Access to Work for Neurominorities - A Guide for Employers
Important note: I understand that the language used to discuss neurodiversity can be sensitive, and that preferred words and phrases vary between individuals. In this article, I’m using language from the gov.uk website, and I am mindful that this may become outdated or not suit every reader’s preference. Please know that my intentions are good, and I always aim to be neuroinclusive and respectful with my language.
As of December 2023 there were 5.53 million disabled people in work. That’s just 54.2% of working-age disabled people compared to the employment rate of 82% for those who are not disabled. (Source: Research briefing by the UK Parliament)
Sadly, it seems the latest reports and statistics show that disabled employees (that definition includes those who are neurominority adults) are not being supported effectively in the workplace.
“I burn out regularly. I have worked my whole career in a constant cycle of over-achievement followed by periods of burnout.“
That’s a quote from the 2024 City and Guilds Neurodiversity Index report, which showed that 31% of neurodivergent participants were unhappy with their current work settings, with 50% saying they had taken time off work because of neurodivergent challenges.
Adopting a neuroinclusive approach in the workplace is essential to avoid team members becoming frustrated and disengaged, which can impact team cohesion, motivation, and staff retention levels. But with the right support, employees can gain confidence in their skills and thrive, boosting morale and profitability.
So what can you, as an employer, do to help?
Most companies want to actively support their neurodivergent employees but just don’t know where to start.
The good news is that organisations can leverage the Access to Work scheme to provide crucial support for their neurominority employees, including those with ADHD, ASD, dyslexia, anxiety, depression and more.
Access to Work is a government-funded (and sometimes part-employer-funded) program to help people with physical or mental health conditions or disabilities get into and stay in work.
You can find out more details about Access to Work in this article.
As a certified coach, specialising in neurominority support through the Access to Work scheme since early 2023, I’ve seen firsthand how transformative this support can be. My coaching sessions focus on helping employees overcome any personal obstacles that might stop them from doing their jobs to the best of their ability, whether it’s improving time management, building confidence or enhancing focus.
In this article, you’ll discover how the Access to Work process works, why it’s needed, and how you can become your employees’ greatest ally by making sure they have everything they need to thrive in their jobs and ultimately contribute to the success of your business.
Making work accessible: Implementing ‘reasonable adjustments’ for your team
The first step in making work more accessible for your employees is to consider the ‘reasonable adjustments’ you could make to support them in their jobs.
You’re legally obliged to do this under the Equality Act (2010) for any employee that you know, or are reasonably expected to know, has a disability.
Reasonable adjustments are not something that I advise on in depth, but here’s a brief overview and some practical examples.
The Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service (ACAS) categorises reasonable adjustments as:
making changes to the workplace
changing someone's working arrangements
finding a different way to do something
providing equipment, services or support
None of this is ‘special treatment.’ It simply recognises that team members have diverse abilities and perspectives and that small tweaks to workplace policies can make a big difference in employee motivation and performance.
There is a saying that ‘when you know one person with ADHD, you know one person with ADHD’. Although neurominority adults may have similar traits, their individual experiences and needs will differ. Bear in mind that only your employees will know what works for them, and it all starts with an open discussion.
Reasonable adjustments could include:
Flexible working/changing how your employee takes breaks – Allowing an employee to have a personalised break schedule to support emotional regulation and break up their day might help with their focus. Or perhaps working from home in a ‘hybrid’ arrangement would suit them better.
Changing where your employee sits - Is their workstation near a busy walkway that’s highly distracting and uncomfortable from a sensory perspective? Do they need to sit in a quieter area of the office away from the constant hum of the printer? Or perhaps away from the regular slamming of the kitchen door and all the smells (we all know that person who microwaves fish for lunch!)?
Workstation adjustments – Do they need to move and stretch to get the necessary sensory input to stay regulated? Would they benefit from having a height-adjustable desk to make it easier to do this? Does the lighting above their desk need tweaking if it’s flickering or bright white, shining on their screen or in their eyes?
