Managing depression in the workplace

Such is our attitude to a colleague complaining of feeling a bit down that there is a danger we may brush off depression and not treat it with the seriousness it deserves.

Long-term depression may be considered a disability, and as such it will throw up a number of challenges that employers should be prepared for.

A study by PricewaterhouseCoopers revealed that up to a third of the UK workforce may have a health and wellbeing issue, with depression among the most common

The symptoms of depression can be complex and vary widely between people. But as a general rule, if you are depressed, you feel sad, hopeless and lose interest in things you used to enjoy.

The condition may be considered a disability in accordance with the Equality Act 2010. A disability is defined as a physical or mental impairment that has a ‘substantial’ and ‘long-term’ negative effect on a person’s ability to do normal daily activities.

There has been some debate as to whether or not depression is actually protected by the Equality Act. If an employee believes depression, or any other medical condition, is having a negative impact on their work performance they should inform their employer.

If there is any uncertainty as to whether or not a medical condition meets the definition of a disability, an employer should seek specialist advice.

Referrals to occupational health advisors for an assessment can provide clarity and guidance on the likelihood of a condition being considered a disability. An accompanying report can also include recommendations for support or any reasonable adjustments that may help an employee.

This type of expert health guidance is crucial to help organisations meet their legal duty to protect an employee from discrimination, victimisation or harassment.

If depression is considered a disability an employer has to make ‘reasonable adjustments’. Taking such action will help to ensure that the employee is not put at a substantial disadvantage in comparison to non-disabled colleagues.

Typical, useful and effective support for an employee suffering with depression can include adjusting working hours, providing extra support with the workload and working from home.

There is a strong possibility that all employers, regardless of size, are likely to be affected by mental health at some stage, so it really is something that cannot be ignored.

The old fashion attitude to depression of ‘just pull yourself together’ is, thankfully, a thing of the past. But when it comes to depression in the workplace there does seem to be a stigma attached to it.

The Mental Health Foundation found that 38 per cent of the 2,000 workers that it spoke to as part of a study said they would not reveal a mental health problem for fear it would damage their career.

And if that mental health problem was so severe that the individual had to take time off work, 45 per cent would rather be untruthful and say it was stomach or backache instead of revealing the true cause.

A Health and Safety Executive report said that 12.5 million working days were lost to work-related stress, depression or anxiety in 2016/17.

But it found that there may be is some good news in that figure, in that an increase in awareness may mean workers no longer feel ashamed to discuss depression and other mental health issues.

All employers have a duty of care to their employees. They should be fully prepared to help, manage and support an employee suffering from depression especially if it is work related.

Employers should be proactive and take positive steps to promote mental health well-being, which can include:

• Setting up a helpline or clear point of contact for mental health issues.

• Develop a culture of support and openness in which workers feel comfortable and free to discuss concerns.

• Provide mental health awareness training

• Use positive language

There is a lot more understanding in regards to mental health issues in the workplace, but it still remains a complex matter to deal with.

There will understandably be uncertainty, apprehension and confusion about how to manage an employee who presents with depression, or any mental illness.

The key for an employee is to inform the employer, and for an employer to treat the individual in a fair and reasonable manner and to seek expert advice.

If you would like some support and advice in regards to anything in this article or just support at work please give us a call.