Do reasonable adjustments mean lower standards?

A common misconception about reasonable adjustments is that they mean lowering standards. This belief can create hesitation from managers and frustration among colleagues who may feel that adjustments give someone an unfair advantage.

But reasonable adjustments are not about lowering standards or expectations. Why would we have lower standards for some people and higher standards for others? Adjustments are about removing unnecessary barriers so that people have a fair opportunity to perform at their best.

Workplace barriers

Everyone has a different starting point. We all bring different experiences, strengths, challenges and ways of working. For some people, workplace barriers are obvious and visible. For others, they are hidden.

A neurodivergent employee may be working just as hard as their colleagues, but may be using significantly more energy to navigate environments, processes or expectations that were not designed with their needs in mind.

The challenge is that not everyone can see those barriers. When we don’t experience something ourselves, it can be easy to assume that everyone has the same access to success. Reasonable adjustments help level the playing field by addressing those differences.

Lower targets = lower expectations

A couple of years ago I did some work with call centres. One of the adjustments they often made was to lower targets for some neurodivergent or disabled employees. While there may be situations where a change to objectives is appropriate, simply reducing expectations can sometimes create unintended consequences.

It can lead to resentment within teams if people believe standards are inconsistent. I t can also send a message that a person is less capable and that others need to compensate for them.

Effective reasonable adjustments are not about creating dependence. They’re about enabling independence, removing friction and allowing people to demonstrate their skills and contribution.

The goal is not to reduce standards. The goal is to remove barriers that prevent people from meeting them.

A good question to ask is: ‘What is getting in the way of this person being able to do their best work?’ rather than ‘How do we lower our expectations?’

Focusing on access rather than making assumptions about someone’s ability creates environments where more people can thrive and also maintains the standards, accountability and performance that every successful organisation needs.