ADHD in the Workplace: Complete guide to help you thrive

Managing ADHD at work can be hard. 

Getting distracted easily and struggling to prioritize tasks can feel like game over in a working world obsessed with open-plan offices, deadlines, and maximum productivity.

But we know there’s more to adult ADHD than that.

We’ve gathered together ADHD research and interviewed FLOWN members who have ADHD to create this resource for managing ADHD in the workplace (and how you may even be able to use it to your advantage…).

With one-fifth of the population having some exemplary type of neurodivergence, we think it’s time to recognize the brilliance of neurodiverse brains and how our differences actually improve the quality of our work. 

So let’s jump into talking all about how adults with ADHD might struggle at work, how they can be successful at work, and how to manage an employee with ADHD.

What does ADHD at work feel like?

Perhaps you’re reading this and questioning whether you're one of the individuals with ADHD. You might have read a few articles where you recognize the symptoms, but haven’t wanted to go through the trials and tribulations of getting a formal diagnosis.

Some specialists have suggested the following lists of symptoms for ADHD in adults:

• carelessness and lack of attention to detail

• continually starting new tasks before finishing old ones

• poor organisational skills

• inability to focus or prioritise

• continually losing or misplacing things

• forgetfulness

• restlessness and edginess

• difficulty keeping quiet and speaking out of turn

• blurting out responses and often interrupting others

• mood swings, irritability, and a quick temper

• inability to deal with stress

• extreme impatience

• taking risks in activities, often with little or no regard for personal safety or the safety of others – for example, driving dangerously

To be diagnosed with ADHD as an adult is tricky, as this is no definitive, agreed-upon list of adult symptoms..

Some people get diagnosed as adults if they present at least 5 of the symptoms listed in the diagnostic criteria for children for either inattentive or hyperactive and impulsive ADHD.

If you’re trying to get a diagnosis as an adult in the UK, you also have to prove that you’ve had these symptoms since childhood, as it's not currently believed that ADHD can develop later in life.

You also have to show how they’re having a moderate effect on certain areas of your life, such as underachieving at work or difficulty in making or keeping friends.

Remember, ADHD presents differently in everyone, as other aspects of your character, history, and personality will affect how you interact with your brain chemistry.

How might ADHD affect me in the workplace?

When it comes to the workplace, it’s easy to assume ADHD must be profoundly unhelpful, but there are definite positives that come with having an ADHD mind which we'll share in this help guide.

1. Creativity and out-of-the-box thinking

It’s long been thought that people with ADHD are more creative than their peers, and recent studies are starting to support this claim. 

It’s important for people with ADHD to recognize that creativity and diversity of thought are unique skills that not everyone has. Having someone on your team who thinks creatively and innovatively can only be a good thing!

2. ADHD in the workplace can show up as hyperfocus

Hyperfocus is the experience of complete focus and absorption in the task at hand. It usually occurs when someone with ADHD is performing a task they’re genuinely interested in and may even find fun. 

Workers with ADHD can leverage hyperfocus to their advantage by getting to know what causes their hyperfocus and finding ways to use it at will.

Be aware that hyperfocus can also be a problem if you hyperfocus on something that’s not that important or urgent. You can easily become completely absorbed in something that’s not that important, and forget about that piece of work due in 2 hours.

3. Divergent thinking and problem-solving

You know how we said diverse thinking improves the quality of our work? 

Problem-solving is a huge example of that. Whether it’s a sudden crisis that pops up on launch day, or a brain teaser other teams have been trying to solve for months, people with ADHD will often be able to look at things from a different angle and come up with innovative solutions.

4. Employees with ADHD may show greater enthusiasm and energy

We all know the draining feeling of running a Zoom call where no one else wants to contribute so much as a ‘good morning’. 

But having someone with ADHD on your team can infuse any Zoom or real-life meeting with a bit more energy. This can encourage greater communication and connection among teams.

5. Adult ADHD may show as a bias to action

Sometimes getting things done at work can feel like an uphill struggle, with ideas stuck in development hell or repetitive roundabout meetings where nothing is actually decided.

No one wants to put in the effort to try something new or suggest a new idea. 

But as a person with ADHD, you might have a desire to put new ideas into practice and dive straight in. 

Can people with ADHD struggle at work?

There are always two sides to the same coin, and that energy, vibrancy, and creativity can sometimes come at the cost of other skills.

#1 Poor planning and organization

Experts describe the ADHD brain as being in a “reward deficit” meaning it’s always looking for the next dopamine hit in the current moment as opposed to thinking about the future. 

