How To Spot Depression in the Workplace

In the UK, depression affects, on average, 1 in 4. With that in mind, it is incredibly possible that depression or other mental health conditions may affect one of your employees.

How depression impacts work

For many people, depression impacts their life in different ways. However, some of the ways it affects people at work is through:

• A lack of motivation: sometimes people with depression can feel hopeless and this can show up in their approach to work. They may suddenly go from being incredibly proactive to showing up late or they may seem as if they are struggling to focus and their performance may be affected.

• Withdrawn: in many cases, the person with depression may withdraw from social activities – no longer bonding with their fellow colleagues or participating in out-of-office events.

How to spot depression

Depression can have a number of symptoms and can present differently in each individual. If you’re worried about an employee, then these are a few of the symptoms that you can look out for.

• Tiredness

• A loss of appetite

• Low confidence

• Nervousness

• Struggling to concentrate

Not everyone who has these symptoms will have depression, but if you have concerns about someone, don’t be afraid to speak to them. Don’t force them to talk about their issues or problems, but remind them that they are a valuable member of the team and that you’re there to talk to in case they need you.

How to help

In the instance that an employee does come to you explaining that they’re experiencing depression, here are a few ways you can help:

• Make adjustments: if their workload is too much, then find a way to ease some of it. If their working hours are too overwhelming, see if you can find a way to lessen the load.

• Offer them support: do you have the budget to offer private healthcare? If your employee is struggling, maybe they’d feel comfortable seeking professional help. Private healthcare funded by employers takes away the financial burden from the person suffering.

• In-work support: if they don’t feel comfortable talking to you, perhaps you can create a mental health team within your workplace? Having a designated set of people to explore this topic and lend support creates an environment of care.

Mental health support should be tailored to the individual. What works for one, won’t work for another. However, if you show your employees that you’re there for honesty and support, then this will help contribute to the overall atmosphere in the office.

If you need any more help with employee mental health, head to the OH One Minds website