Depression in the Workplace
Depression in the Workplace
Shannon Courson
Everest College Phoenix
Depression in the workplace carries a huge stigma, both internally and externally, making it difficult for sufferers largely because of the negativity of the disease and has a need that needs to be addressed by employers and coworkers. Depression can cause employees to be less productive, accident prone and uninterested in their duties. Because of this, it has serious cost to the employer, in the form of insurance claims and company efficiency. To lessen the impact employers need to allow depressed workers more breaks throughout the day, change policies regarding absenteeism to give sufferers more days off without repercussions and act as a valuable resource in finding appropriate help. Depression is a serious mental health disorder that includes bipolar disorder. Some of the symptoms of depression are increased/decreased sleep, loss of interest in activities, decreased concentration, low self-esteem, suicidal thoughts, and agitation. Because of these symptoms, employers need to allow employees that suffer from depression more breaks throughout the workday. It is crucial to give extra breaks because work can become too overpowering, leading to a decrease in productivity. A simple extra five minutes can prevent a depressed employee from getting flustered and walking out, leaving the other employees to pick up the slack. When dealing with the public, those with mental illness could benefit from taking multiple short breaks to regroup because they often feel overwhelmed. Since the disease affects one in five adults at one point in their lives, it is considered the number one reason for disability in the United States and Canada. A recent Gallop Poll suggests that nearly 12% have been diagnosed with depression and only half are being treated. This accounts for over $23 billion dollars in incremental absenteeism. (Witters, 2011-2012) By identifying depression early,
Shannon Courson
Everest College Phoenix
Depression in the workplace carries a huge stigma, both internally and externally, making it difficult for sufferers largely because of the negativity of the disease and has a need that needs to be addressed by employers and coworkers. Depression can cause employees to be less productive, accident prone and uninterested in their duties. Because of this, it has serious cost to the employer, in the form of insurance claims and company efficiency. To lessen the impact employers need to allow depressed workers more breaks throughout the day, change policies regarding absenteeism to give sufferers more days off without repercussions and act as a valuable resource in finding appropriate help. Depression is a serious mental health disorder that includes bipolar disorder. Some of the symptoms of depression are increased/decreased sleep, loss of interest in activities, decreased concentration, low self-esteem, suicidal thoughts, and agitation. Because of these symptoms, employers need to allow employees that suffer from depression more breaks throughout the workday. It is crucial to give extra breaks because work can become too overpowering, leading to a decrease in productivity. A simple extra five minutes can prevent a depressed employee from getting flustered and walking out, leaving the other employees to pick up the slack. When dealing with the public, those with mental illness could benefit from taking multiple short breaks to regroup because they often feel overwhelmed. Since the disease affects one in five adults at one point in their lives, it is considered the number one reason for disability in the United States and Canada. A recent Gallop Poll suggests that nearly 12% have been diagnosed with depression and only half are being treated. This accounts for over $23 billion dollars in incremental absenteeism. (Witters, 2011-2012) By identifying depression early,