Someone reads a speech on white paper and cannot get through it. They read the same speech on green paper and memorise it in three reads. Same person. Same words. Different environment.
This is what a reasonable adjustment for dyslexia can look like.
Dyslexia is a neurological difference in how someone processes language and information. It goes well beyond reading.
It can impact: Sequencing, for example, following multi-step instructions in the right order. Working memory, holding a phone number in your head long enough to type it. Processing speed, understanding a sentence slower than the pace of the conversation. Time management, consistently misjudging how long something will take.
Many dyslexic people think in pictures rather than words. It is why dyslexic people are well represented in entrepreneurship, engineering, and design. Pattern recognition. Spatial reasoning. Big-picture thinking that connects things other people process separately.
In an office space, dyslexia is often masked behind extra hours. Someone who proofreads an email five times before sending it. Someone who spends twice as long on a report, not because the thinking is slow. The process of getting it onto a page takes more steps.
The workarounds are often invisible. Text-to-speech running quietly through headphones. A specific font on every screen because it makes the words stay still. Grey paper because white backgrounds cause eye strain that is often misattributed to tiredness. A tablet screen set to a warm beige background for the same reason.
This takes a lot of energy. Every day.
Workplace adjustments can be simple. Information shared verbally as well as in writing. Extra time for reading-heavy tasks. Printing materials on coloured paper. Presentation slides shared in advance.
None of this changes who someone is. It changes whether the environment lets them show what they can actually do.