Workplace adjustments
The social model of disability suggests that people are disabled by barriers in society, rather than by their impairment or difference. Workplace adjustments can help remove these barriers in a managed and supportive way.
The University has a duty to take steps to remove, reduce or prevent the obstacles faced by disabled colleagues or job applicants, where it's reasonable to do so.
Adjustments are changes that are made to the work environment or the way the work is carried out, so that someone with a disability can do their job more effectively.
Guidance for managers
We have produced a guidance document for managers to support disabled staff in the workplace, and through the recruitment process.
Workplace Adjustments: An Introduction for Line Managers (PDF, 174kB)
Workplace Adjustments: An Introduction for Line Managers (Office document, 969kB) (please open in the Word App using Google Chrome or 'Download file' in Edge - do not use 'edit a copy').
Workplace Adjustment Plans
A Workplace Adjustment Plan is a living record of adjustments agreed between a colleague and their line manager. It provides a framework to discuss, agree and review any support required at work.
An employee who has a disability or a long-term health condition should make their line manager aware that workplace adjustments would be beneficial. This may be raised prior to or at the beginning of employment with the University, or during the course of employment.
The Plan can be reviewed and amended as necessary with the agreement of both the employee and line manager, and may be shared with a new line manager, with permission.
Advice from HRBP Teams can be accessed where required and this may include referrals to the University Occupational Health Service. External advisors may be able to provide advice or help with workplace assessments, such as Access to Work.
Completion of a Workplace Adjustment Plan is voluntary and the legal duty to make reasonable adjustments will apply with or without a Plan.
Workplace Adjustment Plans
A Workplace Adjustment Plan is a living record of workplace adjustments agreed between a colleague and their line manager.
Workplace-Adjustment-Plan (Office document, 274kB)
(please open in the Word App using Google Chrome or 'Download file' in Edge - do not use 'edit a copy').
Data and Privacy
The information contained in the Workplace Adjustment Plan is for yours and your line manager’s use to discuss, agree and review any support that may be required at work due to a disability or health condition. You do not have to provide this information if you do not wish to do so. You and your line manager will have access to the information. It will not be shared with anyone else, although you may agree that you will share details of reasonable adjustments with other people. The plan will be retained by your manager until you next review it, until you agree it is no longer needed, or you leave your role.
Health information is ‘special category data’ under the General Data Protection Regulation 2018 (GDPR) and managers must take additional precautions when recording and storing this information. The line manager and employee should retain a password protected electronic copy of the Workplace Adjustment Plan.
For further information, please see the University’s staff fair processing notice.
Being Neuro-inclusive in the workplace
Learn more about neurodiversity and how the University of Bristol supports neurodivergent people to be comfortable and thriving at work.
Mind's Wellness Action Plans
Wellness Action Plans are a personalised, practical tool we can all use – whether we have a mental health problem or not – to help us identify what keeps us well at work, what causes us to become unwell, and how to address a mental health problem at work should you be experiencing one.
Disability awareness factsheets
Remploy have produced a range of free Disability Factsheets that cover impact and possible adjustments.