Kristel Valaydon

In this episode of ADHD at Work, workplace design consultant Ariane Sanders explains why there’s no single workspace that works for everyone. Our sensory profiles shape how we experience sound, light, movement and other parts of the environment—and those differences can affect focus, energy and wellbeing at work.Ariane shares how her experience with dyslexia led her to explore neuroinclusive design, why workplaces should offer choice and flexibility, and how managers can start by asking people what helps them do their best work.

ADHD can be a career superpower when you stop forcing it into the wrong system. PR and communications specialist Kristel Valaydon shares how she built a 25-year career by trusting her instincts, challenging bad business practices, and eventually striking out on her own to work in a way that actually fit her brain.From burnout in high-pressure agencies to the moment her ADHD diagnosis finally made the dots connect, Kristel and unpack the hidden costs of masking, overpromising, and trying to thrive in environments built for someone else. If you have ever felt like you were too blunt, too fast, too sensitive, or simply too done with the hamster wheel, this conversation will feel uncomfortably familiar in the best way.Collette also shares her own experience of the broken systems that make getting help so frustrating, from healthcare admin to the way workplaces still mishandle neurodiversity. Together, they make the case for something bigger than productivity hacks: workplaces that put human beings, not performance metrics, at the center.Essential listening if you are ADHD, think you might be, work in PR or comms, or are trying to build a career without burning yourself out to do it.

Burnout does not always look like collapse. Sometimes it looks like thriving on five hours of sleep, holding everything together, and then suddenly realising you cannot do it anymore. Louise Belshaw shares the story of what happened when decades in teaching, perimenopause, and undiagnosed ADHD collided - and why that moment changed everything.Collette Easton (colletteeaston.com) speaks with Louise about the hidden cost of being the capable one in the room: the perfectionism, the overwork, the constant self-pressure, and the shock of discovering her ADHD only after leaving a 25-year career in education. Louise opens up about the slow build-up to burnout, the physical anxiety she ignored, the quiet exit from school, and the master's project on late-diagnosed women that unexpectedly led to her own diagnosis.You'll discover how ADHD can show up in teaching as relentless problem-solving, hyperfocus, and high performance - until the system stops working for you. Louise shares why the classroom once felt like the perfect environment for her brain, how Ofsted and one-size-fits-all expectations pushed her over the edge, and why she now sees so many young people being failed by rigid behaviour policies, managed moves, and blanket sanctions.We also break down what actually helps students and staff who are struggling: tailored adjustments, better communication, and environments that respect neurodivergent needs instead of punishing them. Louise makes the case for schools to move beyond discipline-only thinking and asks a question every workplace should be asking - if a small change could keep a great person well and productive, why would you not make it?This is essential listening if you have ADHD, suspect you might, work in education, or have ever kept going long after your body and brain were asking for help. Honest, raw, and deeply practical, this conversation will hit home for anyone who has ever been told to just get on with it.

An update on the Burns vs Gitpod GMBH employment tribunal award in the UK, where Burns is seeking £76m.

In this episode, Collette Easton speaks with Rob Beevers about his late ADHD diagnosis and how it has shaped his life and career. Rob shares what he learned from recognizing his strengths and challenges, reflects candidly on the impact his management style has had on others, and discusses how leaders can build more inclusive, flexible workplaces.They explore why one-size-fits-all approaches don’t work for everyone, how small changes can remove barriers, and why understanding how people work best can help teams thrive.

Ruth Lilleker joins Collette Easton for an honest conversation about ADHD, neurodivergence and the need for better support at work.Drawing on her own diagnosis and experience in recovery services, Ruth explains how she developed a framework—and a check-in app—to help workplaces understand individual needs and make small, practical adjustments before people reach burnout.They discuss masking, late diagnosis, mental health, workplace challenges and why support should adapt to people, not expect everyone to fit the same system.

Mark Musson shares his experience leading in the workplace as an AuDHD person and how he helped the organisation he led thrive.

Brought to you by Loops.Work - the ADHD App built for and by people with ADHD to help us stop procrastinating and achieve more.ADHD can make a finance leader brilliant at seeing the whole business and vulnerable to the tiny details that can undermine trust. Group Finance Director Jamie Brown talks with host Collette Easton about working with both sides of that reality, and what managers can do to help people thrive.Jamie’s career has taken him from entry-level finance to senior leadership across manufacturing, biotech and software. His ADHD helps him connect ideas, spot how systems affect one another and bring energy to change. But repetitive work, boredom and detail-heavy tasks can bring missed information and frustrating mistakes. He shares how he builds safeguards, asks colleagues to check his work and finds roles where his strengths can make a difference.You’ll hear how Jamie’s diagnosis came after years on a waiting list, why a varied role keeps him engaged, and what it’s like to disclose ADHD at work without expecting special treatment. He also reflects on the overlap between ADHD, depression and workplace wellbeing, and why changing circumstances can affect performance in ways colleagues may not see.For employers and leaders, Jamie’s advice is practical: treat mistakes as opportunities to coach, make support genuinely accessible, and don’t assume one way of working suits everyone. Flexibility isn’t just an accommodation; it can help build a stronger, more adaptable team.If you’re navigating ADHD at work, managing someone who is, or trying to create a more human workplace, this conversation offers an honest look at accountability, support and making room for people to do their best work.