Should employers deal with employee depression?

Depression-related illnesses cost European workplaces an estimated GBP 77 billion a year, or $127 billion (Financial, March 17, 2014, http://www.finchannel.com). These costs are mainly from absenteeism and lost productivity, according to a report by the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE) and King’s College, London, published in PLOS ONE, March 2014.

The report states that although 30 million people in Europe, and 350 million people worldwide, are affected by depression at some stage of their working life, most workplaces ‘seriously underestimate its impact.’

In a survey of 500 employers in the United Kingdom, over 50% believed that depressed and stressed workers could still do their job effectively. This is contrary to a study of 7,000 people in 7 European countries – UK, France, Italy, Spain, Denmark, Turkey, and Germany.

LSE and King’s College researchers studied the survey of seven European countries and found 20% of employed people reported having a previous diagnosis of depression, and that 20-55% of employees diagnosed with depression in Europe take time off work due to illness. University-educated professionals were less likely to time off work when stressed, and if they do, they do not specify the reasons.

Managers in Denmark were more sympathetic to stressed employees than managers from the other surveyed European countries. They were also less likely to discriminate against them. Managers in France and Spain were most likely to recommend that stressed employees seek assistance from healthcare professionals.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) stated that depression had become the leading cause of disability worldwide. There is still a stigma associated with depression and many employers were not dealing with stress in the workplace and the consequences of it on their staff. WHO said some solutions for workplaces could be: (1) flexible working hours, (2) awareness-raising in the workplace, (3) de-stressors in the workplace, such as recreational activities, and (4) direct offers of assistance.

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