This👇 Recently someone I know applied for a job and for the first time ever, they were asked to provide a list of workplace adjustments for their neurodiversity. They had never been asked this before nor really provided any adjustments in previous roles. Unfortunately, this person has lost job roles and opportunities due to their neurodiversity (which is problematic in itself). Due to this, they were happy that the company were willing to be accommodating but soon realised that they had no idea what adjustments would work for them nor what support was available (I.e. access to work). Adjustments are never ‘one size fits all’, having a period of time to test different adjustments to see what would benefit yourself should be a standard! Especially if it’s the persons first time being able to fully exercise reasonable adjustments for themselves.
BBC Strategic Disability Lead. Social Model of Disability advocate & speaker. Follow me for disability inclusion thoughts, tips & best practice advice.
You don’t need to be 100% certain that the workplace adjustments you say you need will work for you. It’s absolutely fine to request them, find out they don’t work, then request some changes or different adjustments altogether. All too often - and I say this as someone who’s done it - we (disabled people) feel like we don’t want to be a burden. When we’re asked what our reasonable adjustments are, we tell people and then we stick with them, sometimes even if they don’t work. Why? We’re too scared to ask for other adjustments in case we look like we’re being cheeky or unappreciative; we’re think we might look incompetent; we’re too scared to look like we don’t know what we’re talking about; or we’re too scared someone will say no. So we plod along, sometimes with adjustments that once worked but no longer do, or sometimes with adjustments we just felt like we should ask for because we’ve seen them help other people ‘like us’. Adjustments are individual to every disabled person, and every disabled person is going to need their own personal set of adjustments. It’s only by trial and error that we can find out what works for us. Ultimately, the quicker we get the right adjustments, the quicker we can do our best work for you. We need to normalise regularly reviewing our adjustments and changing them. Our needs change, and adjustments need to reflect that. I’m here to tell you it’s fine. Give yourself permission to put your adjustments on a probation period and allow yourself to realise when they don’t work. You’re allowed to ask to change some or all of your adjustments at any time. ID: a white-bordered purple graphic with white text reading “Adjustments change!” followed by the last paragraph above. My signature is in the bottom centre and my LinkedIn details are in the bottom right #DisabilityInclusion #Disability #DisabilityEmployment #Adjustments #DiversityAndInclusion #Content