How both employers and workers can succeed with ADHD in the workplace

Fitting in at work and surviving the corporate rat race is difficult on its own, but having a spectrum disorder such as attention deficit hyperactivity disorder can make it much harder. A lot of ADHD-related traits are often misconstrued as that people with ADHD are lazy, unprofessional or unmotivated, when really they are passionate and their neurodivergence can make certain expectations and tasks exceedingly difficult.” The underlying difficulty associated with ADHD, as Moss alluded to when referencing struggles “with executive functioning tasks,” is that patients struggle to focus for extended periods of time. Durvasula added that, because people with ADHD are on the neurodiversity spectrum, it is essential that employers keep “communications focused and bulleted.” If necessary, this can involve “bringing in coaching support around specific skill sets such as organization” as well as “giving employees options ergonomically in the workplace.” The primary challenge to this is that ADHD continues to be suffused with negative stereotypes, many of which shame those with the condition away from seeking the help they need. Because of this, Hinshaw explained that many ADHD traits “predict creativity and out-of-the-box thinking.” The problem for those with ADHD is that larger institutions and organizations, from schools to businesses, will penalize people for “poor regulation of focus and issues in organization and time management.” For ADHD patients without empathetic employers, Durvasula suggested that they provide themselves with personal time at the end of each day to tidy up their workplace, whether at an office or at home. “Work in different spaces throughout the day.” If possible, it always helps to get therapy or ADHD coaching, as these services can help you “learn skills to tailor approaches to the challenges you face as well as your strengths.” We need your help to stay independent Subscribe today to support Salon's progressive journalism Moss suggested that employees with ADHD “break down tasks to avoid getting overwhelmed, and to reward yourself accordingly since neurodivergent brains sometimes need that dopamine satisfaction, especially if something is boring or unexciting to you.” She does this herself, pointing out that “getting little things off of your plate can make it easier to focus on the bigger tasks that you might chunk out.