'Reasonable' Workplace Adjustments

These sound reasonable, and you're right that you're absolutely legally entitled to these adjustments if they can be reasonably accommodated within your job role. If they allow you to work better, it's in everybody's interests to allow you them. Nevertheless, I can completely relate to being nervous about disclosing. I've done some reading of studies on how disclosure in the workplace goes, as I was very nervous about disclosing myself - very happy to share my impressions from what I've read if that would be interesting. 

You might be interested in the NDSA information here: https://ndsa.uk/content/reasonable-adjustments/, and here: https://ndsa.uk/content/employment/. Have a think about whether other adjustments would be helpful on top of what you've listed. I think you can sometimes get Brain in Hand via Access to Work, for example. Or if lights are too bright, or office clothes can be uncomfortable, or you could do with a quiet place for your breaks - all those things are worth considering if they'd make things easier for you.

Best of luck! Let us know how it goes :)

Thank you! I think I've seen (but not properly read) those pages from my own nervous googling of what adjustments are and what was actually sensible or... Reasonable!

Yes please do share your impressions it would be great to see what you've come up alongside my own thoughts on it. 

One thing I saw on the links that i forgot to list was regular 1 to 1 reviews so I understand how I'm doing in my role. I think after 7 years of employing me they probably have some idea of how I work or don't in some cases. I feel relatively safe in that they are happy with my performance and should want to help me to help themselves. 

My main issues I think stem from the culture in the workplace, it's a very "traditional" place and the older managers are certainly set in their ways. I don't think they are intentionally dismissive of neuro diversity, it's just not come up for them much. But I am keen to at least make people aware of it and maybe break some stereotypes they might have!

Thank you! I think I've seen (but not properly read) those pages from my own nervous googling of what adjustments are and what was actually sensible or... Reasonable!

Yes please do share your impressions it would be great to see what you've come up alongside my own thoughts on it. 

One thing I saw on the links that i forgot to list was regular 1 to 1 reviews so I understand how I'm doing in my role. I think after 7 years of employing me they probably have some idea of how I work or don't in some cases. I feel relatively safe in that they are happy with my performance and should want to help me to help themselves. 

My main issues I think stem from the culture in the workplace, it's a very "traditional" place and the older managers are certainly set in their ways. I don't think they are intentionally dismissive of neuro diversity, it's just not come up for them much. But I am keen to at least make people aware of it and maybe break some stereotypes they might have!

Sorry for the delay - didn't realise you don't get a notification when someone replies!

My impression from articles published in the last few years (but I don't think any mentioned covid's impact on reasonable adjustments, which is quite relevant, I reckon - we've just had a period where adjustments had to be made for many people to work from home, in a variety of family situations, etc.) is that researchers are generally very positive about disclosure of autism in the workplace, and particularly quantitative data supports this. I do question the validity of some of these findings, as they don't control for the fact that many autistic people who disclose will  be capable of and confident in the quite complex communication skills demanded by disclosure, or feel confident disclosing due to their relationships with colleagues and managers. You could be self-selectingly part of this group, of course.

One article (Romualdez?, Walker and Remington, 2021) is quite good in noting contributors to successful disclosures, i.e. managers' understanding of autism, their willingness and capacity for adaptations, and the level of inclusivity in the organisational culture.

Qualitative studies of course revealed more reservations, noting that some autistic people found disclosure detrimental in some way (for example, one study finds that managers may have reservations about giving autistic people jobs involving communication, while autistic employees may still want those jobs). I think this would indicate that very good communication about what autism means and does not mean for you is warranted.

My reading did allay some of my fears, and helped me to feel more confident disclosing to people who should have some idea what autism can mean. If you feel confident in your job role and how they feel about your work, that's a really positive base to go off (both in terms of the outcome for you, and maybe breaking those stereotypes!).

1-1 reviews sounds really good - maybe also ask that the reviews include feedback on how the adjustments are going and whether you need anything else? 

Sorry, need to dash to work now, but will keep an eye out in case you want to reply (apparently I'll get a notification if you @ me, which could help!).