Not knowing what you need is normal
As a disabled person, one of the hardest questions I have been asked at work is:
What adjustments do you need?
It is meant well, and comes from a place of wanting to help and support me. But it can also be a surprisingly difficult question to answer, and it can feel like a lot of pressure to get it right.
The truth is that disability does not come with a handy user guide.
I found it hard to find anything that clearly told me:
- which tools exist
- what will actually help
- how to explain what I need in a way that feels clear and reasonable
Often, it can feel very difficult to say with confidence;
I need this specific tool, set up in this specific way.
For many of us, that is simply not how it works.
It is not just you
This is not about a lack of effort or awareness – it is about how complex and hidden this space can be.
Assistive technology covers a huge range of tools – from built-in settings you might not have noticed, to specialist software you have not heard of. Even knowing what is available can feel like a daunting mountain to climb.
On top of that, there is often:
- pressure to get it right first time
- a worry about asking for too much, or the wrong thing
- the reality that finding what works often involves trial and error
That trial and error takes time, energy, and confidence – all things that can be in short supply when you are also managing a health condition or impairment at work.
Small changes can make a big difference
What is easy to miss is that support does not always come from big, specialist tools.
Often, it is the smaller adjustments that have the biggest impact:
- a setting that makes text easier to read
- a tool that helps you stay focused
- a different way of writing or organising your work
Many of these options are already available through the built-in settings on your device. They are just not always visible, or easy to find.
A starting point, not a perfect answer
This is where our new site Somerset Work Your Way comes in.
It has been created to bring together simple, practical guides to tools that can support different ways of working. There are tips to help with the basics, as well as 5 dedicated sections to more specific tools – visual, hearing, mobility, focus and planning, and mental health.
It is not designed to have all the answers, or to tell you what you should be using. Instead, it is here to:
- help you explore what is available
- give you a clearer sense of what might help
- take some of the pressure off having to “just know”
You can think of it as a supportive place to try things out, rather than a checklist you need to complete.
You do not have to identify as disabled to use this tool
Many of the tools we now take for granted – like keyboards or voice activated tools like Alexa and Siri – started life as assistive technology. It turns out making things more accessible tends to make them better for everyone!
The tools in these guides help with things that affect all of us at different times:
- fatigue
- focus
- stress
- information overload
- physical discomfort
The line between assistive technology and useful technology is often much thinner than it sounds.
Using these tools is not about labels or a diagnosis. It is about finding ways to work that feel more manageable, comfortable, and sustainable.
A safe place to experiment
There is no single right setup, everyone has their own combination of needs and preferences.
What works for one person might not work for another, and what works for you today might change over time.
Remember you are allowed to:
- try something and decide it is not helpful
- use a tool in a way it was not originally designed for – if it helps, it helps
- start small and build from there – you do not have to have all the answers on day one
Sometimes even one small change – something that saves a bit of energy or makes a task slightly easier – can have a bigger impact than you expect.
Personally, I had no idea how much I was missing in voice and video calls until I started using live captions. Being able to both hear what is being said and read it at the same time helps me stay more present, understand more easily, and respond more quickly than I could before.
You do not have to figure it out alone
If there is one thing this hub is trying to do, it is this:
To remove the expectation that you already have all the answers.
Because most people simply do not. Not knowing what you need does not mean there is nothing that could help. It just means you have not found it yet – and that is okay.
A place to get started
If you have ever been asked “what do you need?” and not known how to answer, the Somerset Work Your Way website is for you.
It is a place to start exploring, without pressure or judgement, and without needing to get everything right first time. If you do find something that works, even in a small way, that is already progress.
Remember: There is no single perfect setup, there is just what works best for you.