Communication preferences—Without context, requests like, ‘Can we have a chat later?’ could provoke anxious thoughts and a lack of focus for the rest of the day. Could you have a conversation about communication preferences? Does your employee’s training need to be delivered in an alternative format if they find ‘classroom-based’ learning difficult to focus on?
Work coaching – Sometimes called ‘coping strategies’ or ‘job coaching’, this is where your employee has regular sessions with a specialised coach like me so they can learn new tools and skills to help them thrive at work.
Even simple and no-cost solutions can provide better support for your colleagues. Things like:
Allowing the use of headphones to shut out background noise and aid concentration. Some people prefer to maintain focus by sticking on headphones to listen to music or white noise, but many companies still believe that open-plan offices and pin-dropping silence (or CNN...) is the only way to go.
Adjusting communication styles based on the individual so that what is said is truly heard. The unscheduled "walk and talk" might feel like a bonding opportunity for a manager, but it could leave an employee who finds it hard to process information verbally feeling anxious and worried that they’ve forgotten an important point by the time they return to their desk.
Tweaking a ‘clear desk policy’ to allow for visual reminders. For employees who need visual cues to remember certain actions, workstation rules stating desks must be devoid of visual triggers, personal items, post-its… and personality (yes, I said it!) aren’t conducive to productivity. This article from the BBC indicates that employees with personal items on their desks are 25% more productive than those who work in “a sterile space.”
For more detailed information on reasonable adjustments, head over to the ACAS website.
Enhancing support with Access to Work
But what if your employees still need more support after making those reasonable adjustments? That’s where the Access to Work scheme comes in.
Access to Work is a UK government scheme providing funding for practical support to enable your employees to maximise their potential and be their best selves at work.
The type of support available depends on the individual circumstances but can cover things like:
Customised tools and adaptive software.
Support personnel, such as a sign language interpreter or work coach, like me.
Travel expenses if public transportation is not an option.
Physical alterations to the work environment.
How much can my organisation claim from Access to Work?
At the time of writing (June 2024), Access to Work grants are capped at a maximum of £69,260 per year and any approved support is fully funded if there are fewer than 49 employees in your company. However, this is subject to change, so check the gov.uk info on Access to Work for employers for more details.
Note also that claims can’t be backdated and apply only from the date the Access to Work grant was approved (not the date of application).
How to apply for Access to Work
Your employee can apply for the Access to Work scheme using this online application form on the gov.uk website.
If they need help with the application process, there are dedicated Access to Work specialists for this purpose - feel free to use this contact form on my website to get in touch if you need a recommendation. There’s also an Access to Work helpline - 0800 121 7479.
Once your employee has applied, it might take a few weeks or even months to hear back. I know that’s super frustrating, so that’s why reasonable adjustments are so important. An Access to Work support person will contact your employee and ask what aspects of work they feel are tricky or inaccessible and what support they would like through the grant. As the employer, you’ll also be contacted for your insight as part of the process.
What kind of coaching support do I provide, and how does that benefit employees and employers?
My coaching focuses on helping neurodivergent adults reach their full potential, reduce stress, and make a meaningful impact at work. Over 90% of my clients have their support funded by Access to Work.
We’ll use our coaching sessions to talk through how work is feeling tricky for them and what strategies and tools they might use to address that.
That might be conversations around:
Identifying specific goals and the timeline for achieving them.
Building self-awareness of strengths and areas for adjustment to support focus and improve momentum at work.
How to self-advocate in a group environment to feel heard and promote neuroinclusivity.
Developing skills to effectively communicate and collaborate with team members so that conversations are well-considered to build relationships and maintain the company’s brand reputation.
Dealing effectively with feelings of rejection - Rejection sensitive dysphoria is common among neurodivergent individuals. It involves extreme sensitivity to perceived rejection or criticism, often causing people to react negatively to feedback, even if it wasn't meant that way.
