Disability and workplace adjustments: guidance and resources

As a major employer, we recognise the importance of attracting, supporting, and retaining disabled members of staff, making workplace adjustments as appropriate to remove any disadvantage.

The University’s approach to disability inclusion is centred around the social model of disability which means we focus on how colleagues are ‘disabled’ by barriers in the workplace, rather than by their impairment or difference.

We encourage all members of our University community to adopt a person-first ethos in their approach to supporting disabled colleagues and to ensure that everything that they do is inclusive and accessible by design.

We expect line managers to promote a positive approach towards health and wellbeing, and to demonstrate a clear commitment to disability and inclusion. This will help create an inclusive working environment where everybody can thrive at work. Line managers support disabled colleagues through making workplace adjustments as appropriate to help them reach their full potential.

Workplace adjustments

Making workplace adjustments to support disabled staff or staff who are neurodivergent ensures that all members of our community have an equitable experience.

Support for staff

Disabled colleagues can seek support through a number of channels.

Financial Support

Disabled staff can apply for Access to Work to help pay for support they may need to do their job.

Digital Accessibility and Inclusion

The Digital Education Office has produced resources on digital accessibility and inclusion in learning that can be useful in a variety of contexts, including work related materials and activities.

Guidance for managers

We have produced a guidance document for managers to support disabled staff in the workplace, and through the recruitment process.

Workplace Adjustments: An Introduction for Line Managers (PDF, 174kB)

Workplace Adjustments: An Introduction for Line Managers (Office document, 969kB) (please open in the Word App using Google Chrome or 'Download file' in Edge - do not use 'edit a copy').

Being Neuro-inclusive in the workplace

Being inclusive means that we create a culture that values and supports diversity in all its forms, including neurological differences. Being neuroinclusive means that we consciously and actively consider and include all types of information processing, learning and communication styles. The first step towards creating a neuroinclusive workplace is raising awareness by taking the initiative to educate ourselves.  This resource features videos, guidance and podcasts that provide a foundation from which you can adopt an individual approach to supporting neurodivergent colleagues at work.

Advice from HRBP Teams can be accessed where required and this may include referrals to the University Occupational Health Service.

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