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I recently came across a frightening statistic:

“…adults with ADHD could expect to have 11 to 13 years cut off their lives compared to neurotypical peers of a similar age and health profile.” 

As an Afro-Latine desk jockey with ADHD, I have to seriously consider how each of my intersecting dimensions of identity impact not only my life expectancy, but that of my family and work community. If you take into account Social Determinants of Health findings, you will see a person’s life expectancy can be predicted by the quality of five domains: 

  • Economic Stability, 
  • Education Access and Quality, 
  • Health Care Access and Quality, 
  • Neighborhood and Built Environment, and 
  • Social and Community Context. 
As an Afro-Latine desk jockey with ADHD, I have to seriously consider how each of my intersecting dimensions of identity impact not only my life expectancy, but that of my family and work community. Share on X

Considering your average U.S. citizen spends roughly 1/3rd of their life participating in the workforce, it is not a leap to see how one’s work life can significantly influence all five domains. As leaders who espouse a culture of inclusion, abundance and who strive to lead ethically, we must make it possible for our employees to beat the odds.  

As leaders who espouse a culture of inclusion, abundance and who strive to lead ethically, we must make it possible for our employees to beat the odds. Share on X

We do not have to look too far for possibility models of governance and compliance that move business paradigms from a focus solely on profits to ones that center employee wellbeing. 

For example, Title I of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) requires institutions commit to providing reasonable accommodations, which include modifications or adjustments to a job, the work environment, or the way things are usually done during the hiring process. While this could be relegated to a “compliance” measure, normalizing ADA reasonable accommodations for all employees is ethical, productive, and has its roots in a tried-and-true leadership model centering the health and wellbeing of all employees. 

Normalizing ADA reasonable accommodations for all employees is ethical, productive, and has its roots in a tried-and-true leadership model centering the health and wellbeing of all employees. Share on X

Likewise, there are many commendable brands moving beyond a focus on profits and living into an ethical existence that focuses on minimizing harm to the environment. Consider 3M and Patagonia. 

  • 3M 
    • Ethics: Sustainable development, environmental protection, social responsibility 
    • Known For: Personal protection equipment 
  • Patagonia 
    • Ethics: Organic cotton, environmental sustainability, Fair Trade certificate 
    • Known For: Outdoor apparel, swimwear 

These companies are doing great work, and there are opportunities to go a step further. Our current and upcoming workforce demands an investment in personal wellbeing, not as an exceptional practice, but as standard practice.  

Our current and upcoming workforce demands an investment in personal wellbeing, not as an exceptional practice, but as standard practice. Share on X

Imagine industry sustainability statements, that not only focused on the tenets of environmental protection, but incorporated the tenets of reasonable accommodations for physical, emotional, and psychological safety across the institution. A great example is ABLE. Their “About” Statement is “Challenging the culture of the fashion industry by creating transformative opportunities for women.” 

  • ABLE 
    • Ethics: Female artisan-made in Peru, fair labor practices, B Corp 
    • Known For: Women’s apparel, accessories, shoes 

“ABLE makes a huge impact in the ethical business community, as they intentionally fight generational poverty by creating economic opportunities for all, especially women who struggle to provide for themselves in various parts of the world.” 

Economic stability is one dimension closer to increased vitality and productivity for both employees and employers. Cost savings associated with offering a workplace health program alone can be quantified in terms of employee absenteeism, reduced overtime to cover absent employees, and costs associated with training replacement personnel. Staff and management alike within a culture of wellness are more productive onsite and at home. A focus on wellness translates into less sickness, and improved health behaviors that benefit both the employee and their family.

Cost savings associated with offering a workplace health program can be quantified in terms of employee absenteeism, reduced overtime to cover absent employees, and costs associated with training replacement personnel. Share on X

Here’s a practical workplace example: Many organizations adopt paid time off and leave policies that require employees earn opportunities for respite during times of stress or illness. I have been in environments where fellow co-workers experienced hardship because they either had not earned paid time off, or expended all their sick leave and subsequently their vacation leave due to personal or family member illness. Again, as leaders who espouse a culture of inclusion, abundance and who strive to lead ethically, we must make it possible for our employees to beat the odds.  

