It’s no secret that the workplace can be a difficult environment for anyone to work in. However, depression is an issue that many employers still don’t take seriously. Workplace depression isn’t just about not feeling “up” or having a bad day occasionally.
It’s also about dealing with overwhelming feelings of sadness and hopelessness on a regular basis. Depression can lead to difficulty concentrating, poor decision-making skills, and even thoughts of suicide. If you’re an employer who has recently hired someone who may be struggling with depression, then this article is for you! We will discuss what workplace depression is. We will also cover why employees feel depressed at their jobs, how to spot the symptoms of depression, and what to do if you suspect an employee is suffering from this condition.
Contents
What is Workplace Depression?
Workplace depression is a problem that affects almost all people at some point in their lives. Work-related stress, conflict situations, and bullying are the three main triggers for Workplace Depression. Work-related stress can occur due to many different factors. This includes workload, deadlines, or interpersonal problems with colleagues, etc. This type of work-related pressure usually results from poor management and a lack of support from the employer. Workplace Depression comes along with feeling sad, tired, and lethargic for long periods of time. This can often lead to poor performance at work or even thoughts of suicide. Workplace depression may seem like it’s not that serious.
But it does have major consequences including low productivity, absences from work, and mental health problems. Workplace Depression can also lead to physical health issues including heart disease, obesity, and high blood pressure. Work-related depression is a serious issue that needs attention from employers as soon as possible.
Signs of Workplace Depression
Workplace Depression is a serious issue that can occur as a result of many factors. Work stress, isolation from coworkers, and long hours on the job are just some of the main causes of Workplace Depression. Workplace depression may cause you to feel unhappy at your place of work or have difficulty in getting through each day with an inability to concentrate and complete tasks. Workplace depression is not to be taken lightly and should always be addressed immediately with your employer or manager.
Work-related stress combined with isolation from coworkers can cause you to feel depressed at work, even if it doesn’t seem like anything bad happened recently. If any of the following signs occur frequently at work, you should consider Workplace Depression as the root cause.
- Avoidance of Work or Social Activities
- Irritability or Shifting Moods
- Frequent Headaches, Stomach Aches, and Other Physical Symptoms
- Feeling Sadness for No Apparent Reason
If any of these symptoms are present at work, Workplace Depression is a likely factor and you should seek help.
It can affect your physical health, performance at work, and relationships with coworkers. Workplace depression is important to address as soon as possible so it doesn’t interfere with you completing tasks or having a fulfilling life outside of work.
Reasons for Workplace Depression
- Workplace stress: A significant number of people suffer from depression due to their job.
- Job loss: Those who lose a job can be at greater risk for developing depression than those who don’t work.
- Low salary: Money woes and debt are often cited as reasons why individuals become depressed or more depressed than they already were.
- People should be aware of these reasons so that they can stop depression before it gets to be too much.
- Disengagement from work role
Corrective Measures for Workplace Depression
- Once you notice any of the aforementioned indications, you must act on them. You should chat with the individuals and find out for yourself what is wrong. But your duty here is to listen rather than diagnose. It’s always better to get expert assistance for individuals who are having difficulties coping with their stress levels.
- Give them time off from work to deal with their mental health. At this time, you must urge them to seek professional assistance in order to recuperate. These are the first two measures you should take if you spot a worker who is depressed.
Being a business in this location, you have fewer options than when you were working remotely. You can assist these workers by assisting them in obtaining the assistance they require.
As an employer, you must ensure that this expert assistance is accessible whenever it is required. Aside from this, you must also take steps to prevent the same problem at your workplace. You can start today by implementing the following measures.
Strategies for Workplace Depression
There are 5 strategies that can help to reduce workplace depression. All of them have been explained in detail in the given points:
1. Awareness
You must bring awareness of this problem to your workplace. Educate your employees about the issue and urge them to get assistance if necessary. This may be accomplished through educational seminars at your workplace with health experts.
2. Resources
When workplace sadness strikes, you should be prepared with all the proper tools to combat it. These might include employee mental health screenings, call-on-demand assistance, and employee therapy. These are only a few of the resources that you must have at your workplace.
3. Workforce Communication
You should also interact with your staff on a regular basis. If you detect that any of your employees are depressed, don’t try to diagnose them; as previously said, don’t do it. Simply communicate with them and discover what’s wrong. Be encouraging and concerned without being condemned.
4. Working Environment
Aside from these points, you should also spend money on improving the working environment by making it calm and soothing. Making a workplace that is ecotherapy-friendly is a fantastic idea because it can improve an employee’s mood and relieve stress.
Some ideas include plants in the office, an aquarium, full-spectrum light bulbs, a customized workstation, healthy foods at work, a walking path, and so on.
5. Quick Actions
The most essential approach here is to act quickly. Take action immediately if you come upon or suspect someone who is suffering from a mental illness. In fact, be prompt in adopting these tactics as well as preventive ones.
A Word From Mantra Care
According to research, employee assistance professionals discovered that workplace depression is the third most common source of worry for employees. It ranks above family crises and stress according to the Employee Assistance Professionals.
Depression is a growing problem, and it’s only going to get worse. Given the serious consequences that it has in the workplace, one must address it immediately. You as an employer must handle this deadly health problem; your workers are susceptible to or affected by it.
Take advantage of this piece of content’s key points and apply them to your job. While there is no denying that this will take some time, it is not beyond reach. With your assistance, this silent killer of the workplace culture will eventually perish.
Do you want to keep your employees happy, healthy, and productive? Join our employee assistance program and get a healthier workplace.
