Reasonable adjustments for employees living with disability should be seen as a method of improving workplace performance and employee wellbeing by equipping employees with the support and flexibilities to best perform their role. Workplace adjustments come in many forms, and it all depends on the individual and their unique circumstances. According to the disability discrimination act 1992, employers must provide reasonable adjustments that allows a person with disability a fair opportunity in the workplace. This article will look at the importance of workplace adjustments, how the disability discrimination act defines a reasonable adjustment and looks at a few examples of workplace adjustments and how they can remove barriers in the workplace for people with disability.
At some point throughout everyone’s working career they will most likely need some form of workplace adjustment. Whether it be flexible hours to care for children or to attend medical appointments, they might require modifications to work tasks or a physical adjustment to their workstation. This is something that could impact us all. So, we encourage you to approach this subject with an open mind and consider workplace adjustments to be another method of improving performance and employee wellbeing.
Why Workplace Adjustments Matter
It’s safe to assume that all workplaces aim to operate as efficiently as possible; it makes good business sense to fully utilise their resources to gain maximum value. Whether that be negotiating discounts on physical resources, reviewing processes to identify more effective methods or investing in human resources to ensure they have the skills and technology to perform their role. Providing reasonable adjustments for workers with disability has the same effect, it improves performance by allowing employees to work to the best of their ability. Providing workplace adjustments has more benefits than just improving an organisations image, it can promote the organisation as an employer of choice and says to customers that people living with disability are welcome there as employees, customers and suppliers. Put simply, it’s a smart business decision. Read more about the benefits of hiring people living with disability.
Disability Discrimination Act 1992: Workplace Adjustments
For an organisation, making reasonable adjustments for disability in the workplace is more than just trying to create an inclusive workplace or being viewed as an organisation who is “doing the right thing,” – it is mandatory by law. The Disability Discrimination Act 1992 outlines that employers must make reasonable adjustments for a person living with disability, unless making the adjustment would result in an unjustifiable hardship for the employer. The Act aims to eliminate discrimination towards a person on the grounds of disability, ensuring people living with disability have equal rights to work, access to education and can participate in the community however they choose.
What is deemed as a reasonable adjustment will vary depending on a person’s unique circumstance and the challenges they face in the workplace. A person living with a physical disability will require different adjustments to a person living with mental health concerns. Read more about workplace adjustments for people living with mental health conditions.
What Adjustments Can be Made for People with Disabilities?
It’s important to remember that no two people will require the same adjustment, workplace adjustments need to be specifically tailored to meet a persons needs. When determining what adjustments are required the best approach is to have an honest conversation with the person who requires the adjustments, ask questions about how they like to be supported and make sure the person feels like the support being offered is genuine and in their best interest.
Here are a few examples of adjustments that can be made at work. It’s important to remember to approach every conversation regarding workplace adjustments with an open mind.
Physical Changes
People sometimes hear alarm bells when they think about physical adjustments, they start thinking about the cost of putting in ramps, widening doors or accessible toilets. More often than not, these larger adjustments are not required, and if they are, there is Government funding available to help cover these costs. What is more commonly required are height adjustable desks, ergonomic chairs, better lighting or simply considering an office layout and where a person’s workstation is situated. For example, if a person has mobility limitations, they could benefit from working closer to amenities such as bathrooms or kitchen areas.
Flexible Work Arrangements
For people living with disability having flexible work arrangements can be a game changer. This does not mean working from home on a permanent basis, this could include flexible hours, compressed work week or a hybrid arrangement with a split between office and remote working. Flexible work arrangements can even include negotiating to swap minor or non-essential tasks that could be potentially difficult for a person to complete due to their health barrier. Read more about the benefits of flexible workplace arrangements.
Technology & Equipment
Continuous advancement in technology is removing barriers in the workplace and giving people living with disability access to employment opportunities that have previously been unattainable. With the use of modern technology, workplace adjustments now include the use of apps, magnification and speech to text software or cleverly designed equipment which allows people living with disability to effectively contribute to their workplace.
Support & Training
Like all employees, people living with disability can benefit from tailored support to assist them to perform their role to the best of their ability. Again, depending on the persons barrier will determine the type of support they will need. The support could include interpreter services like Auslan or considering how information is presented to a person (digital or printed documents). Some people may not require any physical adjustments and they could benefit from a mentoring program or being paired up with a buddy, this can be very helpful especially when a person is entering a new workplace. It can also be beneficial to provide training for the broader team, such as disability awareness training. This can help the team develop their understanding of what it means to be an inclusive workplace and help team members feel confident and prepared to support their new colleague (if required). Training is a great way to educate the workforce on what adjustments can be made for workers with disability, but it also shows the person living with disability that the organisation cares and that they are invested to see this person succeed. However, it’s important to note that just completing disability awareness training does not create an inclusive workplace, this is a starting point and something that needs to be consistently worked on for the organisation to experience the benefits of inclusion.
How atWork Australia can Support You
Finding employment with disability can be an overwhelming process. However, by implementing workplace adjustments your organisation can help remove barriers to employment for people living with disability and experience the benefits that recruiting people with disabilities can offer. This article has highlighted some of the benefits of workplace adjustments for both employees and employers. While outlining that workplace adjustments should be considered as another method to improving workplace performance and employee wellbeing. If you require workplace adjustments to unlock new employment opportunities or you’re an employer looking for guidance on how to implement workplace adjustments, get in touch with atWork Australia today.