Technology and adjustments

Technology and adjustments

Some of the most common workplace adjustments (or accommodations) involve technology. This resource outlines current practices around adjustments and technology. We also explain some of the key considerations when making adjustments involving technology.

Current practices

Common adjustments 

Our 2023 Great Big Workplace Adjustments Survey asked nearly 1,500 disabled people and 400 managers about their experiences with workplace adjustments (or accommodations).  

Of those that had adjustments (1,307 respondents): 

• 47 per cent work flexibly or with adjusted hours. This is often made possible with technological solutions. 
• 42 per cent use ergonomic equipment, such as supportive chairs or different computer and desk equipment 
• 24 per cent use assistive IT technology, such as speech-to-text software or screen-readers. 

Managers’ experiences 

We also spoke to 400 managers as part of the Great Big Workplace Adjustments Survey. They told us about some of the difficulties they experienced arranging adjustments involving technology. 

Some of the issues they identified with technology and adjustments are: 

• They did not feel comfortable advising on adjustments relating to technology. Managers said they knew from their employees that internal IT systems were generally incompatible with some assistive technology (AT) products, but they did not generally know why or how to overcome the issue (or if it could be overcome at all).  
• Remote working during and after the COVID-19 pandemic led to difficulties transporting physical technology from office to home working environments. This can remain a problem for employees who work in the office and from home – how can they have the adjustments they need in both locations? 

Making adjustments for employees

Making adjustments for employees with disabilities helps everyone in the organisation work at their best. It is also a legal duty in many jurisdictions. 

Most tech adjustments are relatively cheap – especially when compared to the costs involved in not making them – lost productivity, low employee morale, replacing employees who leave, and many more. 

What technology might disabled employees need?

This Toolkit separates these technologies into two categories: assistive technology (AT) and ‘everyday’ technology. 

Broadly speaking, AT is designed primarily to be used by disabled people, whereas everyday technology is intended to be used by disabled and non-disabled people alike. 

Assistive technology 

To provide AT to employees who need it, we recommend creating an assistive technology catalogue. This allows you to create a master list of the technologies you know to be secure, effective and compatible with your systems.  

Having an AT catalogue prepared also allows AT to be deployed quickly, avoiding unnecessary delays that could impact productivity, morale and retention. There could also be cost savings involved in this approach, providing you with the option to have site licenses, or to have a clearer overview of which AT licenses you have. 

We have more resources in the Assistive technology section of this Toolkit. 

Everyday technology 

To support disabled employees who rely on everyday technology (tech that is not AT), we recommend sharing guidance about how to use it in an accessible way.  

Users should also be informed of its accessibility features. For example, we have created guidance on using video conferencing apps, including information about accessibility features. Organisations should look at the everyday technology being used in their organisation and take steps to ensure that those who use it can do so without creating barriers for disabled people. This should take the form of training, and monitoring adoption of accessible features. 

We have more resources in the Everyday technology section of this Toolkit. 

Consulting with disabled employees 

It is important to understand your disabled employees’ experiences of using technology and workplace adjustments. This allows you to understand what is working well and what needs to improve. 

Regularly ask employees questions about topics such as: 

• Number of workplace adjustments 
• Time taken to implement workplace adjustments 
• Satisfaction levels with the workplace adjustments process 
• Effectiveness of workplace adjustments. 

Methods for consulting with staff include: 

• Employee Opinion Surveys 
• Surveys carried out with employees within a disability network 
• Disability network focus groups 
• User testing panels 
• Data from workplace adjustments processes. 

See our resource, ‘Staff consultation methods,’ for more information. 

Making adjustments for customers, clients and service users

Organisations also will also need to make adjustments to welcome disabled customers, clients and service users.  

In many countries, this is a legal requirement – but it also makes business sense. Why would you want to turn away disabled people by failing to make adjustments that let them interact with your organisation? 

Many of these adjustments will also involve technology – whether that is:  

• Providing tools to make activities more accessible to an individual, such as access to online sign language interpreters.  
• Making changes to tech that you use so that it is accessible to disabled users.  
• Providing alternative technologies where the standard tech is not accessible to an individual.  
• Advertising to potential visitors that they can ask for adjustments before they arrive. This could involve putting a prominent notice on the website or in correspondence with visitors, with contact information. 
• Conducting an accessibility audit of premises that customers, clients and service users will visit. This will help identify any potential barriers before they become a problem. Organisations can then remove the barriers, or prepare technologies that can help visitors with disabilities if the barrier cannot be removed completely. Our Premises accessibility checklist highlights areas to look for. 

Anticipatory adjustments

To welcome disabled customers, clients and service users, organisations must do everything they reasonably can to allow disabled people to interact with the business before the interaction begins. In the UK, this is called the ‘anticipatory duty’ to make adjustments. In other words, don’t wait to be asked to make an adjustment – look for barriers and address them before disabled customers experience them. 

In terms of technology, this can mean: 

• Modifying or replacing technologies you know to be inaccessible. For example, a member of staff notices during routine accessibility testing that the ‘read aloud’ function of your app has stopped working. You should fix this urgently, and deploy alternatives while the fix is being implemented. 
• Preparing alternative technologies (or non-tech ways) people can get in touch and communicate with members of staff. For example, having some commonly used assistive technologies ready to use in case a customer, client or service user needs it. 
• Provide more than one way for your disabled customers to communicate with you, so not just a phone line, or in person, or online chat. A Deaf person may not be able to use the phone, and a wheelchair user may have transport issues stopping them from visiting your store. More options mean more opportunities to engage. 
• Installing technologies that allow disabled users to interact more easily with the organisation. For example, installing an induction loop for people with hearing aids. 
• Ensuring the software you use is up to date. Out of date software can lead to bugs and compatibility issues that affect accessibility. 
• Regularly checking the technology you use for accessibility and compatibility with commonly used AT. 

This is not an exhaustive list. The adjustments that will be appropriate to make in advance will depend on the organisation and the nature of its work. For tailored guidance, BDF Members and Partners can contact our Advice Service. 

Further adjustments 

However, there will be situations where a disabled customer, client or service user will still face barriers to interacting with your organisation, even after you have made anticipatory adjustments.  

In these situations, organisations need to make further adjustments. These adjustments will need to be worked out in discussion with the disabled person in question, during their interaction with the organisation – so they are not anticipatory. 

In the context of technology, these can include: 

• Providing equipment or other aids which make it easier for the disabled person to interact with the business. For example, providing a screen reader on a computer the individual needs to use while at your premises. 
• Providing documents in alternative formats. For example, creating a Word version of a PDF, so the user can change the colour contrast, font, size and other aspects. 
• Changing the way things are done to avoid using inaccessible technologies. For example, if a library catalogue is entirely computer-based and a visitor cannot use that computer, having a member of staff work help them find what they are looking for instead. Another example could be accepting enquiries by phone where usually the only way of making an enquiry is through an online form.  

This is not an exhaustive list. The adjustments that will be appropriate to make in advance will depend on the organisation and the nature of its work. For tailored guidance, BDF Members and Partners can contact our Advice Service.