Making the decision to disclose that you have attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is like choosing between access and being in control over personal information. Sharing your condition to help manage staff interruptions, organisational challenges or constantly changing your priorities can help your team understand you better. But it also leaves you vulnerable to misconceptions that have no basis in fact, especially with how people see those with ADHD and other mental problems.
There isn’t a ‘right’ answer as this will vary depending on your personal situation, culture at your workplace and the employment law that applies. A good first step is to ask yourself: what information are you hoping disclosing will provide, to whom do they need that information and do the advantages outweigh the disadvantages?
Understand What Disclosure Could Change
However, since everyone has different ways of showing ADHD, an employer learning the diagnosis does not automatically tell him or her what kind of support might be most helpful. The real benefit generally comes in identifying specific obstacles in the workplace that could be alleviated, perhaps, by written priorities, fewer distractions or clearer deadlines.
Disclosing can provide a helpful context for a manager and begin a formal discussion around modifications, perhaps minimizing misperception about effort or dependability. It may also alleviate the burden of having to constantly describe the problem without being able to describe the cause.
But diagnosis is not the answer, and the evidence cannot guarantee that disclosure will translate into a better work experience. A systematic review of interventions for adults with ADHD in the workplace concluded there is a lack of evidence based in workplace settings, and so individual discussions are likely to be more helpful than any assumptions about what works.
Consider Whether You Can Request Support Without Naming ADHD
You might be able to request reasonable adjustments that you don’t have to disclose your diagnosis to start with if you need some help with your work. Asking for the agenda for meetings, written instructions or protected concentration time might be a reasonable adjustment that gets around the problem since it can also help your other colleagues who could use the extra assistance.
This may be a reasonable place to start when you are unsure how management may react, or when the adjustment is very simple. It also allows employers to see that there are advantages for most people in open communication and thoughtful planning of work.
The problem is that an informal preference might be given less weight than a formal disability-related accommodation request. Under some policies, sufficient information might be needed to support the particular need for certain accommodations or protections. US Job Accommodation Network’s guidance on disclosing explains these distinctions in the American context, which may not always be applicable.
Assess the Workplace Through Behaviour
The organization’s inclusion statement can be less reassuring than the actions of managers. Ask yourself: Is it possible to keep personal issues confidential, to be flexible without being made fun of and for others to raise concerns without being branded a troublemaker or for asking for special treatment?
An environment conducive to disclosure might help make things better, but gossip, dismissive comment or punitive management might make you cautious. You can review policies or ask general questions about the adjustment process before you decide what to disclose. Some companies nowadays do offer special arrangements for workers who require them, such as working parents and those with special health conditions.
Favorable signs do not necessarily lead to a positive reply since employers are all different and procedures are subject to change. However, behaviour-based indicators go a long way in establishing clear information as an alternative to vague optimism or the fear of being told ‘no’. Selecting to keep your dignity intact is a reasonable decision under any circumstance, not a sign that you are ashamed or incapable of working alongside them.
Weigh Relief Against Stereotyping
Disclosure might help someone see that struggles with organisation or attention don’t mean you don’t care, as you’re able to describe how you manage things without answering the same questions about your ‘motives’ repeatedly. And that understanding can build trust when the discussion gets personal.
The danger is that an employer starts to read every mistake through an ADHD lens or that they come to believe that you just can’t take responsibility. Even seemingly positive stereotypes, such as great creativity, can be limiting to an individual with a different profile.
The UK advice service Acas acknowledges the fears of adverse reactions and stereotyping, and explains how talking can help support. Workers shouldn’t have to be workplace ambassadors to explain their need, but a brief account of how things are for them can help clear up misconceptions.
Choose the Timing and Audience Deliberately
Disclosure isn’t necessarily an announcement to the entire organisation. Informing HR, occupational health or your manager doesn’t mean informing your colleagues. Find out who will make arrangements for the support and how the information will be stored, used and disseminated. If you don’t know who to ask, ask the HR directly as they can help.
Timing seems appropriate to the reason for discussion. An individual requiring an interview adjustment may come up with the idea when being recruited, another may need some support initially after a change in role.
Timely disclosure can safeguard privacy, but if you delay until problems are severe you add stress to the conversation. If work is governed by safety or fitness for work standards you may also want confidential guidance on the requirements, instead of the generic disclosure advice.
Prepare a Conversation About Workable Changes
If you choose to disclose, ask for a private conversation and make the link between your experience of ADHD and certain working conditions. Talk about what you need to work well, identify a reasonable adjustment and decide how this will be checked.
There’s no need to divulge your whole medical history in one sitting since companies often have medical checks that would inform your company about your current condition. Find out what papers are actually needed and make notes of what requests you’ve made and what has been settled.
The employer now has a concrete starting point, but the onus shouldn’t be solely on you to deliver. Managers can seek the input of the right support people and provide operational context. Patient care lies with you and appropriate clinicians, while the environment discussion should centre on ability to access and expectations and use of working arrangements.
Recognise the Employer’s Responsibility
Employers gain when employees seek help sooner, possibly keeping experience and minimizing unnecessary misunderstandings. But “good” responses take time, confidentiality and an openness to revisit existing processes, rather than just state that the problem is revealed and the only change is to the attitude.
TAFEP’s recruitment guidelines in Singapore instruct recruiters to “erase sections of the application form that require disclosure of mental health”. As this indicates, it is important to make sure that the application process allows focus on the relevant requirements. Its rules about disclosing disability and workplace support remain to be seen locally.
On a societal level, safer disclosure would take the stigma away and make sustainable jobs more accessible, but each employee shouldn’t have to gamble their careers to make that happen. Safer workplaces can make a lot of helpful accommodations without requiring you to go through bad disclosures and label yourself in ways that don’t make sense. Sharing should be aware, intentional, and based on the things that will help you do your best work while respecting your dignity and privacy.
