Accessibility is about removing barriers—both physical and systemic—so that everyone can fully participate. In the workplace, this means ensuring that people have the adjustments, tools, and support they need to work effectively. More broadly, it also means making our organisation, spaces, and resources open and inclusive to the wider communities we engage with.
This section includes resources on reasonable adjustments, neurodiversity, and tools like Working With Me guides to support inclusive ways of working.
Reasonable Adjustments and Accommodations
Everyone works best when they have the right support in place. Reasonable adjustments (or reasonable accommodations in the US) are changes that remove barriers and ensure that all employees can fully contribute, regardless of disability, neurodiversity, or personal circumstances. These adjustments can be physical, such as ergonomic equipment, or procedural, like flexible working arrangements.
This resource provides guidance on requesting, implementing, and supporting reasonable adjustments at Digital Science:
Here is an overview of the interactive RA process at DS:
Working With Me Guide
A Working With Me guide is a simple way to share how you work best, helping colleagues understand your communication style, preferences, and any adjustments that support your productivity. These guides foster better collaboration by encouraging open conversations about individual needs and ways of working.
You can download the Working With Me Guide template here:
Here’s an example of a Working With Me guide to illustrate how it can be used to communicate work preferences and support effective collaboration.
Neurodiversity at Work
Neurodiversity recognises that people think, process information, and experience the world in different ways. In the workplace, embracing neurodiversity means creating environments where everyone can contribute their strengths and access any support they may need.
Neurodiversity is an umbrella term to describe a range of differences relating to the human brain. Some
neurodivergent people identify as disabled, and some do not. While neurodiversities can be sometimes disabling because of how the world is designed and built, for many people in employment their neurodiversities can also offer professional strengths. Providing appropriate support and opportunities can enable these strengths to be better utilised.
While we often focus on the ways in which neurodiversities can present challenges in the workplace, this
section highlights the strengths of neurodivergent individuals in professional settings, showcasing their
diverse abilities in innovation, problem solving and creativity.
Neurodiversity can be both a challenge and a strength. It’s important to recognise and celebrate these strengths so we work more effectively and with consideration.
How can we support and empower neurodivergent people at work?
There are several ways we can better support and work with neurodivergent colleagues. Here are some tips:
Use clear and precise communication
Give advance notice and a reason for any change of plans
Be kind, patient, and understanding
Ask for a person’s individual preferences, needs, and goals
Focus on individual strengths of team members
Offer alternative communication methods
Offer flexibility in work and task allocation
Be clear about deadlines, expectations, and instructions
By making small adjustments, we can create a workplace where everyone has the opportunity to thrive.