We will consider-
- Strategies employees can use to cope with ADHD in the workplace and other support available to them.
- Should an employee disclose their AD/HD? Strategies and accommodations employers/Human Resources can use to support individual AD/HDers.
- Good practice models for employment and recruitment of people with disabilities, specifically AD/HD
- Inattention
- Hyperactivity/impulsivity
- DSM-iv produced with children in mind
- Symptoms in adults often manifest differently
- Less hyperactivity
- Impulsivity more salient-spending habits, internet use, etc
- Adults may be able to inhibit impulsivity – but more effort/difficulty then others
- Often undiagnosed and untreated.
- Develop coping skills that mask the visible impairments
- Deficits more apparent in adults include:Working memory,emotional and motivational regulation, organisation, planning, and problem solving
- These problems often most obvious in the workplace
- AD/HD is not a learning disorder.
- It’s a disruption in the application of knowledge-at the point of performance of knowledge not its acquisition
- 4.2% workforce fulfilled diagnostic criteria (American study/European epidemiological data consistent)
- Clinical Experience
(Oswald/Stes 2005) - Asked medical professionals about the rate of adult AD/HD in the general population-60% concurred with epidemiological data
- But 35% had never diagnosed adult ADHD
Treatments
- Pyschoeducation
- Medications
- Time management and organisation coach
- Career counselling to get the best job fit
- Management of co morbid disorders
- Support groups
- Adults who were diagnosed in childhood or later and had continued treatment/awareness
- Adults who have never been diagnosed
- Adults who were diagnosed in childhood but poor follow through
- High levels of insight
- Channel hyperactivity and restlessness
- Volunteer for novel tasks
- May display increased deficits in proportion to their successes -amplifies once subtle defects”(Rapport et al., 2001)
- More difficulty finding and keeping employment
- Less insight
- Pattern of low self-worth, depression, and poor motivation
- Poor communication
- Learning barriers
- Accommodations are necessary
- Accept lower paid work to minimise stress
- Have part time or no paid work
- Black economy
- Voluntary sector
- Exchange economy
- Family, hobbies ,communities etc
Turgay et al,
- Poor levels of work perfomance
- Impaired task completion
- Lack of independent skills
- Poor relationships with supervisors
- WORK CONCERNS
- Poor planning/organisation
- Can’t sustain attention to routine tasks e.g. paperwork
- Procrastinates
- Internally restless
- fidgety. may be physically overactive
- Impulsive decision making
- May be unable to work well independently
- 0ften late for work, meetings , appointments
- Changes job impulsively
- Less able to follow directions carefully
- Poor self discipline
- Poor time management
- Stressed/ over emotional
- Impaired communication skills
Career Choice
- Importance of Good Fit to Workplace paramount.
- Be aware of abilities and strengths:
- Psychological assessments, performance evaluations.
- http://www.quintcareers.com
- http://www.princetonreview.com
- Internships/volunteer positions
- -Scope Leadership for disabled Graduates
In many countries high percentage entrepreneurs ADHD.Unfortunately, low level of state support and entrepreneurs vs employment in Belgium
What other sectors?
- From the Adult AD/HD report (2005)
- 1500 people questioned from 14 professional groups in US
- People in occupations freer from constraint and office tend to show more behaviours consistent with AD/HD
- Typical careers for ADHD adults:
- Professional athletes
- Tradespeople (plumbers, electricians, carpenters, gardeners).
- Entertainers (actors, musicians) construction workers
- Healthcare professionals
- Elected officials
- Less likely to find people with ADHD in structured working environments and high disciplined fields
- Teachers, lawyers, law enforcement agents, media professionals
- Office, bank, and retail workers
Keys to Success on the job
- Modify/redesign job to emphasize strengths and weaknesses
- E.g. moving around whilst still getting work done/photocopying
- Starting in a job-Build Social Supports- Initiate - Ask questionslook for unwritten rules,establish feedback.
- Find a coach or mentor or peer worker/tutor
- Tape important meetings/use note taking to concentrate
- Notebook organising systems diary PDA
- http://www.rememberthemilk.com/
- Harder tasks when most alert
- Schedule supervisory meetings /reviews more often
- Customised employment
- Should you disclose your disability to an existing employer?Consider if you need accomadations
- Some will view you more negatively, rigidly refuse accommodation-.Other think you can do the job and are willing to make accommodations
- Don’t request before you know the job description or Immediately after a mistake is made
- You may be viewed as using your Disability as an excuse
- Retain Valuable Employee
- Increased employees productivity/company productivity
- Eliminated training costs new employee
- Increased employees attendance
- Improved morale
- Improved safety
- For every dollar spent on accommodations got back 10 dollars in benefits
- (from US Job accommodation network)
- Disability is an issue which directly affects colleagues at work and in their personal lives
- Managers who take a leadership position on disability gain both technical skills in change management and job design but also an increased ability to recognise and enable human potential
- Disability confidence is one of the best ways to build flexible management skills - an area in which managers report they need support
- Read Your business case for an overview of the facts and areas which may be relevant to your business case
- Action
- Employers’ Forum on Disability guidance sets standards for
- The Disability Standard provides a framework for action which covers every area where disability impacts on the business
- More information:http://www.employers-forum.co.uk/www/index.htm
Other resources
Communication in the workplace for people with ADHD
Action Slips, lapses and mistakes
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