How to Support Employees with ADHD

2.6 million people in the UK have Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). This means that their brains approach tasks in a different way from neurotypical staff. For instance, while they may struggle with time management and focus, they also tend to be passionate and creative problem solvers.

Celebrating neurodivergent staff and providing them with the necessary support and adjustments ensures they excel in your company.

Dealing with ADHD at work can be isolating, preventing talented staff from reaching their full potential. That’s why it’s up to employers to understand ADHD, common workplace challenges, and how to support an employee with ADHD.

This guide covers this, empowering your organisation to be more inclusive, supportive, and successful.

What Is ADHD, and How Does It Impact Employees?

ADHD is a form of neurodivergence, meaning that people who have it perceive the world differently from neurotypical people. 

For example, people with ADHD tend to focus on short-term rewards, as opposed to longer-term goals. They may also have trouble concentrating or sitting for large periods of time without fidgeting.

We’ll look at some common symptoms of ADHD below, but it’s important to highlight that every person is different. Therefore, there’s no standard blueprint of how a person with ADHD behaves or the challenges they face.

In general, people with ADHD tend to struggle with:

• concentrating for prolonged time periods
• controlling impulses (such as interrupting, fidgeting)
• hyperactivity
• time management 
• time blindness
• hyperfocus (getting so wrapped up they forget to go to the bathroom or eat)

While it’s true that employees with ADHD may need extra support in some aspects of their jobs, they will also bring huge added value in others.

For instance, research shows that those with ADHD are highly creative and excellent problem solvers.

What’s more, they’re extremely driven when they work on projects that they feel passionate about. Their adaptability and quick thinking allow them to perform well in high-paced working environments.

A common trait is that many people with ADHD need to be stimulated, they struggle with repetitive or detail-oriented work and may require extra support.

Learn more about ADHD in our disability advice hub.

5 Ways To Support Employees With ADHD In The Workplace

Now you have a better understanding of the drivers and obstacles employees with ADHD face in the workplace, let’s look at five ways to support them.

1. Schedule regular check-ins

Having ADHD can be overwhelming at times, causing anxiety and embarrassment. As a result, regular check-ins are fundamental. Encourage management to schedule regular 1-2-1s with all members of staff to discuss their performance, any obstacles they’re facing, and how you can support them.

These create a clear routine for workers, encouraging them to stay on track. They’re also an excellent way to ensure all staff members take accountability for their tasks and have the opportunity to communicate what additional support or resources they need to succeed.

Related content: Invisible Disability Awareness: Handling Misconceptions 

2. Be specific about deadlines

It’s important to understand that people with ADHD perceive time differently than their neurotypical peers. Time blindness is a real challenge for ADHDers, as are short attention spans and time management skills.

That’s not to say that they aren’t capable of managing their time well and meeting deadlines, but they may require some additional support.

For some employees with ADHD, far-off deadlines pose a big problem. They’re more likely to forget about them or leave them to the last minute, getting wrapped up in immediate tasks.

As an employer, you can do a lot to help. Start by being specific about deadlines, always setting a concrete date and time (as opposed to by the end of the week). When possible, encourage managers to break larger projects down into smaller tasks with their own deadlines. This helps staff members to stay focused and manage their time better.

Project management tools can also be helpful in keeping employees on track and ensuring nothing falls by the wayside. 

When all else fails, confirm tasks in writing, clearly highlighting the deadline and expectations. Then, schedule a reminder ahead of time.

3. Empower employees to find their own systems

There are different types of ADHD, and it affects people in different ways. As such, the more freedom you can give staff members to find their own ways of working, the better.

For instance, some people with ADHD struggle to stay on top of work tasks or focus for long stretches of time. But, they know that they usually get into hyper-focus mode for a few hours first thing. Allowing them to block this time off to get their tasks done could be hugely beneficial.

Another common issue people with ADHD face is known as ADHD paralysis. This typically happens when they feel confined to working in a way that doesn’t suit how their brain works.

The best thing you can do as an employer is to recognise that neurodivergent people may tackle tasks in a way that’s different than the “norm”. Understanding, accepting, and celebrating this will help ADHDers overcome paralysis and succeed.

