What to Consider for Workplace Accommodations

You don’t need to disclose your ADHD to get support at work You just need to ask for what helps you do your best work Here are practical workplace accommodations that support executive function, focus, and sensory regulation without ever naming a diagnosis Executive function support • Written instructions or meeting recaps • Deadlines broken into smaller steps with check-ins • Weekly planning or prioritization support • Use of project management tools like Notion or Trello Try saying: “I work best when expectations are written out and broken into steps. Could we set milestone check-ins for this project?” Focus and attention support • Quiet workspace or noise-cancelling headphones • Do Not Disturb hours for deep work • Permission to use white noise or instrumental music • Flexible breaks to reset and refocus Try saying: “I do my best work with uninterrupted time. Could we try setting quiet blocks where I can catch up on messages after?” Sensory or environmental regulation • Option to adjust lighting or use a desk lamp • Ability to move away from high-traffic areas • Work from home or hybrid flexibility • Standing desk or ergonomic seating Try saying: “Bright lights and noise make it hard to focus. Would it be possible to use softer lighting or move to a quieter spot?” Time management and transitions • Flexible start or end times • Short buffers between meetings • Use of visual timers or meeting recordings Try saying: “Back-to-back meetings are tough for me. Could we build in short breaks when possible?” Emotional regulation and burnout prevention • Weekly one-on-one check-ins • Mental health day policy or PTO for resets • Encouraging feedback loops to stay motivated Try saying: “Consistent check-ins help me stay on track. Could we set a weekly touchpoint to check in on progress?” You can say this “I’ve noticed I work best when [insert strategy]. I’d love to explore whether we could try that here to support my performance” You don’t need a label to ask for support Just a clear sense of what you need #adhdwomen

“What adjustments/ accommodations do you need?” I used to dread being asked this question. Which is kind of ironic. Of course it’s an important question, yet we often assume that every Disabled person will automatically know the answer. Whenever I was asked, I couldn’t always give one. That frustrated me, and it often frustrated the person asking too. But here’s the thing, not everyone knows what adjustments/ accommodations are going to work best, especially when they start a new role. It can be frustrating and emotionally draining trying to work out exactly what you need. But if an employee doesn’t know, what can the employer do? The first step is to create a safe, supportive environment where uncertainty is acceptable. Instead of expecting the employee to arrive with all the answers, managers can ask open, non-judgemental questions such as: “Which parts of your role feel most difficult right now?” or “When do you feel most drained or blocked?” This shifts the focus from “What adjustment/ accommodation do you want?” to “What’s getting in the way?” Employers can also take a trial-and-learn approach. Adjustments don’t have to be permanent or perfect from the start. Small, temporary changes, such as altered workloads, different communication methods, flexible hours, or modified processes, can be tested and reviewed together. If something doesn’t work, that’s information, not failure. Providing guidance is key. Managers often have a broader view of the role and can suggest options the employee may not be aware of, drawing on previous experience, occupational health advice, HR, or workplace adjustment/ accommodation frameworks. External assessments or coaching can also help turn vague difficulties into practical support. Working with Disabled charities or specialist organisations can uncover options you may not have even considered. Regular check-ins matter too, particularly when someone moves into a new role. Needs change over time, and what worked before may not work now. Adjustments shouldn’t be made once and then forgotten. They need reviewing, ongoing feedback, and willingness to adapt. Ultimately, when an employee doesn’t know what they need, the employer’s responsibility is to collaborate, experiment, and listen, rather than placing the burden solely on the individual to figure it out alone. Collaboration is a two-way street. Employers can also help by creating resources that clearly explain day-to-day duties and responsibilities, alongside examples of the types of adjustments employees can request. This makes the process a little less daunting. Finding the right adjustments or accommodations takes time. It requires flexibility, patience, and openness to learning through trial and error, but the result is a more inclusive, supportive workplace for everyone. And an employee who hasn’t been left to figure it out on their own. Image Description in comments. #WednesdayWisdom #DisabledBySociety #Wokrplace #Adjustments

You do not have to disclose your specific disability to qualify for reasonable accommodations. In fact, the specific disability can be (and most often is) a detractor rather than a help. What matters is not the disability, but how that disability combined with the environment prohibits how you can do your job. While an employer has a right to ask for medical confirmation when a disability is not evident or previously known, documentation can confirm that a disability exists and the related limitations you experience without disclosing the diagnosis itself. If you don't want to disclose your specific disability or diagnoses, don't. If you want to give the accommodation process the best chance of succeeding, focus on the needs and the solutions, rather than unnecessary details about the disability itself. Four step accommodation process to focus on what matters 1. Optional: Confirm the disability exists and is covered by the ADA (if not obvious or previously known) 2. Identify current barriers 3. Identify effective solutions 4. Implement effective solutions

