CASE STUDY
NetWork Rail
Discover how NetWork rail has reduced the risk of adjustments becoming inconsistent, outdated or overlooked, and strengthened safety outcomes by ensuring colleagues receive the adjustments they need, rather than those assumed to be feasible.
The Context
In a national, safety-critical organisation like Network Rail, workplace adjustments are not an administrative detail they are a core component of safety, compliance and workforce resilience.
With over 40,000 employees, frequent role changes and a high proportion of safety-critical roles, Network Rail faced a familiar but high-risk challenge: ensuring that workplace adjustments remained current, consistent and visible, rather than fragmented across emails, spreadsheets and local practices.
The Challenge
Historically, adjustments risked becoming outdated or overlooked when colleagues changed roles or managers. Managers were often required to rely on memory or personal judgement, increasing the risk of inconsistency, particularly in safety-critical environments where assumptions can carry real operational consequences.
At the same time, Network Rail needed stronger organisational assurance: clear audit trails, consistent decision-making, and confidence that Equality Act duties were being met proactively rather than reactively. The risk was not only operational, but legal and reputational, unresolved or poorly evidenced adjustments have the potential to escalate into formal disputes or claims.
The Approach
Network Rail implemented a system-led, employee-centred workplace adjustment model, supported by Cleartalents, creating a single, central record for all workplace adjustment requests.
At the heart of the model is a live inclusion passport. Adjustments are not treated as static or one-off decisions; they are reviewed, updated and carried with the individual as roles, teams or managers change. This continuity ensures that critical information is never lost and that support remains relevant over time.
For managers particularly those responsible for safety-critical roles, the structured process provides clarity and confidence. Guidance, prompts, previous adjustments and review points are all held in one place, reducing reliance on informal arrangements and broadening understanding of what is possible within policy and safety constraints.
Crucially, HR have established Local Adjustment Points of Contact (LAPOCs) within local HR teams who have appropriate visibility and oversight. This ensures that access to personal and sensitive information is carefully controlled, proportionate, and aligned to governance requirements. This approach is intentional. It protects colleagues’ data, ensures it is handled securely, and makes sure information is only used in the way individuals have agreed and for the purpose it was provided, to support them at work.
The Impact
The approach has materially reduced the risk of adjustments becoming inconsistent, outdated or overlooked. It has strengthened safety outcomes by ensuring colleagues receive the adjustments they need, rather than those assumed to be feasible.
From a compliance perspective, Equality Act assurance is built into the system itself. Decisions are policy-led, evidence-based and auditable, creating a clear record of what has been considered, agreed and reviewed. This significantly reduces reliance on individual judgement alone and helps prevent issues escalating into formal employee relations or legal cases.
Just as importantly, the model puts individuals at the centre of the process. Colleagues have visibility, a clear voice, and confidence that their needs are being taken seriously, supporting attendance, retention and sustained capability in a complex operational environment.
Why It Works at Scale
The model succeeds because it combines employee-centred design with central oversight and local delivery. Individuals experience consistency and continuity, while the organisation gains insight, assurance and the ability to act early.
This system-led, insight-driven approach enables Network Rail to move from reactive case management to proactive risk management, a model well-suited to large, complex and safety-critical organisations across the rail industry.
The impact of this shift is reflected in the experience of senior leadership:
Senior EDI Leader, Network Rail
“ClearTalents has strengthened the way we support colleagues who need workplace adjustments. It gives individuals greater continuity and visibility over their support, especially when roles or managers change, and helps managers feel confident they’re doing the right thing, particularly in safety-critical environments.
By bringing everything into one consistent and transparent system, we are making the process clearer, fairer and more reliable. This not only helps us meet our responsibilities under the Equality Act, but also builds trust, reduces risk, and supports colleagues to stay and thrive at work”.
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