ADHD and Workplace Adjustments
In this blog, SOHAS Adviser Emma Hobson gives some practical advice on how to support employees with ADHD and provides some useful resources
ADHD and Workplace Adjustments
SOHAS is steadily seeing more patients who have an Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) diagnosis, who are waiting for a diagnosis or who believe that they have ADHD [self-diagnosed]. This increase is reflected nationally and locally throughout the partner services we work alongside.
Many of these patients have waited many years for a formal diagnosis and often have suspected for much of their lives that they may be struggling with an undiagnosed condition. Similarly, I have patients who were not aware that they might have ADHD and so their diagnosis or the suggestion of a diagnosis comes as a surprise. I am seeing an increasing number of parents who have decided to embark on the diagnosis route themselves, due to displaying similar traits as their child, who has received an ADHD diagnosis.
The NHS suggests that the symptoms of ADHD can be split in to two areas;
- Inattentiveness (difficulty concentrating and focusing)
- Hyperactivity and impulsiveness
Most people have symptoms that fall into both areas but not everyone will do so. Patients who have Attention Deficit Disorder rather than ADHD, can often go undiagnosed as their symptoms are not so obvious. There is a lack of research about ADHD in adults and symptoms often become more subtle or better managed/masked, as people age.
Feedback from the patients we work with, and from their employers, is that ADHD in adults seems to be a misunderstood condition, especially in a workplace setting. Most employers do not know how to support somebody with ADHD and most employee support services, such as Occupational Health, have little evidence-based guidance to advise employers about how best to support their employees with ADHD.
This needs to change, as adults with ADHD are more likely to lose their job, be stressed at work and be less productive than their neurotypical counterparts. There is also evidence to suggest that they have an average lower household income, which impacts on quality of life and affects their whole family.
I find the positives of having ADHD are often forgotten in these processes, where there is focus on improvement or someone’s ability to ‘fit in’ to what might be considered ‘normal’ working practices. Employees with ADHD are individual (and should be treated as such) but they are often creative, focused, innovative, flexible, detail driven and their input adds value rather than detracts from this, in the workplace.
When supporting an employee with ADHD, I often find that small changes can go a long way to improving wellbeing and supporting performance at work. Adjustments should be considered with or without a formal diagnosis and although people with ADHD may share similar traits, adjustments should be made on an individual basis, taking into consideration the individual’s role at work. Adjustments could include:
- Having a structured day with flexibility
- Regular feedback – increased 1:1s
- Provide written information
- Reduction of memory burden – lists, breaks down of tasks, reminders and prompts
- Supporting hyperfocus on tasks
- Removal/support of admin hurdles that might stop the whole job getting done, timesheets, expenses form etc
- Stimulation – avoiding boredom and having a good ‘job fit’ to prevent this
- Environmental considerations – lighting, noise, temperature, working from home/hybrid working, headphone, separate office space etc
It is likely that if the employee has ADHD then they will be covered by the Equality Act 2010, which means that employers have to think about the above as reasonable adjustments. However, it makes sense to adjust without thinking too much about whether the employee is covered by the law or not.
This is not an exact science. With many patients that I support with ADHD, we embark on a ‘trial and error’ approach to adjustments with the support of tools, such as a Wellness Action Plan which you can find here: https://sohasworkplacehealth.com/2023/07/27/a-new-wellness-action-plan/ or a workplace disability passport. These are used to record agreed adjustments, review their effectiveness and then make changes when things don’t go as planned or hoped.
For more information, please see the following;
www.nhs.uk/conditions/attention-deficit-hyperactivity-disorder-adhd/symptoms/
www.adhdandyou.co.uk/assets/pdf/adhd-employers-guide.pdf
adhdatwork.add.org/impact-of-adhd-at-work/
adhdaware.org.uk/what-is-adhd/getting-nhs-diagnosis/right-to-choose/
www.gmb.org.uk/sites/default/files/neurodiversity_workplace_toolkit.pdf
sohasworkplacehealth 