'Companies need to ensure all managers are equipped with training and resources to have these conversations confidently and compassionately'
Despite prevailing stigma surrounding mental health, the majority of hiring managers in the United States said they wouldn't hold disclosures about neurodivergence against a candidate, according to a new report.
The 2025 Mental Health and Employability Report from Resume Genius found that 86% of hiring managers wouldn't be affected or would feel positive about an employee disclosing their neurodivergence, including conditions like ADHD, anxiety, or autism.
In fact, 44% of them said it reflects honesty and self-awareness, while 42% said it wouldn't have an impact on their hiring decisions.
The findings come despite reports of discrimination during recruitment. In the United Kingdom, research by Zurich last year revealed that neurodivergent adults have been discriminated against by a hiring manager or recruiter because of their neurodiversity.
This includes 31% who said their application was not taken any further after they disclosed their neurodiversity.
In Norway, research in 2021 found that job applicants who disclose their mental health problems as an explanation for a gap year are about 27% less likely to be invited to a job interview.
They are also 22% less likely to receive any expression of employer interest than other applicants without mental health problems.
But the latest Resume Genius report indicates a shifting outlook on neurodiversity in workplaces, particularly among younger hiring managers.
Nearly half of Gen Z hiring managers (48%) said neurodiversity disclosure reflects positively on a candidate, while only 11% of them see it negatively.
This is also the case for Millennial hiring managers, where 44% see it positively and only five per cent view it in a negative light.
The openness among younger hiring managers comes as the report noted that they are more likely to receive training on mental health in their organisations.
According to the report, 47% of Gen Z and 45% of Millennial hiring managers said they received mental health awareness training at work, much higher than the 33% of Gen X and 31% of Baby Boomers.
Eva Chan, Career Expert at Resume Genius, said their findings indicate that younger hiring managers are "driving a cultural shift around mental health."
"But lasting change can't depend on whether a candidate happens to interview with someone who 'gets it,'" Chan said in a statement.
"Companies need to ensure all managers, regardless of age, are equipped with training and resources to have these conversations confidently and compassionately. That's how we make mental health support standard, not optional."
