Business Disability Forum survey results show that disabled people still face significant barriers to workplace adjustments

The Business Disability Forum (BDF) has published one of the most comprehensive pieces of research ever conducted into the workplace experiences of disabled people and people with long term conditions in the UK today. The Great Big Workplace Adjustments Survey 2023 looks at the experiences of nearly 1,500 disabled employees and 400 managers around workplace adjustments and inclusion.

The Business Disability Forum (BDF) has published one of the most comprehensive pieces of research ever conducted into the workplace experiences of disabled people and people with long term conditions in the UK today. The Great Big Workplace Adjustments Survey 2023 looks at the experiences of nearly 1,500 disabled employees and 400 managers around workplace adjustments and inclusion.

The research finds that disabled people are still waiting too long for the adjustments they need to reduce or remove the barriers they experience in their jobs. Employees are also having to push for adjustments or even fund them themselves. Common adjustments include flexibility over hours and location, time off for medical appointments, as well as ergonomic equipment and assistive technology.

Disabled people are also facing a number of other disability related barriers at work, which go beyond changes to their individual roles. These include bullying and harassment, limited promotion and development opportunities, inaccessibility of programs and initiatives intended to support wellbeing, and wider inaccessibility of buildings and systems.

The 2023 survey shows that managers feel more confident talking about disability than they did previously and play a key role in the adjustments process. But multiple internal processes and limited powers to make changes in the wider organisation create additional barriers and leave managers feeling frustrated.

In response to the new research, Business Disability Forum is calling for employers to:

  • Simplify their workplace adjustment process.
  • Provide more support for managers and the role they play in workplace inclusion.
  • Develop a wider workplace approach to understanding the experience of having a disability and to removing disability-related barriers.

Read more

Latest News

Read More

Revealed – unbelievable real workplace safety fails

3 July 2025

Newsletter

Receive the latest HR news and strategic content

Please note, as per the GDPR Legislation, we need to ensure you are ‘Opted In’ to receive updates from ‘theHRDIRECTOR’. We will NEVER sell, rent, share or give away your data to third parties. We only use it to send information about our products and updates within the HR space To see our Privacy Policy – click here

Latest HR Jobs

Queen Mary University of London – Health and Safety DirectorateSalary: £43,677 to £51,040 per annum This provides summary information and comment on the subject areas

University of Cambridge – Human Resources DivisionSalary: £33,482 to £39,355 per annum This provides summary information and comment on the subject areas covered. Where employment

University of Cambridge – Department of PathologySalary: £35,116 to £45,413 per annum This provides summary information and comment on the subject areas covered. Where employment

University of Exeter – PS ConnectSalary: The starting salary will be from £27,644 per annum pro rata on Grade D, depending on qualifications and experience.

Read the latest digital issue of theHRDIRECTOR for FREE

Read the latest digital issue of theHRDIRECTOR for FREE