by Nancy Seddens

Created on: August 07, 2010

It might come as a surprise to the average person in a human resource department to hear that there are advantages to hiring a person with ADHD. Hiring someone who has what is labeled as a learning disability that causes them to react more impulsively then the average person and have difficulty focusing doesn’t sound like it would be a good thing. Indeed it sound like the type of person the HR department would prefer to find a reason not to hire.

People with ADHD are a minority but a sizable one. It is estimated that about 7% of the U.S. population has this disability; with about three to five times as many boys as girls being diagnosed with the condition. While it isn’t always obvious who has it and while it is considered discrimination to hold it against someone when hiring, many HR departments avoid hiring ADHD applicants.

According to the hunter theory, ADHD exists because it was advantageous to have a few hunters that instead of concentrating on the animal that was being tracked would be looking around. Perhaps the ADHD hunter would be the one to notice that the hunting party was being hunted by predators or even other tribes of hunters.

Since girls have ADHD also, but in fewer numbers, it seems likely that it was a little less of an advantage to be a gather that doesn’t pay attention and wandered off from the group. Yes, you could find more or better berries but you could also get lost or attacked by an animal.

Today there are some advantages to having ADHD employees. Everyone has mental or psychological weaknesses but few have to address them and learn how to work around them. Those with ADHD, assuming they know they have it, have had to learn to work extra hard and take extra care in doing even supposedly simple tasks.

To put it simply, they try harder. They are energetic and eager to please and, with a few accommodations, can be star employees. If you give someone with ADHD a chance and work with them to minimize the difficulties associated with their disability you will be rewarded with their gratitude and undying loyalty.

People with ADHD have trouble concentrating, have poor memory and have difficulty with organization which result in them having problems completing tasks, focusing on details and managing their time effectively.  Management can help the ADHD suffer by using the following tips to help them manage their disability.

1. Break large projects into smaller ones with multiple deadlines instead of one giant final one.

2. Check frequently to see how the employee is doing and let them know that if they have questions you will be happy to help them.

3. Give written directions in addition to oral ones.

4. Allow the employee as much flexibility as possible with how they do their job.

5. Allow him to listen to music on head phones, if it doesn’t interfere with his job, to help him stay focused and not be distracted.

With just a few adjustment and accommodations you can turn what could have been a less then stellar employee into a loyal hardworking employee who will bring all of his hyperactive energy and creativity to his job.

Sources: http://www.businessknowledgesource.com/blog/adhd_in_ your_workforce_how_to_manage_it_027598.html

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