The accommodations neurodivergent employees need most cost almost nothing - they just require intentionality. This data from 650 neurodivergent individuals shows something powerful: the workplace supports we’re asking for aren’t expensive software or major infrastructure changes. They’re communication adjustments that benefit everyone. Look at the top requests: 💜 Notes and information given in advance 💜 Having changes explained 💜 Demonstration of tasks 💜 Regular one-on-one meetings These aren’t “special treatment” - they’re clarity, predictability, and communication best practices that make workplaces better for everyone. What strikes me about this data: The assumption that accommodations are burdensome gets shattered here. Most of what neurodivergent employees need is already happening for some people - we’re just asking for it to be systematic rather than dependent on having the “right” manager. “Information in advance” shouldn’t be an accommodation - it should be standard practice. Springing last-minute changes on people and expecting immediate adaptation isn’t efficient management, it’s poor planning disguised as flexibility. Having jargon explained and recorded isn’t about being “slow” - it’s about recognizing that every workplace has its own language, and explicit communication reduces errors for everyone. For managers and HR professionals: If you’re wondering where to start with neurodiversity inclusion, this chart is your roadmap. You don’t need a massive budget. You need better documentation, clearer communication, and consistent check-ins. The neurodivergent employees who don’t feel safe asking for these supports are struggling in silence, working twice as hard to decode unclear expectations and ambiguous communication. For my fellow neurodivergent professionals: These requests are reasonable. If your workplace pushes back on providing written agendas, explaining changes, or demonstrating tasks, that’s a them problem, not a you problem. What’s one low-cost workplace support that’s made the biggest difference in your ability to thrive professionally? Data source: Workplace Do-IT Profiler (doitprofiler.com) #neurodiversity #workplace #inclusion #accommodations #leadership #hr #accessibility #neurodivergent

Company policies do not dilute your legal entitlements. A rant about Workplace Adjustments 👇 A company cannot offer you two weeks leave, when your entitlement is four. A company also cannot force people impacted by disability to hot desk, have cameras on, or work a set number of days in an office. People impacted by disability are entitled to reasonable workplace adjustments, including flexible work arrangements. It's in the Disability Discrimination Act (DDA), Fair Work Act and strengthen in 2022 in the Secure Jobs, Better Pay Bill. Reasonable is not define by company policies or managers. It's defined in the Disability Discrimination Act. Reasonable Adjustments can be declined for two reasons 1. Inherent requirements of the role. A professional football player needs to be able to play football. They don't need to be able to play football without glasses. It is a reasonable adjustment for them to wear glasses on the field. Some roles need to be done on site, a nurse in ER. It is not an inherent requirement of many corporate roles to do it sitting in a specific location. We have COVID to thank for a plethora of proof points on that. 2. Unjustifiable hardship to the enterprise. This might be the cost burden to the enterprise or a risk to the enterprise. It's not your manager or team budget, it's considered at an enterprise level. Also, the Human Rights Commission has ways to reimburse a company. So cost really, really is no excuse. Risk is not 'more people might ask' or manager preference. It's business risk such as a software requested that stores data in an problematic country. The biggest barrier to people impacted by disability working is reasonable adjustments. The biggest contributor to their increased participation in the workforce is access to reasonable adjustment. Don't let a corporate over emphasis on return to offices dissuade you from seeking what you need. I'm yet to meet an executive who's intention is to breach our human rights. Those messages were broad, and not meant for us. Rant over. #DisabilityLeadership #Disability #WorkplaceAdjustments #Accessibility #AccessibleDesign #MostlyUnlearning

Are you an organization that would like to create a work environment that welcomes and allows everyone, including those with both visible and invisible disabilities, to thrive in 2025 and beyond? Here are 10 best practices for creating a disability-inclusive work environment: 1. Cultivate an inclusive culture: Foster a culture of respect, acceptance, and belonging where disability inclusion is championed by leadership and embraced by all. 2. Offer accessible hiring opportunities and processes: Ensure job postings, applications, interviews, and onboarding processes are fully accessible, with accommodations available upon request. 3. Provide disability awareness training: Educate employees and leaders about disabilities, inclusive language, and the importance of accessibility to reduce stigma and build understanding. 4. Ensure physical and digital accessibility: Design workplaces, tools, and technologies to be accessible, including ramps, assistive technology, and screen reader-compatible software. 5. Offer flexible work arrangements: Provide options like remote work, flexible schedules, and individualized accommodations to support diverse needs. 6. Create clear accommodation policies: Establish a transparent and responsive process for employees to request and receive workplace accommodations. Ensure the process of requesting and receiving reasonable accommodations is consistent, transparent, inclusive, interactive, and timely. 7. Engage disability employee resource groups (ERGs): Support and empower ERGs to provide insights, foster community, and advocate for inclusion initiatives. Ensure there is one (or more) ERG that advocates for accessibility and disability inclusion. 8. Incorporate universal design principles: Apply universal design to create environments, systems, and processes that benefit everyone, including people with disabilities. 9. Measure and monitor inclusion efforts: Track progress on disability inclusion initiatives through metrics like hiring rates, retention, and employee feedback. 10. Involve employees with disabilities in decision-making: Include employees with disabilities in policy development, product design, and workplace decisions—“Nothing About Us Without Us.” #DisabilityInclusion #Diversity #2025 #Accessibility #FutureOfWork #DEI #DEIA #Disability #Neurodiversity #Equity Image Text: Employees with disabilities can be productive and successful when the workplace is designed for everyone. @AsieduEdmund

Creating a neurodivergent-friendly workplace isn't just good for ND employees—it's good for everyone. When you build systems that work for ND folks, you create clarity that benefits all employees: • Written documentation of expectations removes ambiguity for everyone. • Flexible work arrangements support anyone managing health, caregiving, or energy fluctuations. • Clear communication reduces misunderstandings across the board. • Sensory-friendly spaces (quiet rooms, adjustable lighting) help anyone who needs to focus or decompress. • Structured meetings with agendas keep everyone on track. • Multiple communication channels (email, chat, video) let people engage in ways that work for them. Accommodations aren't special treatment—they're access. And when you design for the margins, you improve the experience for the majority.