Reasonable Adjustments
Reasonable Adjustments for Employees with Vision Impairment in the Workplace
A reasonable adjustment is a change that must be made to remove or reduce any disadvantage associated with a person’s disability while applying for or performing a role.
This could be a change in an existing employee’s working conditions or working environment or a change in a job applicant’s advertising, assessment or interview arrangements.
Reasonable adjustments create an inclusive environment that enables employees to perform their roles effectively and helps foster a supportive work environment where everyone can thrive.
Employers are responsible for supporting and implementing reasonable adjustments to ensure employees with vision impairment can work equally alongside others.
One of the most effective adjustments for individuals with vision impairment is providing staff awareness training and creating an accessible and inclusive culture. From our experience at Visibility Scotland, this works best when implemented with a top-down approach, with the senior management team leading best practices.
Employers and employees can also benefit from the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) Access to Work scheme. This government programme can help you get or stay in work if you have a physical or mental health condition or disability.
The scheme helps cover the cost of specialist equipment, such as SuperNova or JAWS, and additional services like support workers, travel assistance, and training. Applications can be made through the GOV.UK website.
If you are employed by the government, you are not entitled to apply to the Access to Work scheme; you must speak to your line manager to initiate early support planning.
The Equality Act 2010 provides important protection for employees with vision impairment. Employers have a legal duty to make reasonable adjustments to ensure disabled employees are not disadvantaged. This can include providing Assistive Technology, flexible working hours, or changing the work environment.
Employers can create a more inclusive and accessible workplace by complying with the Equality Act and using the DWP Access to Work scheme, ensuring that all employees can work on an equal footing with their colleagues.
These measures help ensure a fairer, more accessible work environment across the UK.
In the video example, Lynsey, Visibility Scotland’s Family Advocacy Worker, shares her experience using SuperNova – screen magnification and screen reader software.
This technology allows Lynsey to adjust the contrast on her computer screen and use magnification features, making it easier to read digital information.
SuperNova and similar tools, such as JAWS (Job Access With Speech) or ZoomText, improve accessibility for vision-impaired employees. These types of Assistive Technology offer a range of features, including speech output, text-to-speech and customisable magnification levels.
Employers providing Assistive Technology can support employees who cannot use standard computer displays or software interfaces to complete their day-to-day tasks.
Implementing Assistive Technology improves productivity and promotes employee independence and confidence.
Lynsey also highlights flexible working hours as another supportive, reasonable adjustment. This is particularly helpful during the winter months when it gets dark earlier.
Vision impairment can be exacerbated by low-light conditions, making it more difficult to commute or perform tasks in darker environments. Lynsey explains that being able to adjust her working hours to avoid travelling in the dark has made a significant positive impact on her well-being and safety.
Flexibility in working hours shows a commitment to the employee’s safety and comfort. It can help reduce anxiety related to commuting or navigating in low-light conditions.
Another way that employers can support vision-impaired employees is by ensuring that their workspace is dedicated to them and only to them; this makes locating items/ work tools easier, as they are in a designated space. In addition, quiet rooms are recommended, especially if the employee uses text-to-speech software. Background noise can cause fatigue and disorientation.
Examples of good practice
- Adjust tasks and job duties to align with an employee's abilities.
- Employers should ensure that all staff receive appropriate training, particularly managers and colleagues working closely with individuals with vision impairment. Please visit Visibility Scotland’s training courses, linked below, to learn how to be more inclusive.
- Employers should create an Accessibility and Inclusion Protocol (or policy) to ensure the environment provides an inclusive workplace. The top tips in our protocol are shared in our Inclusive Communications Training, which is linked below.
- Ensure the physical workspace is accessible and modifications or adaptations are consistent. This can be done through clear corridors, tactile signage, adjustable natural lighting, underfoot clues, or high-contrast markings to aid navigation within the workplace.
- Remote working can be a supportive adjustment for vision-impaired employees, allowing them to work in a familiar, well-adapted environment. If working on-site is necessary, consider assigning a designated workstation for each employee and ensuring that essential tools and equipment are always kept in the same place. This consistency helps with route familiarisation and ease of access.
- Ensure all job adverts are accessible so a screen reader can relay the information correctly to the applicant.