Diabetes Reasonable Adjustments Guide

Create an Inclusive Workplace for Applicants and Employees with Diabetes

Supporting someone with diabetes during recruitment or at work can involve a wide range of considerations, and knowing what reasonable adjustments may help is not always straightforward.

This practical Diabetes Reasonable Adjustments Guide helps employees, employers, managers and HR professionals better understand some of the symptoms and workplace barriers associated with diabetes, with practical examples of adjustments and support that can be considered around the individual’s needs.

Whether you are preparing for a conversation about reasonable adjustments, recruiting someone with diabetes, supporting an employee at work or helping them return following a period of absence, the guide provides a useful starting point without having to research everything from scratch.

Understanding Diabetes at Work

Diabetes is a long-term condition that affects how the body regulates blood glucose. Type 1 and type 2 diabetes are managed in different ways, and the impact on everyday life and work can vary considerably from person to person.

The guide provides an overview of diabetes alongside examples of common symptoms, potential workplace barriers and tailored support. It considers how factors such as blood glucose monitoring, medication or insulin, meals and breaks, working patterns and physical demands may affect someone at work, as well as practical support that may help.

This provides useful context for understanding how diabetes may affect someone at work before considering what reasonable adjustments could be appropriate for the individual.

Reasonable Adjustments Throughout Employment

The guide considers reasonable adjustments at three important stages, recognising that the support someone needs may vary depending on their circumstances.

During recruitment
Practical considerations include flexible scheduling, allowing appropriate breaks during longer assessments or interviews, considering access to food, drink or medication where needed and discussing any individual support that may help the applicant participate fully.

At work
The guide explores areas such as flexible breaks, working patterns, access to appropriate facilities for managing diabetes, time for monitoring or medication, task modification, colleague awareness and other practical ways to reduce workplace barriers.

Returning from absence
Considerations include a phased or adaptable return to work, reviewing working hours, workload and breaks, and adjusting arrangements as the individual settles back into their role or their needs change.

Supporting the Individual, Not Just the Condition

No two people will experience diabetes in exactly the same way. How someone manages their condition, the impact on their work and the adjustments that may help them can vary considerably.

The guide encourages an individual approach by helping you:

• Consider the person’s role, circumstances and specific workplace barriers
• Explore adjustments and support that could help address their individual needs and workplace barriers
• Use the suggestions as a starting point for conversations rather than a fixed checklist
• Review support as circumstances or needs change
• Record relevant points and considerations using the included editable notes page

The notes page includes separate areas for during recruitment, at work and return from absence, helping you keep useful information organised for future reference.

The rest of the guide is provided as practical reference information and can be viewed on a computer or mobile device or printed for easy reference.

How the Guide Is Structured

The guide takes you from understanding diabetes and potential workplace barriers through to considering practical reasonable adjustments during recruitment, at work and when returning from absence, with an editable notes page for recording key points.

• Condition description
• Common symptoms, workplace barriers and tailored support
• Did You Know? fact page
• Reasonable adjustments during recruitment
• Reasonable adjustments at work
• Reasonable adjustments when returning from absence
• Editable notes page

Need Broader Reasonable Adjustments Support?

Our Reasonable Adjustments Bundles bring together practical resources to help you support a wider range of individual needs and put a more consistent approach to reasonable adjustments in place across your workplace.