The Self-Advocacy Script: How to Ask for Workplace Accommodations

The Self-Advocacy Script: How to Ask for Workplace Accommodations

You are capable, intelligent, and driven, but your workspace or workflow is actively working against your brain. Maybe you need noise-canceling headphones, flexible hours to avoid peak distraction times, or the ability to receive instructions in writing instead of verbally.

Knowing you need support is one thing; asking for it is another. For many neurodivergent professionals, the anxiety of disclosing needs and fearing rejection makes self-advocacy feel impossible.

However, requesting workplace accommodations is a right, and it is a necessary step toward sustaining your career and preventing burnout. This is your three-step guide and Self-Advocacy Script for navigating the process with confidence.

🧠 Step 1: Define the Problem, Not the Diagnosis

When speaking to HR or a manager, focus the conversation on the functional challenge you face, not the medical label. This makes the request practical and less intimidating.

The Golden Rule: Focus on Performance

Every accommodation requested must be framed as a way to improve your performance or mitigate burnout (which costs the company money).

🛠️ Step 2: Prepare Your 3-Part Self-Advocacy Script

Walk into the conversation prepared with a simple, three-part script to keep you focused and calm:

1. The Statement: “I’m really committed to [Job/Company Goal], and to ensure my best performance, I need to discuss a workflow adjustment that will address a specific functional barrier I’m encountering.” (Sets a positive, professional tone).

2. The Problem & Solution (The Ask): “My current challenge is [Functional Problem: e.g., difficulty organizing large amounts of verbal information]. To fix this, I am requesting [Specific Accommodation: e.g., that all high-priority task assignments be delivered via email or Trello board].”

3. The Benefit: “This adjustment will allow me to [Benefit: e.g., eliminate errors, reduce processing time, or ensure I meet deadlines consistently].”

Essential Accommodations to Consider:

• Communication: Written vs. Verbal instruction preference.

• Environment: Permission to use noise-canceling headphones, permission to sit facing a wall, or flexible desk location.

• Time/Flexibility: Flex-time for high-focus work, or specific scheduled breaks for movement.

📈 Step 3: Follow Up and Document Everything

Self-advocacy is a process, not a one-time event. Documentation is your protection.

1. Initial Contact: Request the meeting via email so you have a digital record of the date and time.

2. Summary Email: Immediately after the meeting, send a follow-up email summarizing the agreement: "Thank you for meeting with me. As discussed, we agreed that I will begin receiving all complex tasks via the Trello board to improve organization, starting next Monday."

3. Review: Schedule a check-in (30 or 60 days later) to review how the accommodation is working for both you and the organization.

Final Hugs

Asking for accommodations is an act of proactive self-care and professional responsibility. By defining your needs clearly, focusing on performance, and using a prepared script, you take control of your work environment. You deserve a workspace where you can function at your peak.