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There is extensive communication between employees and employers to have conversations around mental health. One would think that the incidence of depression has increased by 25% since the onset of Covid-19. 21 million American adults.
However, this distribution in our population and culture (see The explosion of mental health technology startups) in turn has increased transparency with mental health. Eighty-seven percent of Americans agree that having a mental health disorder is nothing to be ashamed of. American Psychological Association.
Although these levels of stigma have changed, however, clinical depression still costs the U.S. economy more than $51 billion in absenteeism and lost productivity. Mental Health America. This increasing loss reflects the miscommunication between the worker – who still does not feel empowered to be vulnerable – and the employer, who often relies on delayed, temporary responses to these threats.
As professionals who have experienced depression and anxiety in a high-pressure corporate environment, this hits home incredibly well. We put on the facade of keeping it all together as a reward for climbing the corporate ladder. Unfortunately, this constant need to perform at a high level and discomfort with the vulnerability of admitting our struggles led to silent panic attacks in the toilet stall, migraines so bad we had to work with the lights off, and eventually we quit.
Reflecting on our current experience from the perspective of founders and ultimately employers, we are forced to think about how we can better address depression in the workplace by bridging this gap, as well as how we can better support and empower employees. Suffering.
Set clearer, shorter goals
One of the biggest challenges as an employee when you’re going through a difficult week of depression is making sure you’re setting your priorities straight, so you can best meet your manager’s needs (which is half the battle of traveling hard). corporate environment). Because focus can often slip when it comes to mental health, we make a list of priorities to make sure we’re at least meeting the needs to keep up with work. These exercises give you the psychological benefit of feeling like you’ve made small accomplishments throughout the day. Easier said than done, knowing that having a rough week could slow us down and giving ourselves enough time to accomplish these tasks was critical to being honest with ourselves.
As leaders, we need to recognize that depression can make workloads overwhelming or complex, so the onus is on us to make sure the work gets done at the same time we’re supporting the well-being of our employees. Break large projects into more manageable parts and empower employees to feel empowered to meet requirements. Not only does this instill confidence in helping employees succeed, but it also gives the manager a better understanding of how a project is progressing. Studies have shown that shorter deadlines create higher levels of productivity and compliance.
Focus on impact rather than working hours
Depression can affect a person’s energy levels, sleep patterns, and ability to be productive. This means that their ideal work schedule may differ from the usual nine to five. For example, many people with depression struggle to get out of bed, making mornings difficult. As a result, many of the people we know in depression deliberately seek out work opportunities with flexible hours, so they can perform at their own pace. Research shows that this flexibility can increase productivity.
We recommend that managers focus on the employee’s impact rather than their working hours. That being said, deadlines should still be enforced and respected because the core structure is important. One of our employees recently lost energy for a few days during the week, but felt better and worked through the weekend to complete the project on time for the Monday deadline.
On the other hand, employees must have strong communication skills to manage expectations with managers. As an employee, it is your responsibility to keep your manager updated on your progress. A simple “I didn’t make as much progress on the report today as I had hoped, but I plan to finish by Tuesday as agreed” will normally suffice.
Be sure to use employee assistance resources
While there are many ways to close the communication gap between an employee and manager when dealing with depression, one of the most effective tools is easy access to Employee Assistance Programs (EAP). EAPs are a variety of services offered by all companies that provide employees with access to services that help them manage their work/life balance to maintain productivity. In recent years, companies have tried to differentiate themselves by investing heavily in strong mental health care resources. However, EAPs are used by an average of only 3.5% of employees per year, making them a largely underutilized method.
As a manager, it’s important to understand that employees often don’t realize these programs exist or even the size of the gift. Aggressively promote these programs beyond targeting, whether it’s creating additional education or including reminders about benefits in regular employee communication channels. Simplicity/clarity is key, so building these relationships around plan highlights, costs, services, and contact numbers can make the resources feel burdensome to reach. It is our job to standardize these services, reminding that the majority of workers’ barriers to using these resources are the stigma associated with using these resources, and that the stressful situations workers face in these work environments are common. You have overcome these challenges in a healthy way.
In retrospect, one of our mistakes as employees suffering from workplace depression was being afraid to use EAP resources. We didn’t understand the secrecy behind applying for help and weren’t sure what proof was needed to get these benefits. As long as confidentiality is important to you, remember that these resources are confidential unless employers know who is using the service and who is not. Although navigating depression in the workplace can feel like a minefield, we know that the cost of doing what’s best for you and your mental well-being is always worth it.
Kyle Pearce and Morgan Hewett are co-founders of a telehealth company focused on treatment-resistant depression. Options MD.
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