Designing Fair Workplace Accommodation Policies for Chronically Ill Staff
Designed for HR business partners and People & Culture leads in mid-sized organizations (100-1000 staff) tasked with revising or creating accommodation policies for chronically ill employees. to spark real collaboration and high-energy learning.
A 90-minute virtual workshop. Audience is under pressure to improve organizational retention and inclusion scores but feels ill-equipped to address the nuanced needs of chronically ill staff. Many have encountered pushback from leadership and lack examples of workable, fair policy language.
Policy Puzzle Warm-Up
Participants individually review three anonymized excerpts from actual workplace accommodation policies and jot down what seems fair, unclear, or missing for chronically ill staff. This primes their attention to subtle gaps and sparks curiosity about best practices.
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Why this works
Starting with real policy snippets activates schema, primes critical analysis, and builds curiosity about what 'good' policies actually look like beyond compliance.
Myth Match: What’s Reasonable?
Present a fast-paced poll with common myths (e.g., 'HR must demand a doctor’s note for every accommodation,' 'Flexible hours are impossible for most roles'). Participants predict the true/false status and then see the evidence.
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Why this works
This debunks persistent misconceptions, setting a fact-based foundation and lowering defensiveness around policy changes.
Build-A-Policy Jamboard
In small breakout groups, participants use a shared Jamboard (or whiteboard) to brainstorm one practical accommodation example per group—no wrong answers, just creative thinking. Each group then posts their most realistic (or out-there!) idea for the larger group to see.
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Why this works
This gives everyone the chance to contribute ideas in a low-pressure way, modeling that brainstorming for accommodations can start broad before narrowing down.
Stand & Share: Policy Impact Stories
Invite participants to (virtually) 'stand' by using reactions or by literally standing if physical, when they’ve witnessed or heard about a fair or unfair accommodation experience. Volunteers briefly share stories, catalyzing energy and empathy.
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Why this works
Tapping physical movement and story-sharing boosts engagement and rapidly surfaces lived experience, helping the group grasp impact beyond policy text.
Impossible Choices: Manager’s Dilemma
Present a vivid case: A valued team member with unpredictable flare-ups requests remote work, but the company just mandated on-site returns. Ask: 'What would you do next if you were their manager?' Discuss in pairs, then debrief as a group.
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Why this works
Real-world dilemmas ground abstract policy in the emotional and ethical complexity managers actually face, prompting richer discussion.
Personal Policy Pledge
Facilitator invites each participant to write down one concrete action or policy change they’ll advocate for or implement back at work. Optionally, share with the group or a partner for accountability and reflection.
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Why this works
Active commitment builds psychological ownership, and personal connection ensures learning translates to real change.
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