ADHD at work: supporting a rising number of working women newly diagnosed
Awareness around neurodiversity in the workplace continues to grow, along with new diagnoses for some conditions, like attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).
New diagnoses for ADHD across all age groups have risen in recent years, according to data from electronic health record vendor Epic. But among adults, women are largely driving the rise, with the percentage of women ages 23 to 49 newly diagnosed with ADHD nearly doubling from 2020 to 2022.
The condition often manifests differently in women than it does in men, experts say, and women can feel more pressured to mask their symptoms at work making it harder to get the necessary help they need to capitalize on their strengths and support potential weaknesses.
“Men and women show such different patterns with ADHD in the workplace that it’s hard to overlook how those differences shape their experiences,” said Denise Murray, marketing manager at Microdose Mushrooms, a mushroom supplement company.
In general, ADHD is characterized by ranging levels of inattention, hyperactivity and impulsivity — though some strengths include the ability to hyperfocus, and high levels of energy and creativity. In men those behaviors are often more externalized and noticeable, while they are more internalized among women, experts say.
“In most cases, males with ADHD will have the symptoms of impulsivity and hyperactivity externalized and are likely perceived as problematic to maintain concentration on routine-oriented jobs. More often than not, this has proved to be one’s strength in dynamic, high-energy situations where adaptability will play an important role,” said Sham Singh, a psychiatrist at WINIT clinic.
“Women with ADHD, on the other hand, tend to face different kinds of hurdles,” said Murray. “They often struggle more with internalized symptoms like inattentiveness, emotional regulation, or lapses in working memory, which can slip under the radar but impact their work just as deeply,” she said. “I’ve noticed that they’re more likely to feel overwhelmed by long tasks or group projects, and they can be unfairly labeled as distracted or unmotivated.”
Murray remembers once having a woman on her team who was incredibly talented, she said, yet struggled keeping up with the rapid pace of communication during busy times and often got flustered or missed important details.
Murray worked with her on breaking down her tasks, finding new processes better tailored to her way of thinking and ensuring she had enough space to work through projects without feeling rushed. “That shift not only helped her stay on top of her work but also seemed to take a huge weight off her shoulders, boosting her confidence in the process,” she said.
Because women’s symptoms are less visible, granting them needing accommodations can be trickier. In general, some accommodations that can be made for workers with ADHD include those to eliminate distractions, like providing a separate, quiet workspace.
It might also include allowing them to organize their days in a way that maximizes their own focus and productivity — for instance, by blocking out periods to respond to calls and emails rather than juggling them throughout the day, or by scheduling more frequent, short breaks to get movement. Other examples are breaking up larger projects into smaller sections with separate deadlines.
Playing into the strengths of neurodivergent staff is an increasingly important goal among employers who have begun offering neurodiversity training and tailoring hiring processes to better cater to neurodiverse staff. Many are finding the tweaks to traditional processes are benefiting their entire employee population, and are leaning into more ways to offer these inclusive kinds of supports.
When Jodie Hill, founder and managing partner at Thrive Law, was diagnosed with ADHD later in life, it helped her finally make sense of some of the struggles she faced throughout her career. “I’ve found that it poses specific challenges in a legal career. Much of this stems from the pressure to appear ultra-organized, efficient, and on top of every detail,” she said.
“One of the biggest challenges for women with ADHD in the workplace is that our symptoms are sometimes less obvious than those of our male counterparts. This makes it harder for others to understand why we might need certain accommodations or flexibility,” she said.
“In my case, understanding my ADHD has allowed me to implement structures that work for me. However, it has taken time to advocate for these changes without feeling like I’m letting down my colleagues or clients. Only now am I starting to feel like I belong and that it’s OK to ask for what I need to function at my best,” she said.