Delayed gratification is a bit of a foreign concept for the ADHD brain, so planning for the future doesn’t sound appealing until the future is right on your doorstep.

At work this can be a problem when bosses want to plan for the next quarter, whilst someone with ADHD just wants to get on with the exciting task they can do right now.

#2 Struggle to estimate time accurately

The ability to estimate time is called your temporal processing ability. This includes things like being able to separate the day into morning, afternoon, and evening, accurately estimating how long a task will take you, and being able to tell how much time has passed. 

People with ADHD tend to struggle with temporal processing and see time as now, and not now. Rather than having an understanding of the rhythm of the day, week, and month.

 This can lead to problems at work, like:

• Missing deadlines

• Not being able to prioritize time

• Procrastinating 

• Not being able to give accurate estimates on how long tasks will take

• Lateness

This doesn’t always make you the most popular person…

#3 Interpersonal conflict

There are a few reasons why people with ADHD might clash with their colleagues. 

The way the ADHD brain communicates can be frustrating for others, as you might often get off-topic when talking which can derail meetings. Listening might also be harder for someone with ADHD if the conversation is taking place in a busy distracting environment.

The way you complete your own work also has an impact on your team. As someone with ADHD you might have made your peace with completing deadlines in a panic, coffee-induced burst the night before. 

But there’s a good chance your colleagues haven’t.

#4 High absenteeism

There are lots of different elements that play into potential high absenteeism among people with ADHD. A large part of it can be to do with the mental toll that comes with not feeling like you fit in.

Missing deadlines or procrastinating may be frustrating for the colleagues of someone with ADHD, but in today's hyper-productive world it can feel downright shameful for the person struggling with it. 

People with ADHD also often feel the need to hibernate and recharge, as their usual switched-on mode takes up lots of energy.

All of these factors can mean individuals with untreated ADHD are overlooked for promotions or high-paid positions and have a higher rate of unemployment. 

But we think the key word here is untreated. 

There are plenty of incredibly successful people with ADHD who’ve learnt how to manage the things they struggle with, and play to their strengths.

What strategies can help a person with ADHD?

We’ve outlined 6 steps to follow so you can take ownership of your work life and set yourself up as a successful person with ADHD!

1. Pinpoint the positive or useful parts of your ADHD

One of the most important things is knowing and understanding how your ADHD uniquely works. 

Why not try going through this article and writing about the symptoms you do and don’t connect with? 

Try and remember specific examples of a time you experienced something, like missing a deadline or experiencing hyperfocus, and what happened beforehand.

Nobody knows you better than you know yourself, so having your strengths and weaknesses crystal clear in your head will help you know what you need to use and manage them.

2. Recognize the conditions you need to succeed and achieve productivity

Once you know what your strengths are it's all about finding what helps you harness them. 

Do you find hyperfocus when you work in your own private space or can you listen to colleagues better when you have a walking meeting instead of a sit-down one? 

Some people with ADHD swear by listening to a certain musical track on repeat so it drowns out background sounds.

Start observing what helps you find your focus, and noting it down in one place.

3. Talk to your supervisor about reasonable adjustments 

It’s up to you whether you want to talk to your boss about workplace accommodations and how much information to disclose if you do.

You may just want to ask for a specific adjustment and explain the reason without mentioning it’s an ADHD symptom or using the language ‘reasonable adjustments’ (as your boss will probably take note of the legal language and start to make assumptions.)

Try framing the conversation with a specific solution-focused approach.

• Get clear on what actually needs support (your “limitations → impact”).
  List the situations where ADHD traits make work harder (e.g., time blindness, task switching, noise sensitivity). Time-perception differences in adults with ADHD are well-documented in the research. Naming this helps you ask for the right support.

• Map each limitation to a concrete work barrier.
  Examples: “Open-plan chatter → can’t stay on task in the afternoon,” “Unstructured meetings → leave without clear next steps,” “Estimating tasks → missed deadlines.” This framing keeps the convo practical and non-stigmatizing. (NICE also encourages environmental/organizational supports alongside clinical care.)

• Draft 3–5 reasonable adjustments you’ll propose (give options).
  Aim for specifics your manager can say “yes” to. Pull from these menus (mix and match):

  • Environment: quiet room/phone-booth pods, permission for headphones, fewer sit-near walkways.

  • Schedule: one WFH deep-work day, flexible start for medication effects, meeting-lite mornings.

  • Workflow & comms: written weekly priorities, post-meeting action lists, Kanban/visible queue, “parking lot” for tangents.

