I’m a newly minted team lead for my company and after a few months of working with a new employee, I have a strong feeling that they’re neurodivergent. They’ve also in passing mentioned to a colleague that they think they may have ADHD and have taken online screeners indicating that they may have it. Does anyone have resources for managers/leaders on how best to provide instruction and support to neurodivergent employees? I want to ensure I’m providing a safe experience for them.

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Without asking them to tell you if they are neurodivergent, you can ask them specifically if instructions are clear, if there’s a particular way they like to learn, and how you can best support them.

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Thank you, I appreciate this approach. I definitely don’t want to push for them to disclose anything they may or may not feel comfortable addressing.

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You’re awesome for wanting to do this.

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So from a legal perspective, you have this employee mentioning the potential disability, and you know about it. So whatever happens next with you treating them differently may put you in a bind of discrimination with the best intentions. You need to ask HR to reach out to the employee to set the record straight and offer a reasonable accommodation.
Employees might not understand your good intentions and feel like you're giving a favorable treatment or an ADHD employee may feel like they are being treated unfairly, and see your behavior as ableism.
As a mother of a neurodivergent child, I recommend you not assume that your teammate wants you to support them without their knowing.

likesmart

Thank you for this. That’s a very good consideration and I certainly don’t want anyone feel like they’re being treated differently. I will discuss with HR, and ensure we are treading carefully.

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The only way for them to know if they have ADHD is to get screened/tested by a medical professional.

Otherwise it’s pure speculation and may be used to deflect from the quality of their work later on. I’d treat lightly.

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Agreed. Definitely need to proceed carefully in this matter.

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I would make an effort across all your directs to have specific conversations about what is and isn't working w/r/t communications. It's none of your business if they have a diagnosis or not. It IS your business to ask and to understand how best to communicate to your staff.

Have the conversations with everyone. Say you are going to dig into that with everyone so no one feels targeted. You may get some great ideas about how to run the team.

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From my perspective as someone with ADHD, I believe you can support this employee by adopting approaches that don't presuppose they have ADHD. Given that they're a new team member, structuring the onboarding process with transparency would benefit any newcomer.
* Effective Communication:
* Clearly communicate expectations and instructions.
* Offer written guidelines or summaries to reinforce verbal communication.
* Organized Environment:
* Establish clear routines and workflows for consistency.
* Break down tasks into smaller, manageable steps to aid comprehension.
* Frequent Check-ins:
* Schedule regular meetings to review goals, progress, and any challenges encountered.
* Provide constructive feedback and motivation to foster growth.
* Training and Assistance:
* Implement microlearning sessions to facilitate skill development.
* Promote Self-Advocacy:
* Encourage open communication regarding individual needs and preferred learning methods.

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