Dyslexia Awareness Week: Beyond Awareness –  Creating a Dyslexia-Friendly Workplace for Everyone

Dyslexia Awareness Week (5th-11th October 2026) is an opportunity for organisations to look beyond awareness and consider what DEI (Diversity, Equity and Inclusion) means in practice. Dyslexia is part of the neurodiversity of our workplaces, and creating a dyslexia-friendly environment can help remove barriers for employees, volunteers, customers, clients and visitors.

What is Dyslexia?

Dyslexia is a learning difference that can affect areas such as reading, writing, spelling, memory and processing information. However, dyslexia affects people differently and is not an indicator of intelligence or ability.

Many people with dyslexia develop valuable skills and strategies that can contribute positively to the workplace. These may include problem-solving, lateral or big-picture thinking, creativity and visual thinking.

Dyslexia in the workplace

So, what can dyslexia look like at work?

Someone may find certain tasks more challenging, such as reading lengthy documents, writing, processing large amounts of information, organising tasks or following written instructions. This does not mean they cannot do the job. Sometimes the difficulty lies not with the individual, but with the way a workplace communicates or structures its processes.

A dyslexia-friendly workplace recognises that people may work and process information differently, while focusing on individual strengths as well as areas where support may be helpful.

Moving beyond assumptions

One of the most important steps employers can take is to avoid assumptions.

Not every dyslexic person will need the same support, and not every challenge will be related to dyslexia. Rather than assuming what someone needs, employers should create an environment where people feel comfortable discussing their individual requirements.

This is particularly important across recruitment, training, performance management and career development. Processes that rely heavily on written communication or timed assessments, for example, may unintentionally create barriers.

Reasonable adjustments and practical support

What can employers do to support dyslexic employees?

Reasonable adjustments should be considered according to the individual and their role. Examples can include:

• Text-to-speech or speech-to-text software
• Clear, straightforward written instructions
• Providing information in different formats
• Additional time for reading or written tasks
• Quiet spaces to reduce distractions
• Providing key information in advance

The British Dyslexia Association notes that many adjustments are relatively simple and may benefit other employees too.

Employers have legal duties around reasonable adjustments where the Equality Act 2010 applies. Access to Work may also provide additional support beyond an employer’s reasonable adjustments.

Making the Workplace Dyslexia-Friendly for Everyone

But being dyslexia-friendly should not stop with employees.

Customers, clients, visitors and volunteers may also have dyslexia. Organisations can consider whether their signage, forms, websites, written instructions and customer communications are easy to understand and access.

Using clear language, avoiding unnecessary clutter and providing information in accessible formats can make interactions easier for everyone.

Dyslexia and DEI

Dyslexia should form part of a wider DEI strategy, alongside consideration of other disabilities and forms of neurodiversity.

Ask whether your recruitment, communication, training and workplace processes are genuinely accessible. A strong DEI approach is not simply about treating everyone identically; it is about recognising different needs and removing unnecessary barriers.

Inclusion for everyone

Dyslexia Awareness Week is a reminder that inclusion is about more than awareness. It is about creating environments where people feel able to discuss their needs, use their strengths and participate fully.

A genuinely inclusive organisation considers everyone who interacts with it – not just the people on the payroll.

At IDEA, we help organisations take a practical approach to understanding individual needs, improving workplace inclusion and embedding accessibility into everyday practice.