Unlock the Potential: How ADHD in the Workplace Enriches Diversity

Too often, the added value, talents and unique perspectives of colleagues with ADHD are overshadowed by prejudices and incorrect assumptions, such as people with ADHD cannot sit still or are lazy. The study ‘Workplace Neurodiversity: The Power Of Difference’ conducted by the ‘Institute of Leadership & Management’ showed that ADHD has the most stigma in the workplace and that 32% of the companies surveyed would not hire employees with that neurotype. That is why we believe that ADHD deserves a place in the spotlight, and there is no better time to do this than during ‘ADHD Awareness Month’. Discover the added value of this neurotype in this article and how colleagues with ADHD enrich your team and organization with their contributions.

What is ADHD?

ADHD is a neurotype, just like autism, dyslexia, dyspraxia, etc., that is still too often not taken into account in our society and the workplace. It’s usually known under the umbrella term neurominority or neurodivergence. ADHD is estimated to occur in 2.5 % of adults (prevalences according to DSM-5).

In psychiatry, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is often described as characterised by deficits in attention, organization, activity levels, and impulse control. They speak of a continuum classified into three subtypes: inattentive presentation, hyperactive-impulsive presentation and combined presentation. In other words, Psychiatry views ADHD as a disorder, limitation or work disability.¹

From the neurodiversity paradigm, we do not see ADHD as a disorder but as a natural variation of the brain, a different thinking style or a different way of perceiving and dealing with the world. Depending on the individual, there may be challenges regarding impulsiveness, concentration or hyperactivity. As with other neurodivergences, every ADHDer has unique challenges and strengths in the workplace.

Which strengths do we often see in the workplace among colleagues with an ADHD brain, and how can you, as a colleague or manager, use these strengths in the team?

• They are often very creative and good at thinking out of the box and making connections. As a result, they often come up with ideas from a different perspective than most colleagues. They are good at devising innovations and solving complex problems.
• Some are also strong at coming up with solutions quickly, adapting to changes and working under pressure, in crises or against deadlines.
• Many are curious and love exploring new skills, techniques or projects. They often can get much work done in a relatively short time, and they can maintain their focus for a long time when it concerns something new or fascinates them. This is also known as hyperfocus.
• What we often see is that they are very empathetic colleagues because they are good at sensing the tensions (‘reading the room’) that arise.
• Their enthusiasm can be very contagious, inspiring or motivating to the rest of the team. Several people with ADHD like challenges at work to provide a change from more boring or repetitive work. That is why they are often the ideal employees/intrapreneurs to start a new project or experiment within the company. Give them that opportunity and facilitate/support them where necessary.

What challenges do they face in the workplace today, and how can you support them as a colleague or manager?

• Executive functions such as maintaining focus, setting priorities and remembering verbal information for a short period can be challenging for some colleagues with ADHD. Some also have lower impulse control, which makes them more likely to get distracted and start many things and not finish them. That is why it is good to avoid too much mental effort by:
  • Working in small steps.
  • Adjusting focus time.
  • Focussing on completing outstanding matters first.
  • Setting priorities together and communicating clearly about expectations (such as deadlines). Completing tasks and controlling cognitive load gives them a sense of satisfaction (dopamine hit).
• Sensory overstimulation and boredom (understimulation) can make it extra challenging to maintain focus. Hyperfocus is also a double-edged sword because it is not possible to choose what to hyperfocus on, and it is also extremely draining. Therefore, ensure sufficient variety and challenge in the work. Provide slack time and free moments during the working week to experiment or clear your head with a walk or exercise.
• For some people, their hyperactivity can manifest itself in clicking with a pen, tapping their foot, turning the office chair, etc., which can lead to friction among some colleagues. What we also often see is difficulty recognizing when it is their turn to speak due to their enthusiasm about a subject, which causes them to interrupt other colleagues or not listen properly to the colleague. And the other way round, there can be issues such as overstimulation or not being heard that can irritate someone with ADHD. In such situations, there must be psychological safety so that this can be discussed openly and transparently within the team or between colleagues.
• In terms of communication, they can often be a waterfall of words and have difficulty with unclear communication or have forgotten verbal instructions. Therefore, communicate precisely about agreements, expectations, assignments and rules. Discuss things that are going well and not going so well can also help enormously. It is essential to get to know each other’s communication styles better and always try to understand each other and the context as best as possible to avoid miscommunications.
• Also, providing training on soft skills to everyone in the team allows them to grow personally and professionally and improves team dynamics. Think of skills such as giving feedback, learning to sense your boundaries, knowing to say no, not interrupting, learning to prioritise, listening actively, time management, etc. Even better, adapt their job based on their strengths and talents (job crafting) and transfer the things in which they excel less to colleagues who are good at this and get energy from it. For the company, this also leads to more productivity, happier employees and higher returns. So, it is a win-win for everyone.
• Last but not least, employees with ADHD often have to deal with prejudice in the workplace. That is why it is good to provide training for the manager and the team that focuses on increasing awareness of neurodiversity and breaking down prejudices. Do not draw conclusions, do not fill in for someone else and dare to ask questions.

How can I know if someone has ADHD?

You can’t know that, and you don’t actually need to know. The only thing that matters for colleagues and managers is to be aware of everyone’s strengths and challenges, regardless of diagnoses or labels. And to organise the team so everyone can reach their full potential and their challenges are reduced or eliminated by providing the right work environment, reasonable accommodations and removing systemic barriers.

Conclusion

In a world where neurodiversity is increasingly recognised and valued, it is critical to recognise the valuable assets colleagues with ADHD bring to the table. Of course, they face some challenges because the environment often needs to be adapted to a different way of thinking. Therefore, with the proper support in the workplace, they can fully utilise their assets and deploy them in their work. And they also get more satisfaction from their work.

As a manager or colleague, you can best support colleagues with ADHD by creating an atmosphere of psychological safety, managing cognitive workload, developing soft skills, promoting transparent communication and working with the entire team on neurodiversity awareness.

Do you have to apply all those things now? Of course not. Go for small steps, and they make a significant impact on themselves.

Let’s work together (step by step) to create a neuro-inclusive work environment that fully utilises the unique perspectives and talents of every employee, building productive and resilient teams.