7 WAYS TO MANAGE WORKING RELATIONSHIPS WITH ADHD

ADHD RELATIONSHIPS IN THE WORKPLACE 

Having ADHD in a neurotypical world can be challenging in the workplace. One study found that about half of adults with ADHD have consistent full-time work, compared to 72% of their neurotypical peers. Having ADHD can affect the way you work and meet expectations in the workplace.

Executive Functioning is your brain’s ability to manage your attention. With ADHD, your symptoms can impede the way you focus, meet deadlines, and stay on top of your workload. Another big consequence of ADHD may be impacting the way you communicate with your coworkers, and negatively impact those working relationships. 

ADHD adults often struggle with regulating their emotions. This emotional dysregulation can often lead to conflicts or misunderstandings between co-workers. Additionally, adults with ADHD can tend to talk a lot, can get distracted, and interrupt co-workers- all of which can negatively affect their relationships. The procrastination that is often present in ADHD can lead to resentment from co-workers. Furthermore, people with ADHD’s sensitivity to criticism can also impact their co-working relationships. 

7 WAYS TO MANAGE YOUR WORKING RELATIONSHIPS WITH ADHD 

Having ADHD can make it challenging to navigate co-working relationships in the workplace. To manage your ADHD in your workplace, and improve your working relationships with your co-workers, you can try the following:

1. Be aware of how ADHD can help you thrive in the workplace

As outlined above, there are some negative effects of ADHD in the workplace. However, having ADHD can also be a superpower in the workplace. Being easily distracted can help you look at different aspects of the work uniquely. Often adults with ADHD are creative and innovative, helping bring to light different solutions to different tasks and projects. Adults with ADHD are also good in a crisis and can be flexible and adaptable. They can also work well under pressure and manage tasks with given deadlines. All of these traits can make you an asset to any workplace. Focusing on the ways your ADHD can manifest positively in your workplace can help you positively develop your relationships with your co-workers.

2.  Stay organized at work according to your style preferences

Organization is key to helping you support yourself at work. Even though many ADHD adults struggle with staying organized, it’s important to learn more about what you need and how you prefer to stay organized. Our Time and Space Style Inventory is a great assessment tool to help you learn more about your organizational preferences. Additionally, here is a great article to help you overcome workplace disorganization. 

3.  Communication is critical so schedule regular check-ins with your manager and co-workers

Communication is key when managing your ADHD in the workplace. Consistent communication is the best way to get on the same page with your co-workers. A consistent support system is essential for an ADHD adult to thrive. Having a consistent routine, and writing down tasks on lists can help keep you on track. Having a regular weekly check-in with those you work with can help keep the team on track and develop positive relationships. Lastly, being open about your ADHD with your co-workers and managers can help in providing much-needed flexibility at work. This open communication can greatly improve your working relationships.

4.  Ask for feedback

To maintain open communication with coworkers, set up communication protocols. Design meeting agendas that make it easy to ask for feedback as a way to strengthen your relationships. You can ask managers and coworkers for constructive feedback, and adapt your working style accordingly. It’s also important to be more mindful of social cues and body language when interacting with your co-workers, as it might help you strengthen those bonds. Providing your co-workers and managers constructive, specific,  and objective feedback to help them improve can open the door to receiving consistent feedback and improve your working dynamics. If you manage any employees that may also have ADHD, make sure to read on how managers can support ADHD adults at work. \

5.  Be mindful of workflow interruptions

Workplace Trends reports that the typical person loses an average of 2.1 hours each day due to distractions in the workplace. Workflow interruptions can affect adults with ADHD even more, as you can become easily distracted once you are interrupted, making it harder to get back on track. One way to avoid these destabilizing interruptions is by letting your co-workers know what is the best way to interrupt you.

6.  Know your strengths and support yourself

Too often, ADHDers make the mistake of short-cutting their own needs for convenience. For instance, ADHD compromises your working memory. So, with ADHD at work, you’re more likely to get overloaded with too much information and drop out details. If this describes you, create ways to write things down during meetings. Written notes will help reinforce and support your processing modalities after the meeting is over.The virtual universe and instant communications can make it hard to track details and remember to follow up on when you have ADHD. 

If you struggle with email follow-up, consider printing emails to provide a concrete reminder to follow up with a task. A printed email provides a ‘paper trail’ that you can read and process while you’re away from your computer.  In that case, printed written communications may help you manage your email and follow up on tasks that come from those email communications. You can always give coworkers a heads-up when you’re working on an important task and need to block that time out on your calendar. Lastly, requesting advance notice for meetings, and using headphones are also great ways to avoid workflow interruptions. Avoiding these can help you build trust and respect in your relationships with your co-workers. You can read here to learn more about ADHD strategies to stay on track at work.

7.  Practice body doubling to get things done 

Lastly, one great way to stay on track at work and strengthen your working relationships is by body doubling. Body doubling has been shown to help adults with ADHD get things done. Having someone near you while you work can help you focus, feel less isolated, and increase your motivation when you have ADHD. Having a co-worker be a body double is also a great way to strengthen your relationship with them. You can get your tasks done more efficiently while developing a coworking bond. Check out my article on why body doubling helps ADHD adults get things done. 

CONCLUSION 

Having ADHD can make working more difficult. Your symptoms are with you every day of the week. So, while in the workplace, build awareness around how unrecognized symptoms impact your executive functioning. Unreliable executive functioning may negatively impact your working relationships. Building strong communication protocols and follow-up workflows with your co-workers can be a great way to build trust in those relationships. An ADHD Coach can also help you navigate through your relationships at work. An ADHD Coach can also provide tools to navigate through ADHD in all aspects of your life. To learn more about ADHD Coaching, book a complimentary Discovery Call with me.