Individuals with ADHD often have energetic drive and are able to hyperfocus on tasks that are driven by their interests. They're often creative, able to think holistically, and make great leaders because of their resilience.
With these strengths, people with ADHD make a great addition to any workforce. They thrive best in environments that play to their strengths, and support any challenges they may have. Such challenges can include difficulty maintaining focus, impulse and concentration.
To help you support a colleague or employee with ADHD, we asked ADHD coaches, business leaders, and people with lived experience of ADHD for their insights and tips for ADHD workplace adjustments.
Here are 12 tips on how to support employees with ADHD to accomplish their tasks and feel accepted in the work environment.
1. Schedule regular check-ins
Time management can be a challenge for colleagues with ADHD, affecting both their perception of how long tasks will take and how close deadlines are. While they have every intention of completing work on time, small obstacles can get in the way.
Hilary Stern, Founder and ADHD Life Coach at ADHD Advance Coaching and Consulting LLC, explained that colleagues with ADHD thrive when they have:
- Clear deadlines
- Support in estimating task length
- Regularly scheduled check-ins to stay on track and accountable
Without these touchpoints, details may be unintentionally forgotten. With the right systems in place, success is far more likely.
2. Make short-term goals clear to group members
Sarah Frank, Founder of The ADHD Recruiter, noted that employees with ADHD are most effective when projects are broken into short-term, concrete goals. Long timelines can lead to tasks being forgotten or deprioritized, but weekly or clearly defined milestones help maintain focus and momentum.
Group discussions that clarify “who is doing what” and set short-term targets ensure accountability and consistent progress.
If the timeline is too far off, I often forget or get bogged down by other tasks. If we've talked as a group and broken down a project into weekly tasks, I can always have that done by the next meeting.
3. Support time management of tasks and projects
Those with ADHD may be challenged with time blindness, short attention spans, and planning due to poor Executive Function. If your colleague or employee has ADHD, they could potentially get stuck with completing tasks or projects on time.
Be proactive to support colleagues with ADHD. This can include:
- Sending a follow-up email outlining tasks or projects, with clear timelines
- Using bullet points to highlight what you need, why it’s needed, and the desired outcome
- Setting up routinely calendar invites for check-ins
- Adding reminders (e.g., 24 hours before and 1 hour before) to keep deadlines front of mind
- Kim Allingham, Founder of NMD
4. Be sensitive and open-minded
There is only one good way to support a colleague or employee with ADHD: with time, patience, and sensitivity. It must be built on trust, confidence, and open-mindedness. You need to get to know them as a person.
Together, you need to learn, understand, and acknowledge their ADHD traits and accept them. You also need to explore their experiences, discover what works and what doesn’t, and remain reliably consistent and non-judgmental.
- Guy Brewer, Dyslexia and ADHD Strategies Coach
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5. Provide helpful techniques to meet deadlines
If you have a colleague or employee with ADHD, you may have noticed they have difficulty meeting deadlines. To support them, Marilyn Fettner suggests some practical techniques.
Practical techniques that can help include:
- A large wall-mounted calendar or whiteboard in an uncluttered space to record project milestones and due dates
- Visual or audio reminders to regularly monitor progress
- A color-coded system to highlight milestones and deadlines
- Refreshing techniques when they lose effectiveness, such as updating the color-coding system or moving the calendar/whiteboard to a new location
It’s not uncommon for techniques to lose effectiveness over time, so if this occurs, suggest they formulate a new color-coding system or change the location of the calendar or whiteboard.
- Marilyn Fettner, ADHD, Career and Life Coach at Fettner Career & Life Coaching
6. Help them get things done their way
Helena Territt from HatchedCoaching highlights the importance of focusing on outcomes rather than methods. For individuals with ADHD, autonomy is key. Rewards and consequences rarely have lasting impact, but when people are engaged with their interests and values, they can achieve remarkable results. ADHD paralysis is often heightened under pressure, in restrictive environments, or when someone is in a negative mindset. Flexibility and encouragement are essential.
Practical ways to support include:
- Allowing autonomy and focusing on success rather than rigid processes
- Encouraging movement during meetings or the use of fidget tools to aid focus
- Summarizing and checking action points at the end of discussions
- Showing patience with interruptions, which often signal enthusiasm and engagement
Rewards and consequences rarely work for ADHDers, but we can achieve incredible things when engaged with our interests and values... Allow autonomy and keep things focused on successes.
7. Assign a task buddy to help get work done
Getting started with tasks is often the hardest part for adults with ADHD. They may feel overwhelmed or enter a state of hyper-focus while planning, only to feel too mentally exhausted to complete the work. Working with an accountability partner or task buddy can be very helpful. Setting goals together and holding periodic check-ins provides the accountability needed to stay motivated and on track.
- Jo Futerman, Coach, ADHD Specialist, Meditation Teacher
8. Assist by offering to switch tasks sometimes
If an employee has not formally disclosed an ADHD diagnosis but you suspect it may be the case, an understanding and supportive colleague can make a big difference. Adults with ADHD often feel diminished when they make mistakes. If mistakes happen regularly, the employee might perform better in other tasks.
You can help by asking if they would like to switch tasks occasionally or encouraging them to seek support from an ADHD coach or career coach. Showing patience and understanding is key, as feeling overwhelmed at work can have a significant impact on adults with ADHD.
- Shell Mendelson, ADHD Career Coach at Career Coaching with Shell
9. Learn a few ways to help them get started
Getting started on a task or project can be very difficult for someone with ADHD. It might appear as laziness, procrastination, or lack of motivation, but there’s more to it. Activation, or task initiation, is an executive function, and with ADHD, the brain’s “ignition switch” can get stuck, sometimes to the point of paralysis.
Here’s how you can help:
- Check if they’re clear on the project, steps, priorities, and expected deliverables
- Ask if they want to talk things through to externalize their thoughts
You can also suggest practical techniques:
- Take a break to alleviate frustration; move, hydrate, get fresh air
- Commit to working for just ten minutes to make it feel less overwhelming
- Set a countdown timer to visualize the passage of time
- Create a mind map instead of starting with a structured presentation
- Gamify the task, e.g., “How many ideas can you come up with in 5 minutes?”
- Susan Lasky, Productivity, ADHD, EF Organization Coach
11. Create timelines that are realistic for everyone
When requesting something from a colleague with ADHD, it can help to ask what timeframe works best for them. Once agreed, consider checking in a few days before the deadline in a friendly way to ensure it stays on their radar. Avoid taking delays personally or judging them if they don’t deliver on time, as they may get distracted or leave tasks until the last minute. Keep conversations constructive and focus on what can help them provide what you need in a timely manner.
- Wayne Kessler, Executive and Career Coach at Boston Business Coaching, LLC
12. Hire an ADHD Coach for support
The most effective way to support an employee with ADHD and enhance workplace performance is through coaching. A coach helps the employee set goals, build awareness, and develop strategies, systems, or routines to address performance gaps. They also learn ways to improve focus, acquire role-specific skills, and identify strengths that can benefit their employer.
Working with an accountability partner can further improve results, reinforce new skills, and teach employees to advocate for themselves. Implementing this support boosts confidence, career success, and job satisfaction, making employees more likely to stay in their role; a true win-win for both the employee and employer.
- Naomi Bamberg, ADHD Life Coach at ADHD Coach Bondi