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Principles to support disabled workers and workers with long-term health conditions in work

This page describes best practice. It does not explain the law

5. Make suitable workplace adjustments or modifications

As an employer, you should provide the same opportunities for everyone who works for you, including disabled workers and those with long-term health conditions. We will refer to both as 'workers' in this guidance.

Opportunities can include access to recruitment, work conditions, job retention and development.

Talk to your workers about workplace modifications or adjustments (including reasonable adjustments). This can allow them to perform at their best by removing barriers that are:

  • physical
  • organisational
  • attitudinal
  • social

You have a duty to make reasonable adjustments to ensure that services are accessible to disabled people as well as everybody else. If you don't, a worker may be able to make a claim in an Employment Tribunal. There is information on how to comply with the law[9].

Talk to workers about adjustments

Workplace adjustments or modifications can help make the workplace safe and comfortable for a worker. These can also help address barriers that stop workers performing at their best.

Talk to your worker and agree what adjustments or modifications would help them thrive in the workplace. Make sure any adjustments are effective and sustainable. This may involve different workplace adjustments for workers with similar impairments.

Choosing the right adjustments

Provide timely responses to requests for workplace adjustments. For example acknowledge them within two weeks.

Often, it costs less to put workplace adjustments in place than to recruit and train a new member of staff. Many common workplace adjustments are not expensive. For example, you can adopt:

  • alternative work patterns
  • assistive software
  • phased return to work
  • communication formats

There is more guidance on deciding on changes to help employees stay in, or come back to work in the government service  Support with employee health and disability (GOV.UK)[10].

Interim arrangements

Depending on how long a modification could take, consider interim arrangements. For example, consider disability leave or temporary redeployment into a different role.

Example

Provide additional advice

Make sure you provide access to suitable advice for workers whose individual situations are complex. For example, you could use the Access to Work scheme[11] and occupational health services.

Reasonable adjustments passports

Record agreed workplace modifications or adjustments in a 'passport'. This can help when workers move jobs or change line managers. Passports can avoid you duplicating work and make sure adjustments are maintained.

Talk to other workers

You can explain someone's workplace modifications or adjustments with their consent. This can help other workers understand the reasons for adjustments. This will mean they can support colleagues where appropriate.

Review workplace modifications

When the work activity or workplace changes, review any workplace modifications. A worker may tell you their circumstances have changed. If so, review modifications to make sure they are still fit for purpose.

Template

You can use our template to start a conversation about workplace adjustments or modifications and ask the right questions (PDF) [12]

View a printable version of the whole guide[15]

Link URLs in this page

  1. Overviewhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/disability/best-practice/overview.htm
  2. Create a supportive and enabling workplacehttps://www.hse.gov.uk/disability/best-practice/workplace-culture.htm
  3. Take an inclusive approach to workplace healthhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/disability/best-practice/workplace-health.htm
  4. Understand the work barriers that impact on workershttps://www.hse.gov.uk/disability/best-practice/understand-barriers.htm
  5. Develop skills, knowledge and understandinghttps://www.hse.gov.uk/disability/best-practice/develop-skills.htm
  6. Use effective and accessible communicationhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/disability/best-practice/accessible-communication.htm
  7. Support sickness absence and return to workhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/disability/best-practice/sickness-absence.htm
  8. The lawhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/disability/best-practice/the-law.htm
  9. how to comply with the lawhttps://www.gov.uk/government/publications/equality-act-guidance
  10. Support with employee health and disability (GOV.UK)https://www.support-with-employee-health-and-disability.dwp.gov.uk/support-with-employee-health-and-disability
  11. Access to Work schemehttps://www.gov.uk/access-to-work
  12. You can use our template to start a conversation about workplace adjustments or modifications and ask the right questionshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/disability/assets/docs/workplace-adjustments.pdf
  13. Previous page Understand the work barriers that impact on workers https://www.hse.gov.uk/disability/best-practice/understand-barriers.htm
  14. Next page Develop skills, knowledge and understanding https://www.hse.gov.uk/disability/best-practice/develop-skills.htm
  15. View a printable version of the whole guidehttps://www.hse.gov.uk/disability/best-practice/print.htm

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Updated: 2024-03-20