Picture this: You’ve set a specific time to get your work done, but an urgent email comes in and messes up your focus and planned flow of work. When you try to return to what you were doing before, you’ve lost track of what you were working on.

Sounds familiar, right?

These struggles tie back to a very important set of cognitive processes called executive functions, and for many neurodivergent employees, challenges in this area may create significant barriers at work.

So, let’s take a closer look at what exactly executive function is.

Executive function refers to the management system of the brain; it includes response inhibition, working memory, shifting between tasks with different cognitive demands, planning, prioritisation, and the delay of immediate gratification to achieving long-term rewards (Diamond, 2013). Without a solid foundation of executive functioning, even the average employee may struggle to meet deadlines or multitask.

Executive functions are managed prefrontal cortex and the brain networks connected to it (Alvarez & Emory, 2006). The prefrontal cortex functions as the leader, managing and arranging information from other parts of the brain to make decisions and and regulate behaviour. Research shows that differences in development or activity in these networks can affect executive functioning. Conditions such as Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), autism spectrum disorder (ASD), and dyslexia are often associated with challenges in executive functions (Barkley, 2015).

It is important to know that these differences are unrelated to intelligence or motivation, but rather stemmed from the variation in the way that an individual’s brain is wired, particularly with the involvement of dopamine and other neurotransmitters.

Challenges in the Workplace

In workplace settings, executive function differences are invisible but impactful. Employees may experience struggling to prioritise tasks without a set or clear guidance, forgetting important details or deadlines, and feeling overwhelmed by frequent switching or changes between tasks. On top of that, open-concept offices, unclear expectations, and inflexible deadlines may amplify these difficulties. However, neurodivergent employees are often misunderstood as ‘lazy’ or ‘unorganised’, when in reality, their brains are processing information slightly differently.

Solutions That Work for All

Fortunately, there are simple workplace adjustments that can assist in closing the gap in executive function. While employees should be encouraged to advocate for their needs, such as indicating a ‘no-interruption’ time block in their schedules, these are a few more examples that would benefit not only neurodivergent employees, but neurotypical employees as well:

  • Having a clear structure: Larger projects can be broken into smaller tasks with specific end-goals for each task
  • Implementing visual support: Dashboards, checklists, and calendar reminders to be shared with everyone so that there is a visual reference to the schedules of employees
  • Offering flexibility: Provide flexible deadlines, where possible, or permit uninterrupted focused blocks of time for task completion
  • Implementing regular check-ins: Implement feedback sessions or priority clarifications so that uncertainty is reduced

Why Does This Matter?

Not only does this help with inclusion in the workplace, supporting employees with challenges in executive functions improves productivity, engagement, retention, and initiative. Such practices and implementations will help with improving clarity in the workplace for neurotypical employees. So, the next time someone misses a deadline, be compassionate and consider what may be happening neurologically. Understanding the way that the brain manages its systems is the first step towards building workplaces where all employees have a chance to succeed.

 

Written by:

Hayatun Syamilah

 

References

Alvarez, J. A., & Emory, E. (2006). Executive function and the frontal lobes: A meta-analytic review. Neuropsychology Review, 16(1), 17–42. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11065-006-9002-x

Barkley, R. A. (2015). Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder: A handbook for diagnosis and treatment (4th ed.). Guilford Press.

Diamond, A. (2013). Executive functions. Annual Review of Psychology, 64, 135–168. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-psych-113011-143750