Five ways the workplace needs to change to better support ADHD talent

Guest post by Leanne Maskell is an ADHD Coach, Director of ADHD Works and the author of ADHD Works at Work and ADHD An A-Z.

Employers recently reported that only 3% of their tech employees are neurodivergent – but when these workers were asked directly, 53% identified as being neurodivergent.

This reflects a common reality behind neurodiversity at work initiatives – awareness without action benefits nobody. 1 in 5 neurodivergent employees have experienced harassment or discrimination at work, demonstrating the dangers of disclosure.

How to support ADHD talent at work

Neurodevelopmental conditions like ADHD are scientifically associated with unique strengths, such as innovation, creativity, and resilience, but workplaces must be psychologically safe for neurodivergent people to reach their full potential.

Here’s how workplaces can pivot to better support not only those with ADHD, but everybody to harness their unique ways of thinking:

1. Establish accessible neurodiversity policies

Having a neurodevelopmental condition such as ADHD can be a disability, triggering legal duties on employers under the Equality Act 2010 to make reasonable adjustments. This can be challenging for employers to apply in practice, as what is ‘reasonable’ may differ by individual needs – if you’ve met 1 person with ADHD, you’ve met 1 person with ADHD.

However, employers don’t need to be medical professionals to provide support – having an accessible policy in place ensures a foundation of assurance, trust, and structure for variable situations. For example, this free template provides sample questions for conversations about adjustments, and the factors behind the reasonableness of adjustments.

This enables everybody to be on the same page, and publishing this on both internal and external websites demonstrates a tangible commitment to supporting neurodivergent colleagues at work.

2. Provide mandatory neurodiversity training

We all think differently from one another, but 1 in 7 people are neurodivergent, meaning their brains function differently from neuronormative standards. This means a ‘one size fits all’ approach doesn’t work in the workplace, especially as awareness shifts, with a 400% increase in the number of people seeking an ADHD assessment since 2020.

Employers must turn words into action, ensuring that training on neurodiversity policies is a mandatory part of onboarding as a minimum. Further to this, providing tailored training on particular conditions when relevant, such as when an employee discloses a condition such as ADHD to a manager, is key for success.

Organisation-wide training on certain conditions can be helpful, but it’s often those who are already interested in a topic who will attend – so employers should ensure a range of relevant support is available as may be needed.

3. Break down barriers at all levels

Employers may see a lack of neurodivergent talent entering or rising to the top of their organisations without adjusting how they measure ‘success’. For example, rigid interview processes requiring psychometric tests will promote one way of thinking over others, and discarding applicants with ‘squiggly’ career paths may discourage innovators from applying for certain jobs.

Thinking differently about people who think differently empowers employers to harness their unique attributes at work. Senior leaders who are open about being neurodivergent inspire others to trust that bringing their ‘whole’ selves to work will work for their work, career, and potential – instead of being used against them.

4. Turn awareness into allyship

As neurodevelopmental conditions like ADHD are often stigmatised and misunderstood, employers can facilitate inclusive cultures by providing education and support for everybody. This helps employees to feel secure in supporting and standing up for one another, especially when it comes to sensitive subjects such as disability.

Engaging in training such as ADHD Champions can equip employees with specialist ADHD knowledge, coaching skills, and a logo to signpost this towards their colleagues. Supporting mentorship schemes and neurodiversity employee networks can also be a brilliant way of empowering employees to empower each other.

This is especially important as neurodiversity can affect everybody differently, such as parents of neurodivergent children struggling to access support versus people with ADHD struggling to access medication during the current national shortages.

5.  Celebrate neurodiversity

Having a truly neuroinclusive workplace isn’t a box to be checked, but an integral part of a companies’ values. Promoting neuroinclusion with tangible actions, such as celebrating employees sharing their experiences with blog posts and podcasts, is extremely important to demonstrate a real commitment to valuing neurodiversity at work.

Providing the right framework of support enables neurodivergent employees to not just survive, but thrive – so actively celebrate the benefits of doing so! As Lisette Schipper of Google said, ‘the future of work belongs to those who embrace neurodiversity’ – it’s a no brainer.

Leanne Maskell is an ADHD Coach, Director of ADHD Works and the author of ADHD Works at Work and ADHD An A-Z.

See more breaking stories here.