Supporting dyslexia at work means looking closely at how people demonstrate their capability. Your organisation might need someone who solves problems, builds relationships or makes sound decisions. Yet your recruitment and promotion processes may reward whoever reads fastest or produces the neatest written answer.
The British Dyslexia Association estimates that around 10% of people are dyslexic. However, dyslexia affects people differently, so managers should discuss individual needs rather than assume a standard set of difficulties or strengths.
This October, inspect the route from receiving information to delivering work. Where does the process add effort that the job itself does not require?
Separate the outcome from the format
Consider a project manager who gives a clear verbal explanation but needs longer to produce a written report. Before judging their overall capability, establish which parts of the role require written accuracy, speed or a particular format.
Safety instructions, financial information and customer communications may demand careful checking. However, an internal update might work equally well through a structured template or a conversation followed by agreed actions.
Ask what the organisation needs to achieve, then consider different ways to achieve it. You can maintain meaningful standards while changing the route someone takes.
Similarly, review recruitment exercises. A timed written test should assess something relevant to the role. Otherwise, you risk screening candidates for the demands of your application process.
A manager’s checklist for dyslexia at work
Use these checks to start a conversation and review everyday practices. They do not replace individual support or specialist advice where needed.
1. Check how you invite support requests
Explain who candidates and employees can contact privately about adjustments. Make that route easy to find. Also explain what happens next, so people do not have to guess whether asking will count against them.
2. Check your documents
Use descriptive headings, plain language and manageable sections. Avoid dense instructions buried inside long paragraphs. Ask the employee which presentation helps them, rather than imposing one font, colour or layout as a universal solution.
3. Check where instructions live
Keep the current version in an agreed location and identify changes clearly. If you update a deadline during a meeting, update the task record too. Nobody should need detective skills to establish which instruction still applies.
4. Check preparation time
Share agendas and substantial reading in advance where possible. Springing a lengthy document on someone and demanding an immediate response may tell you little about their understanding once they have processed it.
5. Check how you teach new tasks
Explain, demonstrate and let the person practise. Provide a usable reference afterwards and ask what else would help. A successful demonstration does not guarantee that someone can recall every step when working alone later.
6. Check tools in the real workflow
Discuss whether speech-to-text, text-to-speech or other tools could help. If you agree a tool, arrange access and training. Also check security requirements and compatibility, so the employee can use it within your systems.
7. Check how you assess performance
Identify the specific concern and its impact. Distinguish essential accuracy requirements from preferences about presentation. Then review whether the employee has suitable support before deciding what the problem says about their overall performance.
8. Check whether adjustments still work
Record agreed arrangements and review them together. A promotion, new system or changing workload may create different barriers. Therefore, revisit support when the work changes, rather than assuming yesterday’s arrangement will remain enough.
Keep support individual and expectations clear
Acas explains that workers do not need a diagnosis to qualify for disability protection under the Equality Act 2010. Employers must make reasonable adjustments where the duty applies. Do not postpone practical support simply because someone lacks paperwork.
Discuss the barrier, the required outcome and possible solutions. Keep personal information private and seek specialist advice if the situation needs it.
For a small business, start with one recurring task. In a charity, review reporting demands across funders and projects. In a larger organisation, examine whether recruitment, training and promotion processes recognise capability consistently.
Make capability easier to see
Choose one process this week and ask: are we assessing the work, or the way someone presents it?
Then agree a change and review whether it helps. Clearer information and relevant assessments give people a fairer opportunity to contribute.
Cape Consulting helps organisations review recruitment, management and workplace support, so they can make better use of the talent they already have. Talk to us about supporting dyslexia at work.