Initiatives that diminish the biases of recruiters against people who disclose or demonstrate a diagnosed mental disorder

Abstract

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to explore the possibility that several workplace initiatives could stem the biases of recruiters against people who disclose or demonstrate diagnosed mental disorders. Specifically, in many nations, the level of unemployment in people who experience mental disorders is rife. Arguably, employers exhibit various biases that disadvantage people who disclose or demonstrate mental disorders; for example, recruiters tend to orient attention to the limitations, instead of the strengths, of job candidates. Because of these various biases, employers may reject applicants who acknowledge or manifest a mental disorder, even if these candidates would have been suitable. Design/methodology/approach To substantiate these premises, the authors analyzed established taxonomies of cognitive biases to identify which of these biases are likely to deter the employment of people with mental disorders. In addition, the authors applied several theories, such as the future self-continuity hypothesis, to uncover a variety of initiatives that could redress these biases in the future. Findings The authors uncovered five constellations of biases in recruiters that could disadvantage individuals who disclose or demonstrate mental disorders. Fortunately, consistent with the meaning maintenance model and cognate theories, when the vision and strategy of organizations is stable and enduring, these biases diminish, and people who report mental disorders are more likely to be employed. Originality/value This paper shows that initiatives that promote equality and stability in organizations could diminish stigma against individuals who experience mental disorders.

Biased recruiters and mental disorders

“…However, a study by Moss et al . (2017), a senior lecturer in psychology at Charles Darwin University, Darwin, Australia, et al concludes that a variety of initiatives could be implemented to nullify biases which disadvantage people who disclose or demonstrate a mental disorder.…”

“…This review is based on “Initiatives that diminish the biases of recruiters against people who disclose or demonstrate a diagnosed mental disorder” by Moss et al . (2017).…”

Thriving at work with ADHD: antecedents and outcomes of proactive disclosure

“…These negative behaviors are often characterized as personal flaws instead of neurological differences (Patton, 2009). Without needed accommodations, employers may focus on the potential negative outcomes of employing someone with a disability, including the fact that their productivity could be less predictable than employees who do not have disabilities (Moss et al. , 2017).…”

A relational perspective of schizophrenia at work

“…Generally speaking, this results from stigma or unfound biases against individuals with mental illness (Hanisch et al. , 2016; Moss et al. , 2017).…”

“…The average unemployment rate of individuals with mental illness is almost 3 to 7 times higher than people without mental disability. Generally speaking, this results from stigma or unfound biases against individuals with mental illness (Hanisch et al, 2016;Moss et al, 2017). As a result, such individuals experience economic poverty and are deprived of crucial networking within their communities (Brouwers, 2020).…”