Workplace Support Guide — Speaking Clearly at Work

Practical steps to get reasonable adjustments, document concerns, and have conversations that lead to fairer outcomes at work.

Plan: 30–60 minutes
High impact on day-to-day safety & fairness

This guide helps workers, union delegates, HR partners and advocates prepare for conversations that lead to better support at work. It focuses on clear, rights-based communication, simple documentation, and practical next steps you can use immediately.

Who this guide is for

  • Employees seeking reasonable adjustments or clearer processes
  • Managers who want to support team members well
  • Advocates supporting workplace cases

Quick checklist — before you start

  • Write a short summary of the issue in one sentence
  • List what support you want (example: flexible hours, quiet workspace)
  • Collect evidence (emails, medical note, incident dates)
  • Decide who you will talk to first (supervisor, HR, union rep)

Tip: keep your summary under 30 words — this makes it easier for managers to act.

Step-by-step: Practical workplace advocacy

1. Prepare your case

Be specific. Describe what is happening, where and when. Say how it affects your work and wellbeing. State clearly what you want to change.

Example: “When I work in the open-plan office, background noise makes tracking calls impossible. I would like regular access to a quiet room for two hours a day.”

2. Document facts and examples

Gather simple evidence: dates, short notes of conversations, emails, and any medical or specialist advice if available. Keep records in one place.

3. Request a meeting (use a short script)

Ask for a private meeting. Send a short email with the meeting purpose so your manager can prepare.

4. Use rights-based language in the meeting

Be calm and factual. Use “I” statements to describe impact. Offer reasonable options and be open to compromise. Ask for clear next steps and timelines.

5. Confirm outcomes in writing

After the meeting, send a short email summarising agreed actions, who will do what and by when. Ask for confirmation and save the reply.

6. Escalate respectfully if needed

If there is no action, follow your organisation’s grievance or escalation process. Keep communications polite and refer to the written meeting notes and timelines.

Ready-to-use scripts & templates

Meeting request email (short)

Subject: Meeting request — workplace support

Hi [Manager name],

Can we schedule a 30-minute meeting to talk about a workplace support need? I’d like to share a short example and discuss reasonable options.

Thanks,
[Your name]

Meeting script (use these lines)

Thank you for meeting today.

1) Summary: Briefly say the issue and its impact.
   — "When X happens, I can't Y. This affects my [work/safety]."

2) Evidence: Share one or two facts or dates.

3) Ask: "I would like [specific support]. Can we try this for X weeks?"

4) Next steps: Ask who will do what and by when.
   — "Can you confirm actions and timeframe by email?"

Follow-up confirmation email

Subject: Summary — meeting on [date]

Hi [Manager name],

Thanks for meeting today. As discussed:

• Action: [What will happen]
• Responsible: [Who will do it]
• Timeline: [When it will be done]

Please reply to confirm this is correct.

Kind regards,
[Your name]

Accessibility & reasonable adjustments

Reasonable adjustments are practical changes that remove barriers to doing your job. Examples include:

  • Flexible start/finish times
  • Quiet workspace, noise-cancelling options or flexible remote work
  • Modified duties or phased return after leave
  • Accessible documents, Easy Read or Auslan support for meetings

Ask for the format you need: If you need Easy Read, large print, Auslan or audio, say so in the meeting or the email.

How to measure whether support is working

  • Agree a short trial period (e.g. 4 weeks)
  • Set simple, measurable goals (e.g. “complete weekly client report without interruption”)
  • Schedule a check-in meeting and note progress

Troubleshooting & common problems

No response from manager

Send a short follow-up email asking for a quick confirmation. If there is still no reply, escalate to HR or your union representative with a copy of prior emails.

Manager refuses reasonable adjustments

Ask for the reason in writing and propose a smaller trial. If refusal is unclear or inconsistent with policy, contact HR, an advocate or a union advisor and keep records.

Further resources & supports

Contact Strategic Advocacy

If you’d like support preparing or attending a meeting, contact our team. Tell us the format you need (Easy Read, phone, Auslan).

Learning Hubs & training

We offer workplace-specific hubs that include scripts, role-play and manager toolkits. Visit Learning Hubs to learn more.

Advocacy Toolkit

Download templates and AAC-friendly cards from the Advocacy Toolkit (see our Resources page).

Next steps

  1. Draft your one-sentence summary and what you want changed
  2. Book a short meeting using the template email
  3. Confirm outcomes in writing and agree a trial period
  4. Check progress and adjust as needed

Final note

Speaking clearly, documenting facts and asking for a short trial makes it easier for managers to say yes. Keep records of meetings and outcomes. If you need help, Strategic Advocacy can support meeting preparation, Easy Read versions and practice role-plays.