  • Tools: visible timers/time-boxing, distraction blockers, reminders; try body-doubling or a free Pomodoro timer (FLOWN) to structure focus.

  • Role scope: minimize non-essential duties during high-focus sprints; use short, time-boxed check-ins.

• Know your rights before you ask (so you can keep it calm and factual).

  • UK: You do not need a formal diagnosis to request reasonable adjustments; employers have a legal duty under the Equality Act when they know (or should reasonably know) you’re disabled. Access to Work can fund extra support, but doesn’t replace the employer’s duty.

  • US: You’re entitled to an interactive process under the ADA. Employers may ask for documentation of limitations if not obvious, must keep medical info confidential, and must consider effective accommodations that let you perform essential functions.

• Book the conversation and propose a small trial (2–4 weeks).
  Keep it solution-first: state the barrier, suggest 1–2 options, ask for a trial with a review date. Mention that most accommodations are inexpensive and effective (use this data point).

• Capture agreements in a “Workplace Adjustment/Health Passport.”
  This single page records what works for you, so your adjustments travel with you if you change role/manager, and then you review it quarterly. (Widely used across UK employers and recommended by disability groups.)

4. Deciding whether or not to share your diagnosis 

It’s a personal decision whether to share your diagnosis at work as it could have beneficial or negative consequences.

The main benefit of sharing your diagnosis is it gives your request more weight, and a company has to at least consider reasonable adjustments for a disability. Though what the company culture, values and history are like also plays a massive role in whether your request is granted.

Lots of ADHD coaches counsel against sharing your diagnosis as there can still, unfortunately, be a stigma around the condition. Many managers aren’t equipped or don’t have the resources to support you in developing your relationship with ADHD in the workplace. 

Bear in mind you can always disclose your ADHD at a later date if your boss doesn’t understand how much those adjustments would help you without initially knowing about your condition.

5. Plan your day beforehand and create a routine

Routine can help people with ADHD improve their productivity, manage their symptoms and give them a better sense of time passing.

Incorporate what you’ve spoken to your boss about in your calendar and start planning your tasks the night before, with your most important tasks first thing when you’re likely to have the most attention. 

Planning things the night before improves your sleep, reduces decision fatigue the next day and jump-starts the next day with productivity. It also forces you to visualize what you’re going to do in advance, which helps increase motivation and the likelihood of you doing it.

6. ADHD & time blindness at work: evidence-based fixes

One of the biggest challenges in the workplace for people with ADHD is time blindness. Attention deficit disorder often comes with differences in how the brain processes time. Instead of seeing the day as a rhythm of hours, it can feel more like “now” and “not now.”

This makes it easy to become easily distracted, misjudge deadlines, and end up producing poor work despite having strong skills. The good news is that simple external supports can reduce distractability, make time tangible, and make deep work just that much attainable.

• Make time visible. Use a digital countdown timer on your desk or screen. Having time in front of you interrupts distractibility and keeps your focus on what’s urgent. (External time cues are recommended accommodations for unmanaged ADHD at work.)

• Time-box your work. Break the day into 25–50 minute focus blocks with short pauses. FLOWN’s free Pomodoro timer + body doubling helps you stay accountable when ADHD often makes it tough to stick with tasks.

• Anchor the day. Set alerts 15 minutes before meetings or deadlines, and use anchors like “before lunch” or “before 4pm” to decide what gets done. This cuts through distractibility and helps you prioritize.

• Estimate → log → calibrate. Guess how long something will take, log the actual, and compare. Over time, this closes the gap between intention and execution—crucial if unmanaged ADHD keeps tripping up your planning.

• Reduce switching costs. Batch similar tasks, use “no-ping” focus windows, and insist on written next steps after meetings. This minimizes the risk of ending up with scattered efforts and poor work quality.

Even if distractability is part of your day-to-day, these adjustments help make time visible and structured—so ADHD’s challenges in the workplace don’t stop you from thriving.

7. Get support specifically designed for ADHD

Make sure you’re leveraging technology, professional support, and medical help to your advantage. 

Apps like Freedom will help you block distractions, whilst things like RescueTime will track how you spend your time to help you become more time aware. 

We, of course, also recommend FLOWN for Focus Session, that use body doubling and intention setting to make it more likely that you’ll be able to focus.

If you’re struggling to make changes by yourself, an ADHD coach can help walk through the specific areas you struggle with and use cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT), and other techniques to help make things more manageable. 

CBT examines the cyclical relationship between thoughts, feelings and behaviour, and helps you find ways to break those cycles. Which can be really useful for ADHD symptoms like procrastination and improve your ability to plan ahead.

