Dyslexia at Work: Workflow, Not Word-Perfect

Dyslexia is not a measure of intelligence; it’s a difference in how information is processed—especially around phonological decoding, working memory, and processing speed. In modern workplaces, the biggest barrier isn’t spelling its workflow designed for constant, rapid reading and immaculate, on-the-spot writing. Fix the workflow and most “performance issues” evaporate into simple design problems.

What dyslexia typically affects (and what it doesn’t)

Research consistently links dyslexia with difficulties in phonological processing and limited working-memory capacity, which makes fast decoding, holding multiple instructions in mind, and switching between drafting and proofreading particularly effortful. None of this implies poorer reasoning, creativity, or judgement. Many dyslexic professionals excel at pattern recognition, big-picture thinking, and problem framing—strengths you only see when the format stops getting in the way.

Where hidden friction lives in knowledge work

Friction appears when tasks arrive as vague requests (“ASAP”), when key information is buried in long emails, and when judgement is assessed through speed reading and first-draft polish. Interruptions, busy visual environments, and meeting-heavy days amplify the problem: working memory is spent on finding the task rather than doing it. The result is avoidable rework, missed cues, and late confidence—often misread as “carelessness”.

Design the work so the brain can do the work

Start by making intent unmissable. A short-written brief—goal, deliverable, audience, deadline, and what will count as “good”—pays for itself in minutes saved. Share materials in advance and summarise decisions in writing so people are not reconstructing from memory. Use predictable templates for common artefacts (recaps, proposals, decision notes) so readers know where to find what, every time. None of this is “special treatment”; it’s good engineering for variable brains.

Next, normalise multimodal communication. Accept drafts by typed text, dictated notes, or short audio, and allow time to edit for surface accuracy after the thinking is complete. Separate composition from proofreading: first get the ideas right, then tidy. In meetings, invite contributions by voice, chat, or a shared document and capture outcomes immediately; don’t make recall a test.

Finally, externalise memory. Move tasks out of heads and into boards or lists tied to calendars. Break large deliverables into visible, sequenced steps with acceptance criteria. This reduces start-up friction and makes progress legible without constant status checks.

Tools that help without drama

Text-to-speech supports proofreading and comprehension; dictation speeds drafting when the keyboard bottlenecks thought. Reader-friendly formatting—adequate line spacing, left alignment, meaningful headings, and plain language—reduces visual and cognitive load. Screen-reader-compatible documents and accessible PDFs are not just for compliance; they are productivity boosters for everyone.

Fair performance standards, clear assessment

Hold outcomes constant—accuracy of facts, clarity of decisions, timeliness—while allowing different routes to reach them. Judge the work on its effect: did the brief move the project forward, was the analysis sound, are the next steps obvious? Surface errors should be corrected, but they’re a quality-control step, not the whole job. Where polished language matters (e.g., client-facing copy), treat editing as a defined stage or shared responsibility rather than an implicit solo test.

Disclosure, adjustments, and UK law

Under the Equality Act 2010, employers have a duty to make reasonable adjustments to remove substantial disadvantage. In practice, many dyslexia-friendly measures are universal design choices—clear briefs, accessible documents, extra time for drafting, and predictable review cycles—that need no medical paperwork to begin. For specialised software or coaching, the UK Access to Work scheme may help with funding; keep health information private and route clinical detail through HR or Occupational Health as appropriate.

A brief vignette

Lewis, a product manager, struggled to hit deadlines when tasks arrived piecemeal. His team agreed to use a one-page brief for every work item, introduced text-to-speech for review, and split composition from final edit. Within a month, throughput increased and meetings shortened because decisions were captured in writing. No change to the standard—just a better route to meet it.

The cultural signal that unlocks performance

Say it plainly: “We value the quality of your thinking. Use the tools and formats that help you get there; we’ll tidy together.” That sentence lowers masking, increases speed to first draft, and moves attention where it belongs—on outcomes.

References (APA-7)

• British Dyslexia Association. (n.d.). Dyslexia in the workplace. https://www.bdadyslexia.org.uk

• Department for Work and Pensions. (n.d.). Access to Work: Factsheet for employers. https://www.gov.uk/access-to-work

• Equality Act 2010, c. 15 (UK).

• Gathercole, S. E., & Baddeley, A. D. (1993). Working memory and language. Psychology Press.

• Snowling, M. J. (2019). Dyslexia: A very short introduction (2nd ed.). Oxford University Press.

• Vellutino, F. R., Fletcher, J. M., Snowling, M. J., & Scanlon, D. M. (2004). Specific reading disability (dyslexia): What have we learned in the past four decades? Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 45(1), 2–40. https://doi.org/10.1046/j.0021-9630.2003.00305.x