Workplace Depression Matters – Here’s Why.
Credit: Unsplash
Depression matters at work, that’s not new information. But here’s the thing, the conversation is often about Major Depressive Disorder or Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD). There’s not as much of a conversation about Work Depression - depression that results specifically from work. Let’s get into what Work Depression is, why we need to talk about it too, and how businesses can open up that specific conversation.
The Centers for Disease Control (CDC), estimates that depression causes 200 million lost work days annually, costing companies anywhere between $17 million and $44 million. And while the stats don’t specify if the depression is caused by work or not, the effect of depression on the workplace CANNOT be downplayed.
SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS OF WORK DEPRESSION
It can be really difficult for employees to open up about how their workload is affecting their mental health conditions, or how negative criticism is damaging their self-worth. There’s a lot of “associated risk” with doing that, so many people don’t.
It’s “more socially acceptable” to talk about clinical depression as it’s been so heavily destigmatized, rather than talking about a job or company making you depressed… to the people you work with.
Work depression can often result from feeling depressed, anxious, or complacent specifically about your job. The most common symptoms are sadness, loss of appetite, lack of concentration, and feelings of hopelessness.
Here are a few signs that someone may be experiencing workplace depression:
They don't feel like celebrating any achievements.
They have no desire or motivation to take on new projects or avoid them.
At the end of a work day, they’re unable to say what they accomplished because they can’t recall.
They struggle to meet deadlines or finish tasks and are often late or miss work.
They get irritated with coworkers easily.
They vocalize often fantasizing about leaving their job for another one.
They have challenges when focusing on a task, often leading to mistakes.
There is a noticeable decline in their productivity and quality of work.
They report constant headaches and fatigue or trouble sleeping
AN EMPLOYER'S ROLE IN MANAGING WORK DEPRESSION
Creating a culture where it is encouraged to talk about Work Depression is not an isolated practice. The whole organization needs to be educated on what this is and what it looks like. This is where the employer and managers have a duty of care and can set the tone.
Let’s review some tips for tackling Work Depression:
Set up a company-wide education initiative on work depression. If people have yet to start talking about it, there’s a chance they don’t know what it is. So, the first step is to start educating people about it.
Explore mental health training very intentionally - and encourage staff at all levels to take something personal away from it. A company-wide training will ensure all levels of the organization have access, and some level of exposure, to this critical education.
Encourage self-reflection. If you notice someone’s mood has been low, you could suggest they reflect on their problems to see where they’re coming from. For example, could they be feeling unfulfilled and need a change of direction? It helps to dig out the root of the problem so they can get to the bottom of their feelings of sadness.
Guide them to seek help. Once they’ve identified their signs of depression, it’s time to guide them to look for treatment for depression—HR, EAPs, health plans, counseling with mental health professionals, whatever’s available to help alleviate their symptoms of depression.
And the last tip might be controversial, but I’ll point it out anyway.
Ask them to reconsider their situation. Meaning, if someone is unhappy at their job, they may need to think about looking elsewhere. If the cost of their job is their mental wellbeing, it’s worth considering a complete turnabout. Perhaps they’ll be happier working independently or pursuing a less stressful career.
Most importantly, supervisors and managers need to be trained on how to recognize Work Depression, how to speak about it, and how they can assist employees. With the correct training, managers and employers can set the tone for having meaningful and fruitful conversations about Work Depression and other mental health issues in the workplace.
RESOURCES TO USE
Given an employer’s responsibility to staff, the CDC reiterates the need for companies to have employee health programs or strategies. That means mental health resources like Employee Assistance Programs should be maximized to improve employees' mental health conditions. See my other blog post about EAPs to promote a healthy workforce.
These tools include promoting employee assistance programs, confidential self-screening sheets and organized individual screenings, and access to mental health services through health insurance.
CONCLUSION
Work Depression can be the result of work-related stress, burnout and complacency and unfulfillment in a job role. And just like Major Depressive Disorder, Work Depression can take over someone’s life if it’s not addressed.
Companies need to specifically educate staff and managers on the symptoms of Work Depression and encourage staff to take action and use resources to manage those struggles as appropriate based on their individual situation.
To learn more about mental health in the workplace and why it matters, check out Melissa's book or sign up to secure a book club session.
