The tweaks that matter

Why a fresh approach to workplace adjustments is needed and why ignoring this is putting your organisation and employees at legal and financial risk.

Organisational culture

Your people

The law

When, what, how

Overview

Below is a collection of questions I have been asked by executives about why workplace adjustments matter to an organisation like theirs.

They can be used by leaders to understand and embed real change in their organisations and by HR teams to explain to line managers why they should prioritise compassionate conversations with their team members.

Doesn’t HR take care of workplace adjustments? What’s my role in this?

You said HR take care of this, then you said it’s not enough that HR are taking care of this, why not? What else is needed?

I’m a manager and I’ve made adjustments for my team when they’ve needed them. I think that’s pretty standard, no?

You mean like during a legal case?

If we had made adjustments then there shouldn’t be a legal case though right?

I can see why we should have workplace adjustments conversations and the importance of keeping a record of those conversations but when should my line managers have this conversation and what should they say?

Won’t some people take advantage of this process though and ask for unnecessary adjustments where none are needed? Perhaps they might exaggerate a little to get a few extra perks?

And I guess we could ask for proof of medical conditions?

Access to Work, what’s that?

Who can access Access To Work?

So employers can apply for Access To Work to pay for reasonable adjustments?

I’m still confused. Does it cost me, the employer, anything?

You’ve mentioned that the implementation of workplace adjustments is a process not a one-off task, can you explain this a bit further?

Okay, so it’s about having conversations about this regularly and making sure that this is recorded?

I’m thinking this is probably less necessary now we’re remote working though right?

Got it, and what sorts of adjustments might people ask for?

What about if my employee isn’t performing?

I’m the CEO, is it not HR’s job to explain our workplace adjustments process to our line managers? Can I not leave it in their capable hands?