5 Strategies to Help Fight Depression
in the Workplace
Most adults spend at least 40 hours a week in the workplace, meaning their experience in this environment can have a massive impact on their mental health.
And when you consider that over 16 million adults in the United States struggle with depression every day, it's not difficult to imagine that depression in the workplace is quite common.
As an employer, it's important that you prioritize your employees' mental health, both for their overall well-being and their productivity in the workplace.
Read on to learn a few of the best ways to care for your employees' mental health.
1. Help Employees Reduce Stress
Chronic stress can lead to a myriad of health problems, including depression. Because of this, you should help to reduce employee stress instead of just managing it.
Ask your employees what their main sources of stress at work are and take steps to resolve these issues.
2. Don't Overwork Your Employees
Employees with a solid work-life balance are happy employees. As a business owner, you no doubt want projects and tasks completed as quickly as possible.
But stretching your employees too thin with long hours can lead to burnout and is therefore counterproductive. Keep your hours regulated to ensure the people who work for you have plenty of time with their families and hobbies.
3. Keep the Workplace Environment Fun
Yes, you're all at the office to work, but that doesn't mean it can't be enjoyable! Make your office an inviting place to be by encouraging friendships between your employees.
You should also consider hosting a lunch or taking some time out of the day every now and then for games and other fun activities. This will promote a light work atmosphere and help to reduce stress among your employees.
4. Be Mindful of the Signs of Depression
Sometimes, even if you're doing everything you can to make your office a stress-free environment, an employee is going to struggle. When this happens, you need to have an awareness of the signs of depression so you can intervene before the situation gets out of hand.
Remember, workplace depression affects your company as a whole as well as your individual employees. So caring for your employees' mental and physical health is in everyone's best interest.
5. Provide Care and Support When Needed
If at all possible, provide benefit coverage for mental health services. You could also set up an employee assistance program that supplies services such as childcare and housecleaning on top of access to qualified therapists.
Regardless of whether you're able to offer these benefits or not, it's extremely important to maintain a close relationship with your employees and train managers on how to spot depression. Early intervention can make all the difference.
Use These Tips to Reduce Depression in the Workplace
By decreasing depression in the workplace to the best of your ability, you will have happier, healthier employees who, in turn, are much more productive.
Showing your employees that you genuinely care about their well-being will also foster a sense of loyalty, meaning you're more likely to hold onto them!
Looking for more tips on improving your workplace environment? Be sure to take a look at our blog!