Prep

In addition to posting in our existing internal forums, I also invited people to set up time with me individually to talk through anything they didn’t want to put in writing. We had 10-15 members of the neurodivergent community request this as a “benefit” - usually for either group sessions that could be done as a lunch-and-learn or 1:1 attention.

After working with HR and determining that this would not be a benefit they could add to the package, I decided to do additional research into some of the providers the community had shared.

Once I had a rough jumble of thoughts, I put it into ChatGPT to outline it into a proposal, since it felt like a good, early use case for the tool. From there, I built the following. I shared it with some of the requestors to get their feedback and fine-tune it prior to sharing with HR.

In another proposal I submitted, I also included testimonials from people the benefit would impact. I’d do that here if I had the chance to do this again! I think even when these thoughts are anonymized, it adds a humanizing impact to the proposal.

The Proposal

ADHD coaching @ Spotify

When the Disability & Neurodiversity Inclusion Strategy Team reached out to the community to ask what strategies, solutions, or partnerships we could implement to impact their day-to-day work, we received multiple requests for executive functioning coaching, which is also known as ADHD coaching.

Having an existing partnership with a coaching provider would allow Spotify to not only quickly action requests from employees, but would also allow for a proactive process to intervene if opportunities are identified by an employee’s leadership team.

Defining ADHD

Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a condition including attention difficulty, hyperactivity, and impulsiveness. ADHD is considered a chronic and debilitating disorder and impacts many aspects of life, including academic and professional achievements, interpersonal relationships, and daily functioning.

In the workplace, this can look like:

• Distractibility

• Impulsivity

• Hyperactivity

• Poor memory

• Low engagement

• Time management difficulties

• Procrastination

• Difficulty with long-term projects

• Interpersonal/social skill issues

Check out this video to learn more.

Defining executive functioning

Executive function is like the management system in the brain. The skills in this collection allow us to set goals, plan, and get things done. When someone struggles with executive function–as people with ADHD do, by definition–it impacts every area of their life.

There are three main areas:

• Working memory - this is a skill that lets us work with information and process it without losing track of what we’re doing, like organizing sticky notes in the brain

• Cognitive flexibility - this allows us to context switch between different concepts while working, or problem solving in the moment, and can also impact processing speed

• Inhibitory control - this skill involves self-control and emotional regulation

Executive function is responsible for many skills, including:

• Paying attention

• Organizing, planning, and prioritizing

• Starting tasks and staying focused on them to completion

• Understanding different points of view

• Regulating emotions

• Self-monitoring (keeping track of what you’re doing)

Proposed solution: ADHD coaching 

ADHD coaching is a specialized form of support designed to help individuals with ADHD develop strategies and skills to better manage their executive functions. 

Coaches work collaboratively with employees to:

• Identify and understand their unique executive function challenges

• Set personalized goals for improvement

• Develop practical strategies and routines to enhance time management, organization, and attention

• Cultivate self-awareness and emotional regulation

• Overcome obstacles and maintain focus on their goals

Potential partners

• The How Skills

• Shimmer Care

Benefits to Spotify

1. Increased productivity: ADHD coaching can help an employee overcome ADHD paralysis and overwhelm, which lower instances of procrastination and poor focus

2. Enhanced confidence: Coaching focuses on what works for you rather than what’s wrong with you, which is often how feedback conversations are presented to employees with ADHD. Working with a professional coach who is familiar with neurodivergent brains and how they function will lead to increased confidence as the employee implements custom strategies.

3. Boosted team and individual morale: Employees who are able to improve executive functioning will have better team engagement due to better communication and impulse control, which will lead to more productive working relationships between employees and their managers/teams.

4. Increased retention: Employees will feel supported by the active interest in their development of these skills by the very existence of the partnership, but will also be more likely to grow with the company in a place where they feel safe. Additionally, this intervention could lower the number of PIPs for neurodivergent employees related to these specific work areas.

External resources

• What is ADHD?

• Workplace issues

• What is Executive Function?

• Does ADHD coaching work?