No single list applies: ADHD adjustments are agreed individually and often include flexible hours, a quieter workspace and written task breakdowns, required by law where ADHD causes a substantial disadvantage. A reasonable adjustment is a change you make to remove or reduce a disadvantage your employee faces because of their condition, and the duty to make one comes from section 20 of the Equality Act 2010.
What actually helps
The right adjustments depend on the person and the job, so start from the difficulty rather than the label. These are the well-evidenced ones that employers and Acas return to most often, grouped by what they fix:
- Focus and environment. A quieter desk away from walkways, noise-cancelling headphones or ear defenders, or a standing desk so the person can move while they concentrate.
- Time and task structure. Breaking long jobs into short written steps, a colour-coded planner with a brief daily check-in, and realistic deadlines with reminders rather than one distant due date.
- Communication. Putting instructions in writing as well as saying them, and rewriting long documents to be shorter and plainer so the key points are easy to find.
- Flexibility. Flexible start and finish times, the option to work from home for tasks that need deep focus, and quiet time blocked out in the calendar.
- Equipment and funding. Software, coaching or a support worker, much of which can be funded through Access to Work, so cost is rarely a fair reason to say an adjustment is not reasonable.
The point most guidance buries
ADHD is not automatically a disability in law. Under section 6 of the Equality Act 2010, a condition counts only if it has a substantial and long-term adverse effect on day-to-day activities, and the Employment Appeal Tribunal confirmed in 2025 (Stedman v Haven Leisure Ltd) that this is assessed case by case, though it is enough for one activity to be substantially affected. So you weigh the individual impact, not the diagnosis.
Two things follow that catch employers out. First, your employee does not need a formal diagnosis for the duty to apply; many are on long NHS waiting lists, and the duty is triggered by the disadvantage, not by a label. Second, where you could reasonably be expected to know someone may be disabled, you have a duty to make sensible enquiries rather than wait for them to disclose.
Why getting this right matters
Failing to make a reasonable adjustment is itself a form of disability discrimination (section 21), and disciplining someone for lateness or missed deadlines that stem from their ADHD can be discrimination arising from disability (section 15) unless you can justify it. Agreeing adjustments, trying them, and recording them protects your employee and your business. If you are unsure whether the duty is engaged at all, see whether ADHD is classed as a disability at work and whether you are legally required to make reasonable adjustments.
Where the law comes from
Related
This page is general information, not clinical or legal advice.