Millions of Americans have adult ADHD, and those in the workforce face unique challenges. We recently asked 1,008 workers with ADHD about their challenges and triumphs in the workplace. Read on to discover what they experience in their daily work lives, how it affects their careers overall, and what they need to succeed in the workplace.

Navigating the Challenges of ADHD at Work

Work is a source of stress for most people, but which stressors cause the most problems for workers with ADHD?

Survey: Workplace struggles with ADHD

We found that 2 in 3 employees with ADHD find work challenging on a daily basis. Most reported struggling to maintain focus (80%), and over half said it's difficult to manage their time at work — both of which are common symptoms among adults with ADHD.

With the increase in remote work these past few years, we wanted to examine the differences between remote and on-site workers. We discovered that remote employees were 54% more likely than on-site employees to struggle with impulse control. No matter where they worked, respondents also had problems with boredom, forgetfulness, and procrastination.

Survey: Tips for dealing with adhd

When asked to provide tips for others struggling with ADHD at work, 58% of our respondents advised time blocking (assigning specific tasks to each hour of your work day). Similarly, over half suggested creating checklists (53%) and taking breaks as needed (52%). Again, remote workers stood out from the pack; they were 52% more likely than on-site workers to advise using noise-canceling headphones while working.

Our survey also revealed that financial management in general can be a significant challenge for workers with ADHD. Of our respondents, 62% said finances trigger their ADHD symptoms and, 44% said the same about having to submit invoices.

So, we asked them what strategies they would suggest to help workers with ADHD manage these invoicing challenges. Their top tips were:

  • Software that uses reminders (57%)
  • Reducing distractions (57%)
  • Establishing an invoicing routine (57%)
  • Breaking down large tasks into smaller ones (50%)
  • Standardizing invoices (48%)
  • Setting a specific billing day (42%)
  • Use an online payment system (40%).

Unlocking the Unique Strengths of ADHD in the Workplace

Working as an adult with ADHD is challenging, but these employees also bring some incredible skills to the workplace. What are their unique strengths?

Survey: Best careers with ADHD

Employees with ADHD experience challenges in the workplace, but also triumphs. Nearly half (49%) said their greatest strengths were their desire to succeed and their creativity. Another 46% said empathy was their biggest strength, while 43% said theirs were out-of-the-box thinking and the ability to multitask. About 4 in 10 respondents said their company or manager provides a supportive environment for them to use their strengths and do their best work.

Finding the Perfect Fit

Are some careers better for people with ADHD than others? Let's see which jobs many have chosen and how well they've been able to grow in their careers.

Survey: Workplace design for ADHD

Overall, 58% of workers with ADHD said they were satisfied with their career choices. While small business ownership was the No. 1 career path pursued by our respondents with ADHD, the engineers (72%) and project managers (71%) were the most likely to be satisfied with their choices. The least satisfied respondents worked in the food industry (44%) or as sales associates (40%).

Some career paths were more common among some generations than others. Here are each generation's top three jobs, according to the percentage of those who chose to pursue them:

Gen Z

  1. Software developer
  2. Data analyst
  3. Sales associate

Millennials

  1. Small-business owner
  2. Data analyst
  3. Entrepreneur

Gen X

  1. Small-business owner
  2. Teacher
  3. Entrepreneur

Despite their challenges, 65% of workers with ADHD said they have been able to grow in their careers. But hybrid workers (74%) and on-site workers (68%) were more likely than remote workers (61%) to say the same. Could their work environments be a factor in their success?

Optimizing Your Environment

Setting up employees for success involves understanding their needs. So, we asked employees with ADHD to share what makes a work environment optimal for them.

Survey: ADHD greatest strengths

Workers with disabilities, including ADHD, rely on employer accommodations to be successful. Less than half of workers with ADHD (47%) said their current work environment was suitable for them. And although 64% said a flexible schedule was helpful, remote (70%) and hybrid (69%) workers were more likely than on-site ones (58%) to say so.

Coping with Job Loss

Many Americans have been laid off in recent years, so we wondered how those with ADHD have fared and how long it takes them to bounce back.

Survey: Handling layoffs with ADHD

More than 1 in 4 of our respondents had experienced being laid off, and 21% felt their ADHD was a contributing factor. Gen Zers were more likely than other generations to say this. However, 85% of workers with ADHD who had experienced being laid off have since bounced back. On average, it took them 3.4 months to find a new job. Gen Zers found a new job the fastest, while baby boomers took the longest.

Supporting Employees with ADHD

Workers with ADHD have unique struggles as well as strengths and triumphs. From pursuing and thriving in their chosen careers to making the workplace more accommodating for all workers, they have a wealth of perspectives to contribute to their workplace. That's why employers who support their neurodivergent workforce are likely to become stronger for it in the long run.

About Skynova Inc.

Skynova's online invoicing solutions are designed specifically for small businesses. With 37 unique software modules that can be used together or separately, Skynova helps you control invoicing, accounting, retainers, work orders, and more.

Methodology

For this campaign, we surveyed 1,008 Americans with ADHD. Among them, 52% were women, and 48% were men. The generation breakdown is as follows: 18% were Gen Z, 41% were millennials, 34% were Gen X, and 7% were baby boomers. Of all respondents, 40% worked on-site, 34% remotely, and 26% were hybrid workers.

Additionally, we surveyed 581 workers to explore if financial management in general triggered their ADHD.

Fair Use Statement

Did you find some useful tips for creating a more inclusive workplace? We encourage you to share the results of this study for any non-commercial use, provided you link back to this page.