What can I do at work to help someone when they are always misplacing important things?

Short answer

Design visible homes for important shared items and information.

What this can look like

Shared files, equipment and information can disappear when they have no visible home or clear owner.

Why it can happen

Keys, documents, equipment and decisions get lost when the system relies on memory or informal handovers. Consistent locations and a simple check-out process improve continuity.

What might help

Create one stable location, naming rule and handover point for each important category.

What the research helps explain

Australian ADHD guidance and international consensus evidence describe ADHD as affecting everyday functioning for some people, including attention, planning, memory, time and follow-through. At work, practical supports and fair design can be useful without identifying anyone as having ADHD.

What can vary

Stress, sleep, health, task design, role clarity and preference can create similar work patterns. Do not diagnose employees, seek private medical information or make support conditional on disclosure.

For this situation

For you, solve the system problem before making it an individual reliability issue.

More info and original sources

Poko summarises the relevance of public original sources and links out for anyone who wants to read more.

• Australian Evidence-Based Clinical Practice Guideline for ADHD — Australian evidence guidance on ADHD, assessment, functional impact and support.
• Job demands — Australian guidance on managing cognitive demands, role clarity, workload, control and support.