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When a Team Member Says, "I Have ADHD"

  • 6 days ago
  • 4 min read

By Tricia Taylor


This article is part of a series on applying learning science to the workplace.

Maybe you're hearing it more often at work: Someone says, "I have ADHD."

And maybe you've wondered: Is this a genuine diagnosis or the latest excuse for missed shifts or forgotten tasks?


What’s actually happening: in the UK, ADHD diagnosis rates have more than doubled since 2016, rising from 0.7% to 1.6% in males and from 0.2% to 0.9% in females. (Similar trends are seen in the US.) That isn’t overdiagnosis; it’s a correction of historic underdiagnosis, particularly in women, who tend to have less obvious symptoms.


So whether you’re sceptical, supportive or somewhere in between, it’s useful to know the evidence.


Why Saying "Well, Everyone's a Bit ADHD" Misses the Point — and Does Real Harm

You might hear (or say), "Everyone's a bit ADHD." or "I forget things too."


It's true: everyone gets distracted. Everyone forgets things. But ADHD isn't everyday forgetfulness. It's a clinical diagnosis involving persistent difficulties across multiple settings that significantly affect daily functioning.


It can feel like this: you're given a task list and your brain either locks onto one thing so intensely you lose track of time, or it refuses to prioritise anything at all, like having 15 tabs open on a computer. The same person who can stay focused during a brutal lunchtime rush might struggle to finish a single email. And criticism that rolls off most people can feel genuinely crushing. Paying attention isn’t smooth; it can be either too much or not enough. And when that happens across work, home and relationships—persistently—it feels completely overwhelming. 


In my interviews with hospitality leaders, I’m often told of highly capable, high-performing people who also have ADHD. The difference isn’t intelligence or effort; it’s whether the environment and tools support how their brain works.


When ADHD is reduced to “everyone gets distracted,” the specific cognitive challenges involved get overlooked. People stop asking for support and real difficulties start getting labelled as excuses.


Why Hospitality or Fast-paced Workplace Works Well for ADHD—With One Catch

Many people with ADHD are drawn to fast-paced workplaces for good reason. Research consistently finds they thrive in environments that are:

  • busy and fast-paced

  • novel and challenging

  • hands-on and physical


But here's the crucial distinction: It's not the chaos that helps; it's the structure within the pace.

In fast, feedback-rich tasks, the performance gap between ADHD and non-ADHD adults largely disappears.


During a service, the busy environment supplies what the ADHD brain struggles to generate internally:

  • External urgency: a table waiting defines priority

  • Immediate feedback: customer response is instant

  • Short, discrete tasks: each has a clear endpoint

  • Physical movement: helps regulate restlessness


ADHD brains tend to struggle more with long, multi-step tasks, vague endpoints, self-directed prioritisation and sustained attention to monotonous work. This is why the same person who's great on a busy floor might freeze when handed an unstructured task list. 



What Happens Without Support

Without support, hospitality quietly loses some of its most capable people — not because they can't do the job, but because the system exhausts them and their brains.


This often starts before service even begins. Many roles open with dense compliance reading and online quizzes completed in isolation, with little feedback or context. For ADHD brains, this combination — sustained attention, abstract information, delayed relevance — can be particularly gruelling. UK hospitality already sees around 42% of staff leave within 90 days. Some of that turnover isn't about motivation — it's learning problems and burnout.


What Actually Helps (And Helps Everyone)

The most effective supports aren’t “special ADHD accommodations.” They’re good cognitive design.

  • Use visible tools that define what “done” looks like: checklists, photo guides, priority boards.

  • Reduce reliance on memory: write it down, sequence it clearly, chunk the steps.

  • Give fast, specific feedback: remove the guesswork.


When a team member says "I have ADHD," avoid:

  • "Everyone gets distracted sometimes"

  • "I'm a bit ADHD too"

  • "Just try harder"


Instead: "Thanks for sharing that with me. Let's talk about where things feel hardest and what's helped you in past roles. Some things we think might help are: checklists, clear instructions and check-ins, but we’d love to hear your ideas too. "


Here's what matters: whether someone has a formal diagnosis, suspects they might or simply finds certain tasks draining, these systems work. With an estimated 2.5 million people in the UK likely meeting criteria for ADHD but undiagnosed, many of your team may be navigating these challenges without knowing why. Good cognitive design helps everyone.


The shift is simple: from "How do I accommodate this person?" to "Do our systems work for real human brains?"


About the Author

Tricia Taylor is the founder of TailoredPractice, an educational consultancy applying cognitive science to schools and workplace learning. With nearly 30 years in schools and educational psychology, she now also works with hospitality leaders to design learning environments that actually work for how brains learn and remember.


References

UK ADHD Statistics:

UK Hospitality Statistics:

ADHD & Work Environment Research:

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