Hong Kong employers urged to do more to foster inclusive workplaces for workers with ADHD

Hongkonger Helena Cho, 26, has difficulty reading and writing in Chinese, focusing on monotonous tasks and remembering things sometimes.

Diagnosed with Chinese language dyslexia and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) at 13, Cho, who refused to disclose her real name, graduated from Polytechnic University with a degree in fashion technology two years ago and found a job as a quality technician with a clothes manufacturer.

Explaining why she rarely spoke about her special needs while at work, she said: "Disclosing my condition isn't going to help, it only creates more problems.

"Many people, especially the older ones, still discriminate against those with ADHD, assuming we throw tantrums easily and lie on the floor in public."

She managed her special needs on her own, she said, using Google Translate to transcribe what was said at long meetings and convert Chinese words into English. She also made herself a Chinese-English glossary of terms for clothing parts, defects and solutions.

For ADHD awareness month in October, advocates have highlighted workplace challenges faced by people with the condition, calling on employers to improve their awareness and foster more inclusive work environments.

Cho recalled feeling uncomfortable in school when classmates envied the extra time special needs students received for exams and that they were not penalised for writing incorrect Chinese characters.

"The adjustments are not a privilege, but people don't always understand," she said.

ADHD affects 6 percent of all children and 2.5 percent of the adult population, according to official data.

A Chinese University survey of more than 6,000 people aged six to 17 suggested that ADHD was the most prevalent mental disorder.

Hong Kong's education system provides some support for children with special education needs, but what happens when they grow up and start working?

Amanda Fok Choi-ling, founder of Let's Talk ADHD, a 5,000-strong patient group, said working people with the condition tend to hide it for fear of being stigmatized.

"Some of our members disclosed their condition, especially after being given a poor appraisal, but employers mostly reacted with fear and avoided further interaction, afraid of being accused of discrimination if they said something wrong," she said.

"Others thought they were using ADHD as an excuse for their poor performance."

Fok acknowledged that employees with ADHD had struggles at the workplace that could end with a "poor work performance" appraisal.

Some had difficulty focusing, poor organization skills or easily forgot their tasks and deadlines, while others were just too messy to work with.

She said some felt bullied at the workplace because they could not grasp social cues and unspoken rules, and that often affected their self-esteem, mental health and career.

Some employees lost their jobs after their employers found out they had ADHD, but Fok said these employees were protected by the Disability Discrimination Ordinance.

To break the vicious cycle, she hoped employers could do more to understand and support this group of employees by providing them assurance and opportunities.

While that called for making some adjustments to accommodate these employees, Fok said research had suggested that businesses with a neurodiverse workforce were more productive and successful.

That was also beneficial for demonstrating their commitment to environmental, social and governance indicators that measured the sustainability of businesses, she added.

At the same time, it was important for people with ADHD to seek medical help and undergo psycho- behavioral therapy to improve their ability to function better at work, she said, although the latter often lacked attention.

WISE, a non-profit employment agency specializing in supporting people with disabilities, is partnering the patient group to help bridge the gap.

Through a network of more than 100 companies ranging from finance to hospitality, it has placed 25 people with disabilities in jobs since starting in March, including four with ADHD.

Country manager Loic Andre said employers often thought people with disabilities were less productive and were not aware of solutions to help overcome individuals' challenges.

For example, it helped workers with ADHD to wear noise-cancellation headphones and be seated where there were fewer distractions.

Because of their short memory, they also needed clear instructions and reminders, preferably written, and help with social cues.

He said it did not cost much to make workplace adjustments and the Hong Kong government provided abundant but little-known subsidies on disability employment.

For at least six months after a person with disabilities started work, the WISE team would check in regularly with the worker and the employer to ensure all is progressing smoothly.

For example, he said, some job applicants with special needs were reluctant to voice their needs, while some employers were concerned about getting sued for discrimination if they misspoke when giving feedback.

Some employees may even miss the first day of work because of a panic attack the night before.

Andre advised employers to make sure everyone in the team was aware of the worker's special needs, what their job was, and how their success would be assessed.

"If that's there, it's very hard to discriminate ... [or] have jealousy, misunderstandings, bias or misconceptions," he said.

Employees also needed to learn to express their needs confidently, if adjustments were required from others, he added.

Read the full story at SCMP.