Coworker with ADHD? Here’s How to Work with Their Strengths
By Chere B. Estrin
Workplaces thrive on diversity, not just in background or experience, but in how people think. One area that’s too often misunderstood, misdiagnosed, or mishandled? Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD).
I recently received an email from a paralegal manager, clearly frustrated. One of her employees seemed to be spiraling: ignoring direction, resisting feedback, and missing deadlines. The employee was already on a Performance Improvement Plan (PIP), and the manager was beginning to wonder if they were sabotaging their own job. “Do people ever behave like this on purpose?” she asked.
At first, I wondered too. But after a few more questions, a pattern emerged. This wasn’t willful defiance, it might be ADHD.
Understanding ADHD at Work
ADHD is a neurodevelopmental condition that impacts how the brain manages focus, memory, organization, and impulse control. The DSM-5 outlines three primary types:
- Inattentive Type: Difficulty focusing, following through, staying organized
- Hyperactive-Impulsive Type: Fidgeting, interrupting, excessive talking
- Combined Type: A blend of both symptom sets
Common traits among adults with ADHD include:
- Time blindness
- Difficulty prioritizing
- Forgetfulness
- Bursts of hyperfocus followed by burnout
- Restlessness or nervous energy
But here’s the crucial part: ADHD is not just a challenge. It can be a powerful difference—when you know how to work with it.
ADHD in Action: Strengths You Don’t Want to Miss
ADHD brains are wired for innovation, pattern recognition, high-energy problem solving, and unconventional thinking. They often thrive in fast-paced or creative roles, where novelty and pressure spark performance. Many are intuitive communicators, deeply curious, and capable of diving into intense focus when fully engaged.
Take one legal recruiter I worked with. They struggled in rigid roles that demanded daily cold calls and database hygiene but gave them a high-stakes partner-level search with an impossible deadline? They were a force. They filled a long-vacant staff-level position in under two weeks using creative outreach and instinctive talent-matching. ADHD didn’t hold them back - it propelled them forward.
When Standard Solutions Don’t Work
The employee mentioned earlier? Charismatic, imaginative, great with clients—but inconsistent. We retrained, restructured, gave checklists, but nothing stuck. Eventually, I let them go.
Then I remembered something: they had casually mentioned having ADHD.
I did the research. I restructured the role to better match how their brain worked. I rehired them.
This time, we added daily check-ins, clear written instructions, shorter tasks, and flexible work hours. The result? A 90% turnaround. No more performance spikes and crashes. Just solid, consistent work.
From Management to Partnership
Working with ADHD professionals means moving beyond the idea of “fixing” and instead creating systems that enable their success. This doesn’t require massive overhauls—just smarter collaboration and better tools.
Here’s how to start:
Five Ways to Create a Supportive Work Environment
- Flexible Work Hours
Many ADHD professionals have fluctuating productivity. Allowing work during high-focus windows (even if unconventional) can drastically improve performance.
- Low-Distraction Workspaces
Offer noise-canceling headphones, standing desks, soft lighting, or quiet rooms. These adjustments help regulate sensory input and minimize overstimulation.
- Clear, Written Communication
Be specific. Replace vague phrases like “circle back soon” with “please send me a 3-point update by Thursday at 2PM.” Ambiguity creates friction; clarity creates flow.
- Regular Micro Check-Ins
Daily or weekly 5–15 minute check-ins help re-anchor priorities and spot confusion early. ADHD brains often benefit from external structure and gentle accountability.
- Normalize Neurodiversity
Build team awareness. Create psychological safety around different work styles. A neurodiverse team is a stronger team: when differences are respected, not stigmatized.
Practical Tools: Structuring the ADHD Workday
Once your environment supports ADHD differences, the next step is workflow. Here are tried-and-true strategies that increase focus and reduce overwhelm:
1. Break Work into Clear, Actionable Steps
Use visual task boards, project management apps, or simple checklists. ADHD brains do better with concrete, visible progress markers.
2. Use the Eisenhower Box to Prioritize
One of the biggest hurdles for ADHD professionals? Prioritizing tasks when everything feels equally urgent—or equally overwhelming. That’s where the Eisenhower Box (also called the Eisenhower Matrix) comes in.
This simple 2x2 grid helps sort tasks by importance and urgency:
|
Urgent
|
Not Urgent
|
|
Important
|
Do First
|
Schedule It
|
|
Not Important
|
Delegate It
|
Eliminate or Defer It
|
How It Works:
- Do First (Urgent + Important): Immediate, high-impact tasks (e.g., court filings, critical deadlines).
- Schedule It (Important + Not Urgent): Strategic work that builds value over time (e.g., preparing presentations, long-term planning).
- Delegate It (Urgent + Not Important): Time-sensitive, lower-value tasks (e.g., document formatting, basic follow-ups).
- Eliminate/Defer (Not Important + Not Urgent): Distractions or busy work (e.g., unnecessary meetings, over-polishing already-approved drafts).
For ADHD professionals, this tool removes emotional decision-making from task prioritization and gives them a structure that balances urgency and impact. It’s easy to teach and even easier to apply with Post-its, whiteboards, or apps.
3. Try the Pomodoro Technique
This method breaks work into manageable sprints:
- 25 minutes of focused work
- 5-minute break
- After four cycles, take a longer break (15–30 minutes)
This rhythm helps maintain energy and attention while preventing burnout—and it delivers regular dopamine rewards, which ADHD brains crave.
4. Build Executive Functioning Skills
Encourage strategies like mind-mapping, brainstorming aloud, or outlining tasks verbally. These externalize ideas and reduce mental clutter.
5. Incorporate Movement and Fidget Tools
Tools like fidget cubes, standing desks, or simply walking while talking on the phone can help regulate focus. Physical activity stimulates the brain and boosts clarity.
6. Anchor with a Daily 15-Minute Sync
One of the most effective tools I’ve used is a same-time-daily check-in. We review priorities, potential roadblocks, and progress. It’s a quick rhythm that creates a strong foundation. No more last-minute fire drills.
Supporting ADHD in Remote Work Environments
Remote work presents a unique challenge for ADHD professionals. Without external structure, it’s easier to drift. Here’s how to create stability:
- Set Clear Deliverables
Always spell out exactly what’s due, when, and how it should be delivered. Ambiguity is the enemy of focus.
- Minimize Digital Distractions
Recommend website blockers, Pomodoro timers, and time-tracking apps. These tools provide guardrails without being intrusive.
- Design Intentional Workspaces
Encourage employees to set up distraction-free zones with good lighting, ergonomics, and visual organization.
- Schedule Movement Breaks
Encourage standing breaks, walks, or stretching between tasks. A quick physical reset can sharpen mental clarity.
Final Thoughts: Build a Culture, Not Just a Process
Working with ADHD professionals isn’t about micromanaging. It’s about understanding, flexibility, and intentional structure. ADHD doesn’t mean someone can’t perform. It means they perform differently. And with the right systems in place, “different” can be a competitive advantage.
If we stop trying to force conformity and instead create space for neurodiverse brilliance, we’ll unlock more than productivity. We’ll build stronger, more resilient teams.
Because the future of work isn’t just inclusive.
It’s neurodiverse.
And the teams who understand that? They won’t just perform.
They’ll innovate.
|
Chere Estrin
CEO, Estrin Legal Staffing
|
|
|
