Dyslexia at work

Many adults discover or confirm their dyslexia later in life. This page looks at strengths, friction points, and tools that can make a typical workday feel less draining.

1. Strengths that often show up

• Big-picture thinking and pattern spotting across projects.
• Strong verbal communication and story-telling.
• Persistence and problem-solving built from years of working around obstacles.
• People skills and empathy from lived experience of struggling in systems.

2. Where friction often lives

• Dense email threads with time-sensitive details.
• Policies and training material written in long, technical paragraphs.
• Forms and systems that time out quickly or cannot be easily reviewed.
• Roles that require constant rapid note-taking without support.

3. Apps that can lower the load

• Text-to-speech readers for long emails and documents.
• Speech-to-text for capturing ideas and meeting notes quickly.
• Visual task boards (kanban) so priorities are visible instead of held in memory.
• Calendar + reminder systems that send prompts before key deadlines.

4. Disclosure and rights

• In some countries and workplaces, you may have a right to reasonable accommodations.
• Whether to disclose is a personal decision; some prefer informal supports first.
• When you do disclose, framing around “what helps me do my best work” often lands better than labels alone.
• Consider speaking with HR, a union representative, or legal professional for advice in your location.