For some people with ADHD, sitting still during meetings can be extremely challenging. They may struggle not to interrupt or may have trouble concentrating. As a result, this can create anxiety or lead to them not wanting to participate in meetings.

Employers can support employees by firstly understanding that the employee isn’t being rude or acting up, they’re having trouble controlling their outbursts of enthusiasm.

Another way to improve meetings is to give staff members the freedom to move around and even doodle during them. In fact, Nike encourages staff members to doodle during meetings, as research shows it improves focus.

Finally, always finish meetings with a clear summary, check action points, and send the meeting minutes when possible.

You may also be interested in: Is ADHD a Disability? 

4. ADHD Workplace Adjustments

Neurodivergent employees are a huge asset to your organisation, bringing unrivaled creativity and fresh perspectives to the table. However, it’s your role as an employer to understand how to support employees with ADHD to get the best out of them.

One way to do this is to check in regularly with employees to see what reasonable adjustments you can offer and how you can build an inclusive workplace that celebrates neurodiversity.

The first step is to educate yourself.

Use resources like Careers With Disabilities and ADHD.uk to gain a better insight into the challenges people with ADHD face in the workplace, where they excel, and the types of adjustments you can implement to remove barriers.

If members of your team have ADHD and are comfortable participating, set up feedback meetings to better understand how you can support ADHD in the workplace.

Here are some examples of ADHD workplace adjustments:

• providing quiet workspaces and noise-cancelling headphones
• allowing for frequent short breaks
• introducing time management tools to support staff
• offering hybrid, remote, or flexible working conditions
• scheduling regular check-ins with managers to discuss performance and expectations
• breaking large duties into a series of smaller tasks with shorter deadlines

Once you’ve defined the reasonable adjustments you can offer, document this and educate managers and HR teams. That way, they can properly support employees with ADHD before the staff member has to make a request.

The next step is education.

Incorporating training on neurodiversity in the workplace is an excellent way to build awareness from the top down. Start with senior executives and managers, ensuring they understand the challenges, strengths, and accommodations related to ADHD and other neurodevelopmental conditions.

Next, roll this training out to all employees so they have a clearer understanding of ADHD, the challenges their peers face, and how they can be supportive. This will create a more empathetic and understanding culture.

Extra reading: Reasonable Accommodation In The Workplace: Employer’s Guide 

5. Offer flexible working conditions

Your workforce is made up of a beautifully diverse range of people with different needs and abilities. Therefore, a rigid “one-size-fits-all” approach will not suit every employee.

Flexibility is one of the biggest success factors when managing employees with ADHD because it accommodates different working styles and neuro-abilities. For instance, some people with ADHD benefit from flexible working arrangements, such as hybrid working, flexitime, or remote working.

In many cases, an ADHD employee underperforming is because they struggle with the rigidity of the office environment or have trouble concentrating in a highly stimulating office setting.

As a result, giving staff members more flexibility about when, where, and how they work can be hugely beneficial.

An example is to focus on results. Rather than monitoring the hours each worker spends at their desk, focus on their performance and results. This can be empowering for all employees, but especially those with ADHD who perform best when they have more freedom to work in a way that suits their skills. 

Of course, for this to be a success, it’s paramount that you clearly communicate the goals, outcomes, and performance indicators you need staff to meet. That way, everyone is clear on what they need to achieve, but can choose their own path to get there.

Next Steps

These five strategies can help you support employees with ADHD in your workplace, empowering them to thrive. If you’re unsure of the best way to create a supportive environment, start by educating yourself and your workforce.

Using free resources such as the Careers With Disabilities free resource hub enables you to understand how to support and empower staff members with ADHD. This will help you raise awareness about neurodiversity in the workplace, culivating an inclusive environment that allows everybody to thrive.

When it comes to building an inclusive workplace, the first step is to recruit a diverse workforce. By increasing diversity in your business, you create a safe place for staff members with different backgrounds, abilities, races, ethnicities, and genders.

Ready to build a diverse workforce? Advertise your job vacancies on our disability-friendly job board to connect with 10,000k+ highly qualified candidates across the UK.

Get in touch to discuss our annual packages.