Finally, it’s a good idea to talk to your doctor, especially if medication is something you want to try, or if you’re on medication that isn’t quite working for you. They can also point you toward other ADHD resources in your area. 

Should I share that I have symptoms of ADHD at work?

This is a completely personal judgment call based on how you think your workplace would treat you as a result. 

A workplace cannot discriminate against an employee based on their having ADHD. It's worth weighing up the benefits and drawbacks you’d get from sharing.

Do you think your direct manager would be supportive? Or are they the kind of person who’d make lots of assumptions about your character? Is the overall environment a place where you can thrive? Does the HR department create a supportive company culture?

Answering these questions might help you make a decision as to what you want to share about your condition.

What’s a good career for someone with ADHD?

When it comes to choosing a career as someone with ADHD, the most important thing is that it’s something you’re passionate about. You have to find the work you’re doing interesting and exciting to be able to focus on it.

You can then develop strategies and routines that’ll help you complete the aspects of your job you find more challenging.

There are certain things you can look for in a job that will help you play to your strengths. When choosing a career consider whether it has: 

• Creative elements that will excite and intrigue you

• Movement so you’re not always sitting behind a desk

• Problem-solving so you’re kept on your toes

• A limited amount of tedious or repetitive tasks 

• A forward-thinking HR department and excellent coaching culture from management

As a result of this lots of people with ADHD have found success in hospitality, the arts, education, or healthcare industries.

But never limit yourself because you have ADHD or you may end up choosing work you ultimately find unfulfilling. You’re an individual and ADHD is only one part of you. Whether you succeed or fail at a job is based on all the different parts of you, and the nature of the organization that hires you.

How to manage an employee with ADHD

If you’re reading this as a manager or boss of someone with ADHD who’s looking for advice, then welcome!

First off, we’d advise not to assume you know what your employee needs or how their ADHD presents. There is a vast range of ADHD symptoms and treatments that you might not be aware of, that are different from popular media portrayals or stereotypes.

Support your employees with understanding and conversation

If your employee or a coworker has opened up to you about their diagnosis, then start a dialogue about how they experience their ADHD and what would make their working life easier. Encourage them to read this article or to share articles with you that they’ve found helpful in the past. 

Consider reasonable ways you could implement any of the tips from this article. This might look like letting your employee work from home on days they need to focus or making it a company habit to follow up any meeting with an action list.

Sensory ergonomics in open offices

Open-plan offices might look sleek, but for someone formally diagnosed with this type of hyperactivity, they can be overwhelming. Constant noise, chatter, and pings make it hard to focus on one task at a time, and this is a real challenge for adults with ADHD. Research backs this up: open layouts increase digital distractions while reducing meaningful face-to-face collaboration.

There are simple ways to help: set up quiet rooms or phone-booth pods, normalize noise-cancelling headphones, establish noise policies, and allow remote focus days. While ADHD can create challenges in stimulating environments, small ergonomic adjustments can turn open offices into spaces where people can actually thrive.

Find ways to support your employees to overcome the challenges they face, and you’ll soon reap the rewards of having an empowered neurodiverse team. 

Is ADHD a disability in the UK?

The answer is… it depends.

According to the 2010 Equality Act, in the UK, a disability is:

A physical or mental impairment that has a substantial and long-term (12 months or more) negative effect on a person’s ability to do day-to-day activities.

So if you’re someone who already has a formal diagnosis of ADHD, then it could be considered a disability if it satisfies the “substantial” and “long-term” negative effect that the Equality Act states.

If someone’s ADHD is considered a disability, then an employer or school has a responsibility to make those reasonable adjustments, or else they could be liable for disability discrimination.

Of course, you might not be comfortable with identifying your ADHD as a disability. It all depends on whether you view, and can prove, that it has had a substantial and long-term negative effect on your life.

Is ADHD considered a disability in the US?

It’s a similar conclusion in the US. 

The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)  states that, as well as a formal diagnosis, a person with ADHD must prove that they can perform the essential duties of a job if given reasonable accommodations. (Though smaller companies are not immediately required to provide reasonable accommodations in the US).

In both cases, it depends on how both an employer and someone with ADHD interprets the word ‘reasonable’.

Supporting employees with ADHD at work

If you’re trying to establish exactly what reasonable adjustments look like in your place of work then look no further. 

Reasonable adjustments for someone with ADHD could look like:

1. Financial support to buy software that aids focus

2. A separate space away from an open plan office or permission to work from home

3. Support to buying physical equipment like noise-cancelling headphones 

4. Normalizing peer review for detailed work

Of course, not all companies are made the same, and what is entirely reasonable for a company like Google may be impossible for a small family business.

