What are reasonable adjustments at work?
Reasonable adjustments are sometimes described as workplace changes intended to help reduce potential disadvantages. These adjustments can involve equipment, modified working arrangements or measures that improve accessibility.
Examples sometimes include features that improve physical access, assistive technology, modified lighting, flexible working arrangements, phased returns following illness or injury, or equipment that supports communication needs.
Some organisations ask employees or candidates whether any adjustments would be helpful, recognising that many conditions are not visible.
What is considered “reasonable” can vary, and public guidance notes factors organisations may take into account, such as operational context and available resources.
Communicating with employees about reasonable adjustments
Some organisations maintain ongoing communication with employees to understand whether any adjustments could be helpful. These discussions may help identify options an employee wants to explore.
Public guidance on reasonable adjustments
Public guidance notes that reasonable-adjustment questions may appear in discussions about workplace equality. Official sources outline factors employers sometimes consider when exploring potential adjustments and describe the routes individuals can use to understand how workplace concerns are addressed under UK frameworks.
Public UK government guidance describes how disability is defined for the purposes of the Equality Act 2010. Government websites provide full details on how these definitions are framed and the types of workers covered.
Public UK guidance explains that… official government websites describe how certain long-term conditions—such as cancer, HIV and multiple sclerosis—are treated within the Equality Act 2010 framework. Official government websites provide the full definitions and criteria. The UK Government Equalities Office provides additional guidance on reasonable adjustments.
What public guidance says about concerns relating to reasonable adjustments
Public guidance notes that, in situations where an adjustment is not possible, employers sometimes provide an explanation for the factors they considered. Public resources outline factors that employers sometimes consider when evaluating their options.
Public resources, such as Citizens Advice, outline the processes available for individuals who want to understand how discrimination concerns are addressed under UK frameworks. Their website provides more detail on available processes and what they involve.
Organisations sometimes review their reasonable-adjustments policies to understand whether current arrangements still meet employees’ needs. Needs can change over time, particularly if someone develops a new health condition or experiences a change in an existing one.
How to practise reasonable adjustments
Some organisations also explore flexible-working options that may support disabled employees. Approaches like these may signal an inclusive working environment to potential candidates.
How to ask candidates about reasonable adjustments
It might be necessary to make arrangements for a candidate before they attend an interview. The UK Government Equalities Office notes that organisations “can ask questions about disability at an early stage in the application process, so that organisations can establish whether an applicant will be able to comply with a requirement to undergo an assessment test, or whether organisations must make reasonable adjustments for an applicant in relation to an assessment.
The UK Government Equalities Office notes that questions about an applicant’s health are generally restricted before a job offer is made. Their guidance outlines the circumstances that apply and provides examples. A candidate’s health status is a protected characteristic under UK legislation.
When might it not be necessary to make reasonable adjustments?
Public guidance describes circumstances in which certain adjustments may not be possible. These sources note that employers sometimes consider factors such as practicality, operational context and available resources when exploring potential options. Official websites provide more detail on how these considerations are framed.
Public sources note that UK legislation includes provisions related to reasonable adjustments. Public resources also describe the routes individuals may use to raise concerns about discrimination, including formal processes.
