Types of Reasonable Adjustments (with Examples) UK Workplace Guide
Reasonable adjustments are not one thing. They come in different forms, depending on what barrier someone is facing and where that barrier shows up in their working life.
This matters, because many adjustment conversations stall when people jump too quickly to solutions. Someone asks for “flexible working” when the real issue is noise. A manager thinks adjustments mean expensive equipment, when the fix is actually about communication or priorities.
This guide sets out the main types of reasonable adjustments, with clear examples, to help both employees and employers think more precisely about what might help.
1) Physical changes to the workplace
Physical adjustments are often the first thing people picture, but they are only one category.
Examples include:
ergonomic chairs, desks, keyboards, or mice
sit-stand desks
alternative desk locations (for example, away from noise or foot traffic)
adjusted lighting (desk lamps, dimming, avoiding flicker)
changes to temperature or airflow where possible
access changes such as ramps, handrails, or alternative routes
These adjustments remove physical strain or sensory overload that makes work harder than it needs to be.
2) Adjustments to working hours and patterns
Time is one of the most powerful adjustment levers, and one of the least expensive.
Examples include:
flexible start and finish times
reduced hours or compressed hours
phased return to work after absence
additional or longer breaks
working from home or hybrid arrangements where the role allows
These adjustments are often essential for people managing fatigue, pain, medication effects, caring responsibilities, or fluctuating conditions.
3) Changes to how work is organised or prioritised
Many disadvantages come from how work is structured, not from the work itself.
Examples include:
reallocating minor duties that create disproportionate difficulty
adjusting workloads during flare-ups or recovery periods
changing deadlines where timing rather than output is the issue
allowing tasks to be completed in a different order
reducing unnecessary multitasking
These changes are about making expectations realistic and sustainable.
4) Communication and management adjustments
This category is often overlooked, even though it is high impact and low cost.
Examples include:
providing instructions in writing as well as verbally
clearer priorities and fewer last-minute changes
agendas shared before meetings and notes afterwards
allowing questions after meetings rather than on the spot
adjusting how feedback is given (more specific, less ambiguous)
For many people, clarity is the adjustment.
5) Technology and assistive tools
Technology-based adjustments can remove barriers quickly when matched to the right need.
Examples include:
speech-to-text or text-to-speech software
screen readers or magnification tools
captioning for meetings and training
task management or reminder tools
noise-reduction tools or software
The key is not the tool itself, but whether it reduces the specific barrier the person is facing.
6) Adjustments to policies and processes
Sometimes the barrier is not the environment, but the rule.
Examples include:
adjusting sickness absence triggers where absence is disability-related
flexibility around performance processes during periods of ill health
alternative ways to demonstrate competence
modified return-to-work expectations
disability-related leave for appointments or recovery
Policies designed for averages often need adjustment for real people.
7) Support-based adjustments
Some adjustments involve additional support rather than changes to the job itself.
Examples include:
job coaching or mentoring
buddy systems during onboarding or role changes
additional supervision or check-ins during transitions
external support funded through schemes such as Access to Work
Support-based adjustments are often temporary, but they can have lasting impact.
How to choose the right type of adjustment
The most effective adjustments start with the barrier, not the category.
A useful way to frame the conversation is:
What part of the work is difficult?
When does that difficulty show up?
What would reduce or remove it?
One well-chosen adjustment is usually better than five vague ones.
Why this still breaks down in practice
Most organisations know these adjustment types exist. The problem is not awareness. It’s consistency.
Requests get handled differently by different managers. Decisions sit in inboxes. Adjustments are agreed but not reviewed. When someone changes role or manager, the conversation starts again.
That’s the gap Mosaic exists to close.
Mosaic provides a simple, auditable way to capture adjustments, agree actions, track what’s been delivered, and carry them forward over time. It turns good intentions into something reliable.
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