(Read more about that here in my article on delivering constructive feedback.)
Feeling the need to present a polished, masked version of themselves to ‘fit in’ at work and how that can lead to exhaustion, burnout, and time off.
Losing motivation because they’ve fallen out of love with their career, impacting the morale of the wider team.
How to have conversations with colleagues and managers to create trust and psychological safety to support work rhythms, motivation and team cohesion.
The steps towards a promotion to continue their career at the company and enhance staff retention.
Deepening awareness and skills around executive function so that output is clearly defined and projects are seen through to completion.
Recognising the benefits of diversity of thought and entrepreneurial spirit so that these strengths develop and fully complement the group's wider ecosystem.
By supporting your neurodivergent employees through an initiative like Access to Work, you show the wider team that neurodiversity is high on the agenda. This enhances company culture through increased conversations around neurodiversity and the positive impact those conversations have on your people and reputation.
Why coach-client compatibility matters
For coaching support to be effective, there must be a good match between client and coach. That’s why I always start with an initial call with my coaching clients to check we’re the right fit for each other. Skipping this step can be an expensive (and upsetting!) mistake. On the rare occasion we’re not aligned, I can signpost them to someone else.
There are coaching agencies that specialise in providing Access to Work coaching. However, I’ve learned that most of the time, these agencies simply assign the applicant a coach without any prior consideration of the applicant’s needs, which can lead to disappointing outcomes for everyone involved.
How do my coaching sessions work?
Most of my Access to Work clients receive 6-20 hours of coaching. Typically, we split these into one-hour virtual sessions, but sometimes clients prefer 2 x 30-minute sessions or even longer durations. I’m an LGBTQ+ ally committed to creating a safe and inclusive space for individuals of all backgrounds and identities.
I’m based in Nottingham, UK, and all sessions take place online (typically Zoom - I swear Teams hates me, but I’m happy to give it another go if that’s your preference).
Clients usually get in contact when:
1. They have completed their Access to Work application; it’s going through the system, and as part of that, they must obtain quotes from three different coaches to support their request for coaching.
Or:
2. Their Access to Work grant has been approved, and they’re ready to choose a coach whose pricing must match the awarded funding.
Once Access to Work support has been granted, any coaching that takes place after that date is paid for directly by the employer to the coach. The employer then claims back the coaching fees from The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP).
Once funding is approved, the process is super straightforward:
The employee and I have a discovery call to check we’re a good fit
They book their sessions
I raise an invoice
The employee uploads the invoice to the Access to Work Portal
I verify the info, and then I am paid directly by the DWP.
However, as I mentioned, a completed application can take a while to reach the approval stage, so be prepared for a bit of a wait.
Take the next step so your neurominority employees can thrive at work
Taking action now means that your neurominority employees won’t be among the 50% of people taking time off work due to neurodivergent challenges. Instead, you’ll be supporting them to thrive in the workplace, boost their well-being and, in turn, improve your staff retention - it’s a win-win scenario for everyone!
I’m always happy to talk to organisations about work coaching, as often the Access to Work process can take a while, and employees need immediate support.
If you’d like to have a call to chat about how coaching through Access to Work can support your team, feel free to get in touch. You can book a discovery call here or use my contact form to send a message here.
Not ready to book a call, but would like to read more? All good. Check out my other articles in this Access to Work series:
Access to Work: Practical Support for Neurominorities in the Workplace
Access to Work for Neurominorities – A Guide for Employees
Access to Work for Neurominorities - A Guide for the Self-Employed
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About
I'm Victoria Tretis, and I coach neurodivergent adults who feel stuck and overwhelmed in the chaos of daily life. They want to design and achieve their version of success. (I don't believe there is one right way to accomplish this.)
I also work with line managers who want to strengthen the support they provide within neurodiverse teams.
My work is not about rich people getting richer. Instead, sessions are centred around clients wanting to better understand themselves and those around them.