Poor relationships: The real cause of growing disability disputes?

Summary

More employees are being classified as having a disability — conditions such as stress, anxiety, depression, menopause and ADHD are increasingly recognised, and those classifications are driving a rise in workplace discrimination claims. Acas data shows disability-related disputes rose by 31% in the past year, now accounting for around one in six disputes. A recent tribunal found an employer liable after they conducted a needs assessment for an employee with ADHD but failed to implement recommended actions, including colleague training.

The article argues that changing expectations and the grey areas around non-visible conditions create interpretation challenges under the Equality Act 2010. Standard HR advice (early dialogue, equal processes, reviews) helps but often doesn’t address the root cause: poor everyday relationships between managers and staff. Strong day-to-day relational skills and a ‘clear-air culture’ reduce escalation.

Key Points

Disability-related disputes are rising sharply (Acas: +31% year-on-year), now making up ~1 in 6 workplace disputes.
Many disabilities are less visible (stress, ADHD, menopause), producing grey areas under the Equality Act 2010 about what counts as substantial and long-term impairment.
Standard risk-mitigation (early dialogue, open processes, review of adjustments) is necessary but not sufficient.
Poor everyday relationships between managers and teams allow secrecy and mistrust to fester, turning manageable issues into formal grievances and legal claims.
Creating a ‘clear-air culture’ and practical steps — early mediation, professional mediators, time and space for conversations, robust investigations, and building conversational integrity — prevents escalation.

Context and relevance

This is important for HR leaders, line managers and business owners: the piece links a legal and operational trend (more disability claims) to a cultural and relational problem that organisations can influence. With growing legal awareness among employees, failing to follow through on adjustments or to foster open relationships increases litigation risk and damages trust. Conversely, handling disclosures properly is an opportunity to strengthen engagement and retention.

Why should I read this?

Quick and useful: if you manage people or work in HR, this is a heads-up that disputes aren’t just about policy — they’re often about lousy day-to-day relationships. The article gives five straightforward levers you can act on now to stop small tensions becoming tribunals.

Author style

Punchy: the write-up is direct and practical — it flags legal risk but focuses on what organisations can do immediately. If you care about reducing grievances, the detailed steps (mediation, trained mediators, proper investigations, conversational skills) are worth a close read.

Source

Source: https://hrzone.com/poor-relationships-the-real-cause-of-growing-disability-disputes/