October is ADHD Awareness Month. Many organisations now mark neurodiversity in some way, but ADHD still tends to get less attention than it deserves, and misconceptions about it are common. A little planning before October means your organisation can do something useful rather than scrambling for a last minute post on social media.
This guide covers the preparation: what to put in place beforehand, who to involve, and how to make sure the work carries on once the month is over. For ideas on what to run during the month itself, see our article on celebrating ADHD Awareness Month in the workplace.
Step 1: get the basics right
Before you plan any activity, make sure the people organising it understand ADHD. It is a lifelong form of neurodivergence that affects attention, activity and impulse regulation, and many adults are diagnosed well into their working lives. The NHS page on ADHD in adults and our own guide to ADHD in the workplace are good starting points.
It is also worth understanding why more adults are being diagnosed now. Our article on the rise in ADHD diagnoses explains what is behind it, and why it matters for employers.
Step 2: book education early
Good trainers get booked up in the run up to October. Decide early who needs what. All staff may benefit from a short awareness session, while managers need practical skills for setting work, giving feedback and agreeing adjustments. Sessions led by people with lived experience of ADHD tend to have the most impact.
Step 3: review your policies
Look at your flexible working, adjustments and performance policies through an ADHD lens. Are flexible hours or remote working genuinely available? Is it clear how someone asks for an adjustment such as a quieter workspace, written follow ups after meetings or deadlines broken into stages? Our page on your legal responsibilities around reasonable adjustments sets out what employers must do.
Step 4: involve your people
If you have a neurodiversity network or Employee Resource Group, bring it in at the planning stage rather than asking for help at the last minute. Ask what colleagues with ADHD would find useful, and make sure nobody feels pressured to share their own story. Their input will also tell you what leadership should hear.
Step 5: plan your communications
Map out what you will share internally and externally through the month. Accurate information, practical tips and stories told with permission all work well. If you post on social media, the #ADHDAwarenessMonth hashtag will help you reach a wider audience.
Step 6: consider a charity partner
Partnering with an ADHD charity for a talk, a fundraiser or shared resources can add expertise and credibility. The ADHD Foundation’s resource hub is one useful place to start looking for materials.
Step 7: line up ongoing support
Awareness raises questions, and people will want to know where to go next. Make sure managers know how to respond if someone tells them they have ADHD, and that support such as coaching or needs assessments is ready to offer.
Step 8: plan to celebrate strengths
People with ADHD often bring creativity, energy, the ability to focus intensely on work that interests them, and resilience. With their permission, highlight colleagues whose different ways of thinking have made a real contribution.
Step 9: decide what happens in November
The biggest risk with any awareness month is that everything stops on 31 October. Before the month begins, decide what will continue: a manager training programme, a review of adjustments, or regular check ins with your network. Then measure it. Our piece on turning ADHD awareness into action has more on making changes stick.
How Enna can help you prepare
We can help at every stage of your planning. Our Neurodiversity Foundations for Managers workshop gives line managers practical confidence before October arrives, and our workplace coaching offers colleagues with ADHD dedicated support afterwards.
If you would like a clear picture of where your organisation stands first, try our neuroinclusion maturity assessment, or book a planning call with our team.
