ADHD and reasonable adjustments
According to acas.org.uk, reasonable adjustments are “…changes an employer makes to remove or reduce a disadvantage related to someone's disability”.
Until my diagnosis I wasn’t really sure exactly what a ‘reasonable adjustment’ at work was. After my diagnosis, once I’d started to read anything and everything about ADHD, I was shocked to learn how broad the range of ‘adjustments’ could be. It was also very interesting to find out that you actually don't need to ‘prove’ to your employer that you have a disability to request them, which also means you don’t need a formal diagnosis.
Working a 9/5 week for someone with ADHD can be pretty painful. We just don't thrive in these kind of settings. Working 8/9 hour days (sometimes more!) makes the majority of us a lot less productive than we would be if we were working shorter days.
We procrastinate, we get distracted, we lose focus and quite honestly, we get bored!!
Working in an office environment can be difficult too. Loud noises, more distractions, feeling “chained” to a desk, social interactions we might not be comfortable with. Being forced to take breaks at set times for set lengths, and sometimes even being timed for loo breaks!!! (Just writing about this is giving me serious icky flashbacks from previous call centre jobs and having conversations with people on my team because they “took too long on the toilet”).
I'm now very lucky that I work somewhere with flexible hours, remote working, respect and understanding from management, trust and people who actually just care about my wellbeing. I have asked for reasonable adjustments, where needed, and they have been catered for without question.
Because reasonable adjustments are just that, an adjustment that is reasonable and would usually look like a small accommodation to make your working day a bit easier, it’s unlikely an employer would refuse your request. In my experience, the best way to go about it is to have an open conversation with your line manager. This should outline the request and also outline how it will make things easier for you. Although we would hope that no one would have any issues with this, I’d always recommend backing everything up in writing, in an email, just so you have a written record, should you ever need it.
Here are some examples of reasonable ‘reasonable adjustment’ requests, that can be especially helpful for people with ADHD and that I have requested since my diagnosis.
Flexible start/finish times - if you struggle with punctuality having a 30/60 minute window of when you start work, gives you the comfort of knowing you are much less likely to be late for work. For example, I currently start anytime between 8-9. Some morning’s I am logged on and ready to go at 7:59. Other days I’m struggling and I need that extra hour in bed, and I don’t feel guilty for doing so.
Flexible break times - so you can take a break when YOU actually need it. Having breaks at a set time every day can be a nightmare for an ADHDer, you could be mid hyperfocus and even a 10 minute interruption could ruin the rest of the day for you. If taking a break much later on supports your productivity throughout the rest of the day, then being in control of your own day is going to give much better results, for everyone!
Having a set desk (rather than hot-desking, if you work in an office) - so you don’t feel anxious about where you might be sat (or who you might be sat next to!). I also like to sit facing the door with not much behind me. I feel anxious if I can’t see what’s going on, also I’m just so bloody nosey that if I have my back to a door I am constantly looking over my shoulder every time I hear the door go!
Requesting more context is given to meeting invites that just say “Let’s catch up” - I’ve lost count of the amount of speeches I’ve made in my head in preparation for all the “you’re fired” conversations… I’VE NEVER EVEN HAD!! I don’t think it’s just me that looks for a follow up email with my P45 attached! But in all seriousness, an invite/DM like this can cause serious, unnecessary, anxiety which can be easily avoided if more context is given. For example, “Let’s catch up….. about that massive pay rise we want to give you” ha ha.
Noise cancelling headphones/listening to music - This is another good option for those working in an office. The general hum of an office can be super distracting, even more so if you have a more ‘chatty’ person sat next to you (I’m usually that person!), so wearing noise cancelling headphones or being able to listen to your favourite playlist at work can be super helpful.
Deadlines - asking for clear deadlines is probably less of a reasonable adjustment, and should probably be a given regardless. However, those with ADHD may need extra check-ins along the way to ensure that deadlines are on track and that nothing has been forgotten. Also, sometimes a deadline is simply “in the next day or two” or “before the end of the month”. Both of those statements would either give me massive anxiety and I would panic and do the task immediately dropping everything else that might have actually been more important, or I’ll go the exact opposite and think “well, the end of the month is 3 weeks away, I’ve got loads of time” then the thing I was actually meant to do will leave my brain, never to return and never get done! So if, like me, floating deadlines are not your thing, just ask for a firm one. Or even a “can we come back to this in a week and see where I’m at with it, and check priorities”, something like that.
Regular catch ups with your manager - most places I have worked I’ve meant to have regular meetings with my line manager, but more often than not these would be rescheduled or cancelled. One thing I ask for in my current role is to make sure I have regular catch ups with my boss. I like to have that time to touch base, discuss any issues or ask any questions I may have. I also like to use it as a chance to go through my to-do list and check that my prioritisation of my work is the same as the expected prioritisation. I also just like a bit of reassurance now and then, that I’m doing what is expected and that I haven’t missed anything I should have done/be doing.
Uber rides - this is actually a bit of an odd one, and definitely a more personal reasonable adjustment request, but I think it’s a good one to share. When I was still taking ADHD medication, one of the side effects for me was overheating. Which inevitably led to sweating, like really sweating. It would be so bad that a 2/3 minute walk could leave me drenched. This was an issue that became even more apparent when I used to go to London to visit client offices and then again when my current company had an away day. A “quick” tube ride away would leave me hot, sweaty, my fancy office clothes would be stuck to me and my make-up would have slid off down my face, and worst of all I would feel so so embarrassed. Embarrassed to my core. I hated it. Walking in to a clients fancy London office looking like I’d just run the London marathon was not a great look. So, at my request, I was able to expense an Uber so I could arrive looking like the fancy pants career woman I so clearly am (jokes!). Then at our last company away day, most people walked the 10ish minutes from our hotel to the restaurant, but there was absolutely zero hesitation in allowing me to catch an uber to save myself from experiencing ‘The Sweat’!
I hope these few examples help to give an insight into the kind of reasonable adjustments that can be made to help our lives be a little bit easier when at work. This list is no where near exhaustive and can vary depending on each persons needs.
Please reach out if you want to talk reasonable adjustments or if you would like support in knowing how to ask for them.
Reasonable adjustments at work are something I can absolutely support with through my coaching, and can be a vital cog in the whole machine when looking at becoming drug free, and dealing with ADHD with skills not pills.
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