The Equality Act states that employers have a duty to make reasonable adjustments for disabled and neurodivergent employees. It is good practise for employers to consider reasonable adjustments for any employee who may benefit, regardless of whether they have a diagnosis. Reasonable adjustments can be as simple as a tweak to someone’s working style or environment. This is something everyone may benefit from from time to time.
4) Reasonable adjustments are not relevant to people who do not have a disability and/or neurodevelopmental condition.
Reality: Reasonable adjustments can positively impact the entire workplace. Organisations that create an environment where all employees can thrive, are likely to benefit from increased collaboration, productivity, and a more positive and inclusive workplace culture. Employees who understand that they are valued by their employers are far more likely to reach their potential.
Examples of reasonable adjustments
There is no one-size-fits-all solution. Reasonable adjustments depends on the individual’s circumstances and preferences. Examples may include:
Making changes to the work environment (e.g., access to a low stimulation workplace, or permitting the use of sensory aids to enhance productivty)
Flexible working patterns / arrangements
Finding a different way to do a task (e.g., this could involve providing instructions in an accessible format, or breaking a task down into smaller, measurable steps)
Providing equipment (e.g., permitting the use of noise cancelling headphones, or providing more specialist equipment such as adjustable desks, specialised keyboards, screen-to-text software, etc).
Job Coach support (e.g., 1-1 support to assist an individual to learn parts of the role and to gain confidence and independence. This type of support is usually requested through the Access to Work scheme).