The honest truth is: it will take more than a wellness program to shift the policies and procedures leading to that particular impasse. An alternative leadership paradigm that might support leaders in making this shift is a “Servant Leadership” approach. 

Servant Leadership 

Though once believed to primarily serve the religious community and nonprofit industry, Servant Leadership methodologies are ideal for this generation’s workforce values. People are moving away from more traditional autocratic and hierarchical leadership styles. Servant leadership is a type of management style that relies on the involvement of others in making decisions. It is based on ethical and caring behavior, and it helps workers grow and improves the care and quality of organizational life. 

Servant leadership is a type of management style that relies on the involvement of others in making decisions. It is based on ethical and caring behavior, and it helps workers grow Share on X

When researching for this blog post, I also found an encouraging coincidence. Both Servant Leadership and Reasonable Accommodations studies identify 10 core principles. I found at least five of each to be fraternal twins. 

Servant Leadership practices are built upon: Listening, Conceptualization, Stewardship, Commitment to the Growth of People and Building Community. 

Employers’ Top 10 factors contributing to successful provision and outcomes of reasonable accommodations are Communication, Creativity and investment of time, Trust, Optimizing the value of employees to the organization, and the acceptance that work can be Considered a Social Process. 

Servant Leadership practices 

Successful Provisions of Reasonable Accommodations  

Listening 

Communication 

Conceptualization 

Creativity and investment of time 

Stewardship 

Trust 

Commitment to the Growth of People 

Optimizing the value of employees to the organization 

Building Community 

Work considered a social process 

 

See the connection? Reasonable accommodations are literally considered “productivity enhancers.” So, why wouldn’t industry leaders use this servant leadership-ish approach across the board? It just seems like there is a healthy abundance of evidence in its favor. 

Reasonable accommodations are literally considered 'productivity enhancers.' So, why wouldn't industry leaders use this servant leadership-ish approach across the board? Share on X

 

 

 

 

Citations  

17 seriously disturbing facts about your job. (01/24/20). https://www.businessinsider.com/disturbing-facts-about-your-job-2011-2  

About able. (n.d.). Https://Www.Livefashionable.Com. https://www.livefashionable.com/pages/about-able 

About social determinants of health (sdoh). (03/10/21). Centers For Disease Control and Prevention . https://www.cdc.gov/socialdeterminants/about.html 

Employers’ top 10 factors to successful reasonable accommodations outcomes. (2010, September). https://www.adainfo.org/content/top-10-factors-to-successful-RA 

Fred Dews, F. D. (02/26/21). Charts of the week: Black men’s life expectancy; student debt and black households; struggling families. https://www.brookings.edu/blog/brookings-now/2021/02/26/charts-of-the-week-black-mens-life-expectancy-student-debt-and-black-households-struggling-families/ 

Nikola Gemeš, N. G. (06/330/21). Our favorites from the world’s most ethical companies: See our top 17. GreenCitizen. https://greencitizen.com/ethical-companies/ 

Rodden, J. (03/24/21). Adhd may reduce life expectancy by as much as 13 years. Www.Additudemag.Com. https://www.additudemag.com/adhd-life-expectancy-russell-barkley/ 

Spears , L. (2010). Character and servant leadership: Ten characteristics of effective, caring leaders. The Journal of Virtues & Leadership, 1(1), 25–30. 

Titles i and v of the americans with disabilities act of 1990 (ada). (07/26/90). U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. https://www.eeoc.gov/statutes/titles-i-and-v-americans-disabilities-act-1990-ada 

Workplace health promotion: Increase productivity. (12/04/15). Centers for Disease Control and Prevention . https://www.cdc.gov/workplacehealthpromotion/model/control-costs/benefits/productivity.html