Assistive Technology in the Workplace

I have worked with many people who enjoy their work but have become ill or developed a disability that seems to mean they are not able to continue in this job.

It is a shock to find that you can no longer comfortably undertake certain duties in work. You may find that pressure is on you to find a solution to this problem.

What do you do?

Well my advice is to get help as soon as you can. Stop worrying as there are usually adaptations that you can implement easily or at least with a bit of training.

Example:

You have a computer and have always typed up your own letters, reports etc but your sight is deteriorating.

Some of the questions I would ask you:

• If we installed a magnification package onto your computer, would enlarging the text make things easier for you?
• Would you benefit from changing background colours and/or the font colours.
• Is your eyesight deterioration going to get worse or will it stay as it is? If there is a chance that your sight could get worse, would you benefit from learning to use a screen reader instead?

The example above is one of many scenarios. You do not have to feel alone or helpless as there are many people who can advise you in how to make the adjustments you need. Job Centre Plus have Disability Advisors dedicated to helping you make any adjustments. So they are probably the best place to start as they may be able to offer financial support to your employer to make these necessary adjustments.

There are many different products available and one will suit your needs.  Enabling Work assessors are trained to look at your job tasks and the problems you are experiencing, they will then be able to recommend the best solution for you to continue in your job.

Over the coming weeks I will be looking at different solutions to Workplace Assistive Technology Solutions.

Feel free to let me know of your experiences or observations.

Sue  Berry