How to Identify and Address Signs of Depression at Work

The responsibility of a manager is to ensure that processes are followed correctly, but the responsibility of a leader is far more fundamental. By focusing on motivation, communication and team-building within the workforce, an effective leader can keep the entire team unified and driven towards a common goal. One of the biggest challenges to this endeavour comes when an employee begins suffering from a mental illness. This condition might not be immediately apparent, but with some understanding of the factors at play, the leader can learn to identify the key signs of depression at work – and make the appropriate adjustments to the work environment in order to relieve symptoms.

An invisible adversary

Unlike many physical conditions and disabilities, mental illness in an employee can go unnoticed by colleagues and supervisors for long periods of time. If workplace anxiety and depression goes unaddressed, the resulting loss of productivity can disrupt job performance dramatically. Recent studies in the United States found that up to 15 million Americans suffer from these symptoms – significantly affecting their careers. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that 200 million workdays are lost each year in the US due to depression alone, costing employers between $17 billion and $44 billion in productivity and insurance payments. Moreover, depression can easily affect company heads as well; a separate study found that nearly half of all entrepreneurs had personally suffered from depression.

How to determine the signs and symptoms of depression

A diagnosis of depression can only come from a health professional, but there are plenty of indirect signs that you (or a fellow employee) may be suffering from depression. These include:

• Sadness, anxiety or moodiness
• Changes in appetite or sleep patterns
• Frequent fatigue
• Failure to concentrate on tasks, make decisions, or remember events
• Uncooperative behaviour
• Poor judgment or work performance
• Neglect of safety issues, leading to workplace accidents
• Low morale
• Substance abuse
• High rates of sick days
• Absenteeism from work

If several of these symptoms are observable for at least two weeks, it may be worth initiating a conversation about mental health. Note, however, that depression can manifest itself in a variety of ways, and a person may be suffering from its effects even if they do not display all of the symptoms listed above. As a general practice, the best way to monitor the mental health of your employees is to check in with them often, show sensitivity to their feelings, and create a safe environment for them to talk with you privately about any personal difficulties they may be having.

Underlying causes of workplace anxiety and depression

Good mental health requires a delicate balance to maintain, both in terms of personal behaviour and also the surrounding environment. Employees may find themselves at higher risk for job-related mental stress if their workplace experience is characterised by the following factors:

• A very high (or very low) level of demand placed upon them
• Unhealthy work conditions
• A remote or isolated work environment
• Inadequate support from other team members or from management
• Poor workplace relationships and/or harassment
• A sense of injustice regarding personnel movement within the organisation
• Violent or otherwise traumatic situations

Anxiety and depression are not the only issues to consider with regard to employees’ mental health. Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), attention deficit / hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), schizophrenia and other types of psychological issues can greatly interfere with job performance, while having a significant effect on the person’s quality of life as well.

How employers can respond

Responsible employers can take preventive measures to improve the work experience for their employees, while also listening to their concerns about additional issues which may be affecting their mental well-being.