As an employer, ask yourself the following questions:

1. Will it effectively reduce or remove the disadvantage?

2. How practical is this to implement within the context of your working environment? (For example, it's unlikely a waitress can work from home)

3. Is it affordable for the employer or business?

4. Could it harm the health or safety of others?

As a business, you’re expected to act in good faith when considering these questions and answer fairly about what’s affordable for you and reasonable for you.

The ROI of ADHD-friendly accommodations (cost & impact)

Let’s put numbers on this. Employers worry accommodations will be pricey; the data says the opposite.

• Most accommodations cost little to nothing. Across 4,447 employer cases (2019–2023), 56% cost $0, 37% were a one-time purchase (median $300), and only 7% had ongoing costs (median $1,925/year). Outcomes were strong: 67% of accommodations were rated very/extremely effective, according to Job Accommodation Network.

• The benefits stack up fast. After accommodating, employers reported: retained a valued employee (85%), higher productivity (53%), better attendance (48%), and eliminated new-hire training costs (47%), plus morale and safety gains. Job Accommodation Network

• Compare that to turnover. Replacing one employee typically costs 0.5× to 2× their annual salary (Gallup). By examining data on Gallup, a $300 one-time accommodation (or even $1,925/year) is trivial next to replacement costs for a mid-salary role. 

UK note (cost offsets): The government’s Access to Work scheme can fund specialist support (e.g., coaching, equipment, travel) in addition to the employer’s legal duty to make reasonable adjustments; AtW doesn’t replace that duty.

ADHD-friendly accommodations managers say “yes” to (low/no cost)

• Environment: quiet room/phone-booth access; noise-cancelling headphones; clear noise norms.

• Schedule: one remote “deep-work” day; flexible starts to align with meds/sleep; meeting-lite mornings.

• Workflow & comms: written weekly priorities; post-meeting action lists; visual Kanban; “parking lot” for off-topic items.

• Tools: visible timers; website blockers; reminders; body-doubling.

• Role scope: time-boxed check-ins; defer non-essential duties during focus sprints.
  (See JAN’s executive-functioning ideas for plug-and-play options.)

Remote & hybrid tactics that actually help ADHDers

Remote days can be a reasonable accommodation for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. When they’re structured well, they’re rocket fuel for focus.

Individuals with ADHD may thrive with fewer distractions, yet may struggle to stay on task and meet deadlines in noisy offices; ADHD-related hurdles are real, but the right scaffolding turns them into momentum.

• Make WFH “official” when needed. If ADHD-related symptoms substantially limit your ability to manage interruptions or meet deadlines, ask to make accommodations via a short, manager-approved trial (2–4 weeks) with clear review criteria.

• Begin with the end in mind (set one strong goal). Define today’s single outcome, then reverse-plan your blocks to hit it. Strong goals + clear finish lines = better follow-through.

• Eat the frog, early. Block 60–90 distraction-free minutes in the morning for the hardest, highest-leverage task so you start shipping before meetings creep in.

• Work in visible, time-boxed sprints. Use 25–50 minute focus blocks with short breaks to stick to one task at a time. FLOWN’s free Pomodoro timer + body doubling adds the nudge to start and the cue to finish.

• Reduce switching costs by design. Batch similar tasks, silence pings during sprints, and leave every meeting with written next steps, owners, and due times.

• Create self-accountability loops. Post your “one outcome” and sprint plan to a buddy/team channel at the start of the day; close with a 2-minute check-in on what shipped.

ADHD can be a challenge for adults at work, but with self-accountability, strong goals, and a few smart adjustments, you’ll build a repeatable rhythm that helps you do great work on your terms.

What if a workplace doesn’t agree to reasonable adjustments for ADHD at work?

If a business and an employee disagree about a reasonable adjustment for ADHD then it’s best to discuss and see if there are other solutions or a compromise to be made. If you’re a person with ADHD then your next steps would be to make an informal or formal complaint to the company.

If the results of this are something you’re not happy with then you could consider making a claim to an employment tribunal.

Learning to work with your ADHD is a journey

It may take some time for you to truly understand your ADHD. From how to manage the symptoms you struggle with, to making use of others to help you thrive.

Try and be as compassionate towards yourself as possible whilst you figure out what works for you. Experiment with different techniques and be curious when things don’t work, rather than be judgemental or cruel, and you never know what you may discover.

Remember you deserve the time and the space to find the best working environment for you.