The possible impacts of ADHD at work

At this point, everyone has heard of ADHD, or Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. While the term itself is commonly known, ADHD is still poorly understood and carries a certain stigma, especially in the context of work.

According to the Center for ADHD Awareness Canada, 5 – 8 percent of children and 4 percent of adults suffer from ADHD. So what is it, exactly?

ADHD is a neurodevelopmental challenge often characterized by a difficulty in focusing, or the inability to maintain one’s attention for an extended period of time. (These challenges affect many people, whether or not they have ADHD.)

So what impact can these challenges have on your work? What strategies can be used to minimize the impact of ADHD on your job, and is it something you should discuss with colleagues or your employer?

The possible impacts of ADHD on employee performance

The impact ADHD can have on your professional life depends on several factors:

• The type and severity of ADHD symptoms
• The type of work you do
• The effectiveness of strategies put in place to mitigate the negative aspects of ADHD

Here are a few of the most common impacts of ADHD, and some strategies to help you manage them.

1. Difficulty managing attention

An employee suffering from ADHD may have difficulty maintaining concentration, especially during tasks that take a long time, are repetitive or annoying.

They may also have a hard time listening, which can lead to poor communication with colleagues or supervisors. For this reason, the employee may also risk not being aware of important details related to their job.

On the other hand, someone suffering from ADHD may focus too intently on one aspect of their job and let other important tasks fall by the wayside.

There are several simple strategies you can employ to help you manage difficulties with paying attention:

• Take notes during conversations with your colleagues. You can refer back to these notes to help make sure you have the information you need.
• Put reminders in your agenda to make sure you don’t get lost in one task while other important tasks languish.
• Ask your team if there’s a way to change how some meetings are formatted. It may be beneficial for everyone if, for example, meetings were made shorter or if everyone stayed standing up during the meeting, to stay more focused.

2. Increased sensitivity to distractions

Suffering from ADHD may make you more susceptible to being distracted. The distractions may be external — for example, the activity in an open-concept office, which has become the norm – or simply the sound of traffic outside. These distractions can reduce productivity, but distractions can be internal as well: people with ADHD may become lost in thought, losing sight of the task they are working on.

Wearing earplugs or headphones is one easy way to reduce distracting noise while working, whether you have ADHD or not. Wearing headphones is also a good way to show your colleagues that you do not want to be disturbed.

3. Hyperactivity

In many jobs, employees are expected to spend hours sitting at a desk – an incredibly difficult challenge for people with ADHD. For people who have trouble focusing their attention, they may need to tap their foot, shift in their chair, or get up for the slightest reason. This can disturb both work and school, but also disrupt leisure time. This behavior can also negatively impact colleagues in an open office environment.

If this sounds like you, take a deep breath! Get outside during your break to walk for a few minutes, or do some exercise during your lunch. Meditation can also help you manage your hyperactivity. Many free apps are available to help you control your breathing and to become more mindful of your body.

4. A hard time managing time

A person with ADHD may have trouble sticking to a schedule. This can result in persistent lateness to meetings or delays in completing work tasks.

Try to develop a set routine to help manage your difficulty with schedules. Eat and sleep at regular hours and put in place a morning routine that you follow step by step every morning.

Careful planning can also be very helpful. When you’re assigned a work task, try sitting down by yourself or with a colleague to map out every step the task will require. Then, add these steps to your daily list of things to do.

Should you tell others about your ADHD or not?

This is a personal decision, and you are not obligated to reveal your ADHD to anyone. It’s understandable to be worried about speaking about your ADHD, since it is still widely misunderstood, especially in the professional world. As a result, if you choose to speak about it, you may be educating your organization.

First, if you do choose to speak about it, we encourage you to speak with your family and friends about the impact ADHD has on your professional life. This will help you identify those symptoms affecting your work. Then, you can determine if you want to share your story with your colleagues and supervisor.

If you feel it would be helpful, you can seek out a professional evaluation from a counsellor or therapist. They can help you determine if special accommodations will be needed to compensate for your weaknesses and improve your productivity at work.

If you decide to tell your supervisor, ask for a meeting and explain the troubles you’re having while being focused on coming up with solutions. If you’re having trouble working in an open office environment, maybe you can adjust your schedule to come in to work earlier and enjoy the quiet before everyone else arrives.

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