Research Highlight
The Hidden Costs of Success: New Insights on ADHD, Thriving at Work, and Sustainable Performance
Neurodivergent individuals, including those with autism, dyslexia, and ADHD, make up 15-20% of the global population. These employees bring unique strengths, such as exceptional creativity and hyperfocus, making them valuable assets for organizations. While many companies are recognizing and actively recruiting neurodivergent talent, significant barriers to employment persist for this group of people. Higher unemployment rates, wage inequality, and limited career opportunities are not uncommon.
Despite the potential of neurodivergent employees, little research exists on their day-to-day work experiences and the challenges they face. This lack of understanding motivated ESCP professors Kerstin Alfes (Berlin) and Daniela Lup (London) to explore what fosters thriving for employees with ADHD and its outcomes.
Their findings were unexpected. Thriving boosted short-term performance, professional success, and self-esteem for employees with ADHD but came with serious long-term consequences. Unlike neurotypical employees, they experienced reduced health, burnout, and stagnant career progression.
In this interview, Professor Alfes and PhD candidate Thomas Blondel discuss their findings and share actionable strategies for companies to better support neurodivergent employees.
What exactly is meant by “thriving” at work? What kind of conditions, environment, or context has to exist for an employee to truly thrive?
Kerstin Alfes: Thriving is a state of well-being and engagement where employees feel energized, enthusiastic, and purpose-driven in their day-to-day activities. It comes up when individuals are in roles that provide opportunities for learning, growth, and personal development, creating a dynamic balance between productivity and fulfillment.
Research highlights that thriving is strongly influenced by the workplace context. Employees are more likely to thrive when they have supportive relationships with colleagues and supervisors. These connections foster trust, collaboration, and a sense of belonging. Additionally, employees thrive when their work is meaningful and enjoyable, aligning with their values, and providing intrinsic motivation.
Individual traits also play a significant role in allowing “thriving” to happen. Employees with proactive personalities are more inclined to seek out opportunities, take initiative, and adapt to challenges. Positive core self-evaluations—marked by confidence, self-efficacy, and emotional stability—further enhance an employee’s capacity to thrive. Similarly, a positive general mindset helps individuals maintain resilience and energy, even in demanding situations.
Why is self-regulation so important in thriving at a workplace and what could affect an individual's inability to self-regulate?
Kerstin Alfes: Thriving, like other high-energy states such as passion, depends on an employee's ability to self-regulate, which is essential for sustaining healthy engagement at work.
First, self-regulation empowers employees to proactively seek out work that supports their thriving. Thriving doesn’t happen in isolation; it requires individuals to align themselves with environments that provide opportunities for growth, meaningful work, and positive relationships. Employees who can self-regulate are more adept at recognizing these opportunities and taking deliberate actions to position themselves for success.
Second, self-regulation is vital for managing the energy demands of thriving. While thriving often brings feelings of excitement and engagement, it can also be draining without sufficient recovery. Employees need to recharge after periods of intense activity to avoid burnout. Research on recovery consistently underscores the importance of taking intentional breaks and activities that restore energy.
Without self-regulation, employees might struggle to disconnect from work, leaving them in a constant state of high alert. This inability to "switch off" creates a risk of overextension and can lead to a downward spiral of fatigue, overwork, and eventual burnout. For instance, employees thriving during high-intensity projects might push beyond their limits, believing they can sustain their performance indefinitely. Without recovery, their energy and productivity will inevitably decline.
Why are people with ADHD at risk of not only being able to thrive in a workplace, but are at a higher risk of voluntarily quitting and giving up on their career goals?
Thomas Blondel: Individuals with ADHD can thrive at work but often face negative consequences long-term due to a lack of self-regulation. They overwork to gain recognition, which never fully compensates for their low self-esteem and fear of failure, often rooted in childhood traumas like school struggles and social rejection.
Low self-esteem and fear of failure often prevent individuals with ADHD from proactively managing their careers. They may wait for managers to offer promotions, fearing rejection if they voice their aspirations. If no advancement is offered, they may assume they are undervalued and seek opportunities elsewhere.
What contribution has your study made that is novel and/or surprising or in conflict with previous research on this subject?
Kerstin Alfes: Our study is the first to examine thriving in an ADHD population, revealing it as a complex and often precarious experience. While thriving energizes employees with ADHD and boosts their exceptional performance, it can trigger a harmful cycle with significant consequences.
For employees with ADHD, thriving often provides a short-term self-esteem boost. Successful performance and the resulting recognition create a powerful sense of accomplishment, which can motivate them to work even harder. But, this drive for continual achievement can become self-perpetuating. The desire to keep up high levels of performance and gain further recognition often leads to overexertion, making it difficult for employees with ADHD to recognize or address the signs of mental and physical fatigue.
Over time, this cycle takes a toll, causing severe stress, exhaustion, and burnout. Thriving becomes unsustainable, shifting from an energizing state to chronic depletion. Many employees with ADHD remain trapped in this cycle, lacking the awareness or tools to escape.
In light of this research, what are some of the recommendations you would make to employers to help their employees with ADHD thrive at the workplace?
Thomas Blondel: First, raise awareness and train the managers on the topic. Without this, managers cannot effectively support employees with ADHD or foresee potential challenges. Employees with ADHD often perform to high standards but may not voice their needs due to low self-esteem.By the time issues arise, it may be too late to intervene, as the employee might be on leave or have already left the company.
Once managers are trained, they can help employees with ADHD thrive sustainably. Key opportunities lie in conversations about tasks or projects. Employees with ADHD need critical enablers like novelty, engagement, meaning, and support. Without these, thriving becomes difficult, and they may even leave. By assigning suitable roles or co-designing tasks, managers can help them excel and leverage their unique talents. For example, creative or problem-solving tasks with minimal bureaucracy or repetition are ideal.
Second, thriving sustainably is crucial, as employees with ADHD often overlook the need for recovery and self-regulation. Managers should acknowledge their successes, reassure them, and suggest self-care practices to prevent health issues. Examples include encouraging micro-breaks, promoting disconnection after work, and allowing remote work to save time and reduce stress.
Why is it important to ensure an inclusive positive work environment for people with neurodiversity? What benefits and opportunities could be gained apart from individual well-being?
Thomas Blondel: Ensuring a neuro-inclusive work environment is essential for employee well-being and business success.
- Short-term risks: Neglecting neurodivergent employees can lead to burnout in high-performing staff or the loss of unique talent to competitors. A neuro-inclusive environment mitigates these risks at minimal cost.
- Short-term benefits: Inclusive organizations are 8x more likely to achieve better outcomes by leveraging the unique talents and problem-solving approaches of neurodivergent employees. Companies like Google already capitalize on this advantage.
- Long-term benefits: Inclusive HR and managerial practices encourage employees to disclose diagnoses and needs, improving retention and aiding recruitment. In the war for talent, no employer can afford to alienate 15-20% of the workforce.