When and Why You Need a Workplace Needs Assessment?

Understanding the triggers and benefits of getting it right – for both employers and employees.

A Workplace Needs Assessment (WNA) helps identify practical reasonable adjustments that enable employees to perform at their best. Whether someone is newly diagnosed, experiencing difficulties at work or returning from absence, a WNA can be the key to unlocking support that works.

The assessment process is a confidential, one-to-one conversation with an expert assessor, designed to understand the barriers an employee is facing at work and to identify practical, reasonable adjustments that can help them thrive.

Unlike a medical assessment, a WNA is not about diagnosis or treatment. Instead, it’s about translating an individual’s needs into realistic, job-specific solutions that improve performance, wellbeing and retention.

A WNA isn’t about “fixing” the person, it’s about improving the fit between the individual and their role.

A WNA might explore (to give just some examples):

• How your working environment impacts focus, sensory regulation or physical comfort
• Time management, organisation and memory strategies
• Communication styles and workplace relationships
• Use of assistive technology or software
• The impact of fatigue, anxiety or executive functioning challenges
• Flexible working patterns or changes to task design

When Should You Consider a Workplace Needs Assessment?

A Workplace Needs Assessment can be requested by either an employee or an employer, and it’s most valuable in the following situations:

1. When an Employee Discloses a Disability or Condition

If an employee shares that they are neurodivergent (e.g. ADHD, autism, dyslexia) or have a physical or mental health condition, this may trigger a legal duty to consider reasonable adjustments. A WNA provides a structured way to explore what those adjustments could be.

2. When Someone is Struggling - Even Without a Diagnosis

Not all disabilities are diagnosed, especially neurodivergent conditions. If someone is finding aspects of their role challenging (e.g. time management, sensory issues, written communication), a WNA can help uncover the underlying issues and suggest strategies to support them.

3. After a Period of Absence or Return to Work

Employees returning after a period of sickness or injury may need adjustments to help them re-integrate. A WNA can ensure the return is safe, sustainable, and supported reducing the risk of relapse or resignation.

4. As a Preventative or Proactive Measure

Forward-thinking employers offer assessments before problems arise, ideally, when onboarding new employees known to have support needs. It shows commitment to inclusion, reduces long-term costs and builds trust. Also consider WNA’s when someone changes job role as needs are often directly related to the nature of the work and environment.

5. When Conflict or Performance Issues Arise

Struggles with communication, concentration or executive functioning are performance issues, but if there is a reason for this such a neurodivergence, a warning and “must improve” is going to do very little to change the situation. A WNA will look at underlying causes and recommend tools and strategies that will improve performance.

Should you reach a point of needing a formal process a WNA will help to demonstrate you’ve done everything you can to support the individual. In reality, we often find that the right adjustments solve the problem and prevent a need for formal processes.

Legal Considerations for Employers

Under the Equality Act 2010, employers have a legal duty to make reasonable adjustments for disabled employees (those that meet the definition within the Act). The requirement to make reasonable adjustments is proactive and applies from the moment the employer becomes aware (or ought reasonably to be aware) that someone has a disability.

Failing to act can lead to discrimination claims, tribunal costs and reputational damage.

Whilst neurodivergent conditions are not automatically disabilities in that they are not one of the named conditions within the Equality Act 2010, they are likely to fall within the definition. In summary the definition requires that the condition is long term, neurodevelopmental conditions (e.g. ADHD, Autism, dyslexia) are life long; the condition must have a substantial (meaning more than trivial) impact on day to day activities and this part of the definition requires consideration of the impact when there is no supports or medication. Neurodevelopmental conditions are diagnosed by impairment, meaning the impact on one’s life and therefore are likely to meet the substantial impact requirement, particularly if the threshold has been met for diagnosis.

A Workplace Needs Assessment helps ensure compliance by demonstrating that you have sought expert recommendations and gives a route to clear documented reasoning behind implementing or not implementing those recommendations. Reports should provide employers with clear recommendations, bespoke to the individual, their job role and your organisation which help you to know exactly what steps to take.

All this said on the legal requirements, it is ultimately up to a tribunal to decide if someone meets the definition of disabled and it’s not the place any employer wants to end up. Most of the adjustments we’re recommending in Workplace Needs Assessments are relatively cheap and easy to implement and they help people thrive, do a better job, improve performance and attendance - regardless of whether someone meets the criteria for being legally defined disabled if we can make small tweaks to improve performance isn’t that worth doing?

Why a Workplace Needs Assessment is So Valuable

Whether you’re an HR professional, line manager, or employee a WNA offers powerful benefits:

For Employers:

• Reduce sickness absence and turnover
• Boost productivity and morale -️ Demonstrate your commitment to inclusion and equality -️ Get clear, expert guidance on what’s reasonable and what works

For Employees:

• Understand what’s contributing to your challenges
• Discover practical tools, adjustments and strategies
• Feel supported, not judged
• Reduce anxiety and increase confidence at work

Can an Employee Request a Workplace Needs Assessment Without a Diagnosis?

Absolutely - you do not need a formal diagnosis to request or benefit from a Workplace Needs Assessment. Workplace support is based on need and impact, not just diagnostic labels.

Workplace Needs Assessments focus on functional challenges, not diagnoses. We look at what’s getting in the way of someone’s work and recommend practical, tailored adjustments. In June 2025 the NHS ADHD Taskforce recommended that support be made available even before a formal clinical diagnosis, particularly for suspected ADHD. Their report calls for early, needs-based intervention, “uncoupled from diagnosis” .

This is especially important as the Taskforce reports waiting times stretching up to eight years for adults and four for children, yet highlights that needs-based support can prevent costly downstream consequences like unemployment, mental health issues and poor performance. Similar waiting lists apply for other neurodivergent conditions such as Autism, whilst dyslexia isn’t available for diagnosis on the NHS.

Next Steps

If you’re unsure whether a Workplace Needs Assessment is the right next step, we’re happy to chat. Our assessments are always tailored, practical, and focused on helping people succeed.

Article last updated: 17 July 2025