Burnout Isn’t a Personal Failing. It’s a Systemic One (Part 4)

People Shouldn’t Have to Fight for What They Need

In my previous post, I talked about how safe and inclusive workplaces are built on a foundation of clarity, good change management, flexibility, and psychological safety.

But even with the best practices in place, there will still be times when individualised support is necessary.

That’s where reasonable adjustments - or accommodations - come in.

Providing accommodations for individual needs isn't special treatment or a favour. It's fundamental to meeting legal obligations.

But providing accommodations is about more than legal compliance.

It’s about building workplaces that are genuinely responsive to people’s needs and work for everyone.

Equity, Not Equality

Accommodations might include:

• Physical changes or specialised equipment (support is available through programs like JobAccess).

• Adjusting working hours.

• Providing sensory regulation tools.

• Reducing the number, length, frequency, or format of meetings.

• Allowing more transition time between tasks.

 The key principle here is equity – not equality:

• Equality means everyone gets the same thing.

• Equity means everyone gets what they need.

Because individual accommodations  aren’t about treating everyone the same; they’re about providing people with the tools they need, not just to survive, but to thrive.

Don’t Wait Until Someone is Struggling

 

Too often, workplaces wait until someone is visibly struggling or discloses a diagnosis before providing support.

This approach is problematic:

• Not everyone feels safe to disclose a disability or access needs.

• Not everyone has a formal diagnosis.

• Many people carry trauma from previous negative experiences.

• Some people simply don’t know their rights or what to ask for.

When systems rely on employees advocating loudly or repeatedly, they miss those who need support most.

A better approach is to create a workplace culture where asking for adjustments is the norm - not the exception.

Embedding accommodations into everyday practice communicates clearly that difference isn’t just accepted - it’s expected.

What Does a Proactive, High-Trust Culture Look Like?

Proactive, high-trust cultures don’t wait for someone to ask for help—or break down trying. They normalise support, expect difference, and embed access into everyday practice.

Here’s what that looks like in action.

Accommodations Are an Ongoing Conversation

In inclusive workplaces, the conversation shifts from

“What’s your diagnosis?”

to

“What helps you work best?”

This question should be asked of every employee - regardless of disability disclosure - as part of the standard onboarding process.

When adjustments are openly discussed from the start, employees don’t feel pressured to disclose personal information (that they're not legally obligated to share) or to prove they’re struggling just to access support.

It’s also important to recognise that people’s support needs change. Especially after significant life events, workplace restructuring, or shifts in roles and responsibilities.

During routine check-ins, managers should ask:

• “Are your current supports still working for you?”

• “Is there anything that would make things easier right now?”

• “Would you like me to advocate for anything with senior leadership?”

Keeping these conversations proactive, relational, and relaxed helps prevent crises from escalating and ensures ongoing trust and engagement.

The Process is Clear and Accessible

Requesting accommodations should be simple, transparent, and accessible. The process should be:

• Easy to find and understand.

• Available in Plain English, and multiple formats (text, audio, video).

• Clearly outlined step-by-step.

No employee should have to chase approvals, repeatedly justify requests, or explain their situation multiple times.

Complexity is a barrier, and unclear processes lead to burnout.

Managers Respond with Openness and Compassion

Often, the harm isn’t caused by bad policies—it’s caused by poor responses.

Managers need to respond with openness, curiosity, and empathy when someone requests support. They must:

• Be non-judgmental and approachable.

• Understand not just disability rights but also the lived experiences of disabled employees.

• Be willing to learn directly from disabled people.

Managers don’t need to know everything, but they must be willing to learn and show genuine compassion. Because negative responses create lasting harm, even in otherwise inclusive workplaces.

Trust is Built Through Consistency

Saying yes isn’t enough—follow-through is crucial.

Disabled employees often experience accommodations quietly disappearing, especially when managers or team structures change. This erodes trust, creates anxiety, and pushes talented people out.

If you truly want to retain your best people, make sure adjustments are consistently honoured, respected, and reviewed regularly. This builds trust, reduces anxiety, and creates workplaces people genuinely want to be part of.

Key Takeaways

Inclusion starts with leadership.

Inclusive workplaces are proactive, not reactive.  They don’t wait for someone to burnout before they offer support. They make accommodations normal, everyday practice - not crisis management.

It’s not about having perfect policies; it’s about how you respond when someone speaks up.

Make "What helps you work best?" a standard part of your onboarding and check-ins. Then listen - and keep listening. Because people’s needs change, especially when the system itself is hard to navigate.

Inclusion thrives on open dialogue, consistency and follow-through.

When workplaces respond consistently with empathy and respect, everyone benefits.

People stay, grow, and thrive.

Inclusion Benefits Everyone

Inclusive employment isn’t just about disability. Everyone, at some point, will need personalised support - whether due to illness, injury, caregiving, or traumatic life events.

Inclusive employment is about

• Building systems that are safe and accessible for everyone.

• Not expecting people with disability to conform to ableist ideals of productivity, independence, and communication.

• Recognising that masking difficulties and pushing beyond limits just to stay in the room isn’t sustainable - or acceptable.

From Survival to Belonging: What Real Inclusion Feels Like

At my last workplace, a disability organisation built on the language of inclusion, I learned how unsafe it can feel when values aren’t backed by action.

I was navigating unclear expectations, poorly managed change, pressure to mask my differences - to perform, to push through, to carry more than anyone realised – without support.

And when that led to burnout, it was framed as a personal failing.

Now, I work for an organisation that is genuinely committed to inclusion.

Everyone at YDAN - staff and board members - has lived experience of disability: physical, cognitive, sensory, and psychosocial. And my neurodivergence isn’t just tolerated, it’s actively welcomed.

That creates a sense of safety and belonging that’s hard to find.

It shouldn’t be hard to find. Everyone deserves to feel safe, supported, valued, and understood in the workplace.

But for many disabled people, it is. And that needs to change.

No one should feel like their presence is merely tolerated, or conditional on them fitting into a system that doesn’t support their needs.

Inclusion doesn’t need to be complicated, but it must be intentional. 

Inclusion isn’t just about letting people through the door. It’s about building  workplaces where people feel safe to stay, supported to grow, and trusted to lead.

Genuine inclusion is grounded in our shared humanity. It recognises that our diversity is not a problem to be solved, but a strength to be honoured. And it doesn’t erase difference -  it embraces it.

“In our work and in our living, we must recognize that difference is a reason for celebration and growth, rather than a reason for destruction.”

    — Audre Lorde