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April 16, 2004/Nisan 25 5764, Vol. 56, No. 30
Depression in the workplace should not be taken lightly
NEAL BURGIS
Special to Jewish News
The most common complaint given as a reason for seeing a psychotherapist is depression. It is estimated that there are 15-20 million people each year who suffer from depression. Everyone feels down in the dumps now and then, however, depression stays with an individual longer than just having the blues.
Twenty percent of us can expect to be affected by depression during our lifetime. Sadly, 80 percent of those struck will not recognize the symptoms and will fail to get treatment. Businesses and corporations lose $44to $55 billion across the United States each year due to the effects of severe depression in the workplace. This figure is the result of a survey completed by more than 400 human resource managers.
According to the survey, 80 percent of human resource professionals recognize depression as a problem in the workplace. Fifty-six percent say that depression has damaged productivity.
When depression strikes an employee, it greatly affects their productivity, but when it strikes an executive, the results can be catastrophic to the business as both subordinate morale and profits plummet. Unfortunately, most people in business don't believe that depression is a serious disorder.
However, there are ways that depression can be headed off before it becomes a cascading problem for a company. Executive coaching is one of the most effective ways to get an executive or manager, and subsequently the company, back on track. An executive's limited function to cope can have devastating effects for him or her as well as for the organization as a whole. Decreased productivity can be due to symptoms that sap energy, affect work habits, and cause problems with concentration, memory and decision-making. Various interventions, such as change in work schedule or a change in the workload and improving or updating skills, have been found to reduce many of the difficulties an executive experiences. An individual's personality dynamics, management style and work style can be big factors in how effective an executive is and this also effects their self-esteem and confidence levels.
Some organizational intervention programs, such as team building and leadership retreats, as well as wellness programs or a fitness center on the work site, have addressed the difficulties executives' experience.
As a supervisor or manager, you may notice that some employees seem less productive and reliable than usual. At any one time, one employee in 20 experiences depression. Many companies are beginning to help employees with depression by providing training supervisors and managers to recognize early symptoms of depressive illnesses, and on getting help for the employees.
Many times depression comes from stress in the workplace. Corporations need to recognize that depressive disorders are costly to them. Implementing educational programs designed to curtail the costs of depression as well as stress are some of the main tools recommended to employers.
Neal Burgis, founder and president of Burgis Successful Solutions, can be reached at 602-405-2540.
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