New Acas research has highlighted a significant gap in workplace experience for disabled employees.

The research, carried out by the National Centre for Social Research for Acas, suggests that the problem is often not the disability or health condition itself. Conflict is more likely to arise from how organisations and managers respond to it.

Common themes included delays or difficulties agreeing reasonable adjustments, poor communication about what support was needed and workplace policies being applied too rigidly. Some employees described feeling isolated or having to repeatedly push for adjustments and support.

That is an important distinction.

A policy may look perfectly reasonable on paper, but applying it without considering an individual's circumstances can quickly damage trust and relationships.

The figures also show why employers need to take this seriously. In 2024 to 2025, Acas received more than 28,000 disability discrimination early conciliation notifications, representing almost one in five cases. At the start of the decade, disability discrimination accounted for fewer than one in ten.

What can employers do?

This research is another reminder that workplace conflict rarely starts with a tribunal claim. It starts much earlier, often with a conversation that did not happen, an adjustment that took too long, an absence that was handled badly or a manager who simply did not feel confident enough to deal with the situation.

There is another reason employers should pay attention. From 30 October 2026, independent trade unions will have new statutory rights to seek access to workplaces, physically and digitally, to engage with workers.

Issues such as reasonable adjustments, disability-related absence and workplace conflict are exactly the kinds of concerns that can drive employees to seek additional support and representation. That is not an argument against trade union involvement. Quite the opposite. But it is another reason for employers to make sure their own employee relationships are working well.

At Impact Lawyers, our training is designed around the situations managers actually face, including:

• Management training, giving managers the confidence to have difficult conversations, make fair decisions and manage people as individuals.
• Informal dispute resolution training, helping managers identify conflict early and resolve issues before positions become entrenched.
• Absence management training, including disability-related absence, reasonable adjustments and how to balance individual needs with the needs of the organisation.

The law matters, but knowing the law is only part of good management. Managers also need the confidence and human skills to apply it properly.

If this Acas research feels familiar in your organisation, now is a good time to look at whether your managers genuinely feel equipped to deal with these situations.

Read the full Acas report

You can read the full research here: Disabled employees' experiences of workplace conflict | Acas .

This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. For specific legal advice tailored to your business, please contact the Impact Lawyers team.