diff --git a/src/components/base/new_dropdowns/dropdown_item.scss b/src/components/base/new_dropdowns/dropdown_item.scss
index ca9efb1a24cbe909d633f38e0090a71caaaf392f..18bfc63bb9dc21e0ad0e72729af9f53f2e440edf 100644
--- a/src/components/base/new_dropdowns/dropdown_item.scss
+++ b/src/components/base/new_dropdowns/dropdown_item.scss
@@ -70,6 +70,12 @@
     }
   }
 
+  &:focus {
+    .gl-new-dropdown-item-content {
+      z-index: 1;
+    }
+  }
+
   .gl-new-dropdown-item-content {
     @apply gl-rounded-base;
     @apply gl-border-0;
@@ -87,6 +93,9 @@
     @include gl-text-gray-900;
     @include gl-text-left;
     @include gl-white-space-normal;
+    @include gl-prefers-reduced-motion-transition;
+    transition: background-color $gl-transition-duration-fast $gl-easing-out-cubic,
+                box-shadow $gl-transition-duration-medium $gl-easing-out-cubic;
 
     .gl-new-dropdown-item-check-icon {
       @include gl-flex-shrink-0;
diff --git a/src/scss/utility-mixins/animation.scss b/src/scss/utility-mixins/animation.scss
index 843f939fa67a5fa3e2d12b9259ca49c72981b91d..76a166e76bbb1bb8a825ec10f3584358c88185e5 100644
--- a/src/scss/utility-mixins/animation.scss
+++ b/src/scss/utility-mixins/animation.scss
@@ -1,3 +1,9 @@
+@mixin gl-prefers-reduced-motion-transition {
+  @media (prefers-reduced-motion) {
+    transition-duration: .01ms !important;
+  }
+}
+
 @keyframes gl-spinner-rotate {
   0% {
     transform: rotate(0);