Start with the barrier, not the tool

Don't begin with "what can this assistant do?". Begin with the part of the week that costs the most energy, and match it to one small setup in a tool your workplace has already approved.

• Fast meetings. A recap afterwards, with a list of what was asked of you, who asked and by when.
• Starting a big task. The brief broken into steps of half an hour or less, and the first one to start now.
• Long documents and email threads. Five dot points first, then your questions answered from the source.
• Vague instructions. Your rough notes turned into a short written brief you can send back to confirm.
• Picking up where you left off. A catch-up on what you committed to yesterday.

None of these needs a new system. They need someone to sit down once, set it up, and save the prompt somewhere it can be found on a bad day.

Ask about barriers, not diagnoses

This helps people who are neurodivergent, people with disability, and anyone who finds some parts of work harder than others. Nobody needs a diagnosis to benefit, and nobody should have to share one to get help.

If you manage people, offer the same short menu to your whole team. "Which part of this is hardest?" is enough of a question. You don't need to ask why. When it's open to everyone, the people who need it most can take it up without having to explain themselves.

What it isn't

• Not a replacement for other adjustments. Flexible hours, quiet spaces and clear written instructions still matter. AI sits alongside them.
• Not a fix for workplace culture. A tool can't make a team inclusive on its own.
• Not always right. Summaries drop the exception that matters and drafts promise things you didn't. Check anything important against the source.
• Not treatment. This is about work skills and work tools.

The guardrails

Use the tools your organisation has approved, on your work account. Keep health information out of prompts, yours and anyone else's. And everyone in a meeting agrees before it is transcribed. If someone says no, use your own notes afterwards.

What the evidence says so far

In December 2024, EY published a study it led with Microsoft. More than 300 employees at 17 organisations who identify as disabled or neurodivergent, and who use Microsoft 365 Copilot, were surveyed. 91% saw it as a valuable assistive technology, and 85% believed it can support a more inclusive workplace.

Two cautions. These are the views of people already using the tool, in a study done with its maker. And EY's own lead on the study said it does not fix inclusion in the wider workplace. I'd add that the idea isn't tied to one product: it works with whichever assistant your workplace has approved.

There is an Australian precedent. Australia Post began adopting Copilot in October 2023 in an early access program that included members of its accessibility employee network. It has since expanded to 3,000 licences, and Copilot is now offered within its Workplace Adjustment program (Microsoft, February 2025).

Where to start

Pick one barrier from the list. Try the matching setup for two weeks. Notice what changed: the effort, the time, or how you feel about the task. If it helps, ask to keep it as an adjustment. You can describe the barrier ("I lose the thread in fast meetings") without saying anything more.

This is general information, not legal or medical advice. If you'd like help setting this up for a team or an employee network, reach out to see how I can help.