Overview
Too many organisations wait until a complaint, grievance or tribunal claim before reviewing how they support disabled employees. Uncertainty about what counts as a reasonable adjustment, inconsistent decision-making, and misconceptions about legal obligations can create unnecessary risk while preventing talented people from performing at their best.
This practical course gives managers, HR professionals and leaders the confidence to make informed, proportionate and legally compliant decisions. You’ll develop a clear understanding of your responsibilities under the Equality Act 2010, learn how to assess and implement effective workplace adjustments, and explore practical solutions for a wide range of physical, sensory, cognitive and mental health conditions. You’ll also discover how services such as Access to Work and Occupational Health can help identify and fund appropriate adjustments.
More than a compliance exercise, making reasonable adjustments is about creating an inclusive workplace where people can thrive. By applying the techniques and best practice covered throughout this course, you’ll reduce organisational risk, remove barriers to performance, improve employee engagement and retention, and build a culture where everyone has the opportunity to succeed.
Learning Outcomes
- Explain the legal duty to make reasonable adjustments under the Equality Act 2010.
- Identify appropriate workplace adjustments for a range of disabilities and long-term health conditions.
- Assess adjustment requests fairly by balancing individual needs with organisational requirements.
- Implement, review and adapt reasonable adjustments to ensure they remain effective over time.
- Utilise services such as Access to Work and Occupational Health to support workplace adjustments.
- Apply best practice to create an inclusive workplace while reducing legal and organisational risk.
Agenda
9:30
Registration and GovPD Welcome Address
- Definition of reasonable adjustments
- Clarifying the term “reasonable” and balancing employee and business needs
- Overview of key sections of the Equality Act 2010
- Benefits of reasonable adjustments for businesses and employees
10:00
Legal Framework in Depth
- Detailed explanation of the Equality Act 2010’s provisions on disability and adjustments
- Provisions, Criteria, and Practices (PCPs). Why they are important to understand and how they could disadvantage disabled employees
- How tribunals assess whether adjustments are reasonable, considering practicality, cost, and impact on others
Activity:
- Group discussion on assessing PCPs with practical examples
10:45
Break
11:10
Commonly Requested and Implemented Adjustments
Aim:
To help participants recognise and categorise commonly requested adjustments across different types of disabilities (physical, sensory, cognitive, and mental health).
- Physical adjustments: Ergonomic workstations, accessible entrances
- Sensory adjustments: Hearing loops, noise-cancelling headphones
- Mental health adjustments: Flexible schedules, quiet spaces
- Cognitive adjustments: Assistive technology, task breakdown
11:30
Practical Implementation of Reasonable Adjustments
- Identifying employee needs through open communication
- Types of adjustments (physical, work schedules, technological, procedural)
- Assessing what is reasonable (effectiveness, cost, resources, and impact)
- Step-by-step implementation, trial periods, and reviewing adjustments
Activity:
- Case study discussion on balancing flexibility requests with business needs
12:30
Introducing Access to Work and Occupational Health
- Overview of Access to Work funding and the application process
- Role of Occupational Health in assessing adjustments and collaborating with employers
- How Access to Work and Occupational Health complement each other to ensure adjustments are both reasonable and effective
Quiz:
- What’s Reasonable? Examples of adjustments that could be supported by Access to Work
13:00
Trainer's Summary and Close
- Open discussion on key insights and how participants will implement learning
- Action planning: Participants create action steps for their workplace
- Address any remaining questions and provide additional resources for further learning
*Programme subject to change
Course Instructor
Matt Gupwell
Matt Gupwell is a respected Neurodiversity awareness consultant and advocate with a mission to educate, inspire and to encourage everyone to take positive action to support Neurodivergent people. He’s a respected voice in the Neurodiversity world and has delivered consultancy and training to clients including the UK Government, NHS, L’Oréal, major sporting organisations and start up tech companies.
For 15 years Matt has immersed himself in studying, advocating for and supporting Neurodivergent people of all ages. He combines the latest research with his gift for storytelling to share lived experiences of living undiagnosed with 3 conditions along with the shared experiences of the hundreds of people he’s helped.
Matt’s background as a professional entertainer before becoming a consultant brings a high level of engagement and experience to his style of delivery. He is an experienced trainer and public speaker, having spoken in front of more than 80,000 people, both in person and online. Matt has a reputation for his enigmatic personality and his ability to lighten difficult topics while making complex information easy to understand.
Who should attend?
This course is designed for professionals who are responsible for supporting employees, implementing workplace adjustments, and promoting an inclusive working environment, including:
- HR and people professionals responsible for employee support, policies, and compliance
- Line managers and team leaders who manage employees with disabilities or long-term health conditions
- Employee relations specialists handling workplace adjustments and accommodation requests
- Diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) practitioners driving accessibility and inclusion initiatives
- Occupational health, wellbeing, and workplace support professionals
- Senior leaders and decision-makers responsible for organisational culture and legal compliance
- Recruitment and talent acquisition professionals seeking to create accessible and inclusive hiring processes
- Health and safety professionals involved in workplace accessibility and employee wellbeing
- Learning and development professionals supporting manager capability and inclusion training
- Anyone involved in assessing, implementing, or reviewing reasonable adjustments in the workplace
No prior knowledge of reasonable adjustments or employment law is required. The course is suitable for professionals at all levels who want to build confidence in supporting employees effectively, meeting legal obligations, and creating a more inclusive and accessible workplace.
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