Executive function is the set of mental processes we use to plan, start and finish tasks, hold information in mind, switch between activities and manage time. Many people with ADHD experience differences in executive function, often described as executive dysfunction. At work, these differences can be misread as carelessness or a lack of commitment.
Understanding what’s happening, and changing how work is set up, makes a real difference. Here’s what employers and managers need to know.
What executive function involves
Executive function covers several connected skills, including:
- working memory, or holding information in mind while using it
- planning and prioritising
- starting tasks and keeping going with them
- managing time and estimating how long things take
- shifting attention between tasks
Executive function differences aren’t unique to ADHD. Autistic people and others can experience them too. They also vary from day to day, and stress, tiredness and the environment all affect them.
How it can show up at work
The NHS lists signs of ADHD in adults that include finding it hard to organise time, finish tasks or follow instructions, and being easily distracted or forgetful. In a work setting, that might look like the following.
Deadlines that slip
A large, loosely defined project can be hard to start, and then gets squeezed into the last minute. This isn’t laziness. Starting a task with no obvious first step takes more effort for some brains.
Time blindness
Some people with ADHD find it hard to judge how much time has passed or how long something will take. That can lead to lateness or taking on too much.
Forgotten actions
Actions agreed out loud in a meeting are easily lost if nobody writes them down.
Uneven focus
Someone may find it hard to concentrate in a noisy office, then focus intensely on work that interests them. Both are part of the same picture.
Why the environment matters
Many of these barriers come from how work is designed rather than from the person. Open-plan noise, constant notifications, unclear priorities and last-minute changes make executive function harder for everyone, and much harder for some. Our article on why every office needs a quiet area looks at one part of this, and our guide to ADHD in the workplace covers the wider picture.
When the barriers stay in place, talented people can end up in performance processes, or simply leave. Our article on neurodivergence and probation periods sets out the risks for employers.
Practical adjustments managers can make
Most of what helps is simple and cheap:
- Break larger projects into smaller steps, each with its own deadline.
- Confirm actions and priorities in writing after meetings.
- Agree short, regular check-ins rather than waiting for a deadline to pass.
- Allow noise-cancelling headphones, a quieter workspace or home working for focused tasks.
- Use shared calendars, reminders and task-management tools.
- Say clearly which tasks matter most when priorities clash.
Acas lists more adjustments for neurodiversity, including several for organisation and time management. ADHD will often count as a disability under the Equality Act 2010, so these may be reasonable adjustments you’re required to consider. Our guide to your legal responsibilities on reasonable adjustments explains more.
How Enna can help
Our workplace coaching gives employees with ADHD time to build their own strategies for planning, prioritising and managing workload, with their manager involved where that helps. A workplace needs assessment pinpoints the specific adjustments that will make a difference. For managers, our supporting and managing neurodivergent employees workshop shows how to set work up well from the start.
