Managing work alongside suffering with chronic illness’ can be extremely difficult; many continue to work, battling against their body and spend days off recovering the consequences. It is crucial to work within your means to help prevent flares and continue a healthy work/life balance.
Under the provisions of the Equality Act 2010, “employers have to make reasonable adjustments at work to ensure individuals with a qualifying disability are not significantly disadvantaged when compared to other workers.” Here you can find some of the types of adjustments you could ask for, along with specific requests that you can request from your employer to enable you to continue working as comfortably as possible.
Reasonable adjustments in the workplace are modifications or accommodations made to ensure that employees with disabilities or other special needs can work effectively and comfortably. These adjustments are required by law in many countries to promote inclusivity and prevent discrimination. Some common examples and considerations for reasonable adjustments include;
Physical modifications to allow basic access to the workplace such as being wheelchair accessible through ramps, lifts, wide door frames, as well as providing accessible bathrooms and parking.
Adjustable work patterns can help employees manage symptoms on a day to day basis and prevent a flare up of symptoms. Examples of these could be; allowing flexible working hours, having the option to work from home or providing additional breaks where necessary.
Provision of equipment or assistance helps enable employees to work safely. This could be through supplying specialised equipment such as supportive chairs, keyboards, desks and/or providing extra software such as screen readers, voice recognition or voice to text programmes. It may also be beneficial to hold regular meetings to maintain open communication and address potential issues before they escalate.
Training and awareness about reasonable adjustments in the workplace help create an inclusive environment and educate staff on how to best support colleagues with disabilities.
Implementing reasonable adjustments in the workplace boosts employee health, productivity, and performance, while also improving morale and enhancing diversity and inclusivity. This investment yields significant benefits for everyone involved and promotes a positive company reputation as an inclusive and equitable employer.
For more information including letter template’s from a GP or The Department of Work and Pensions, visit Mind’s website using the link below;
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