Mental health issues are silently and gradually killing your employees’ personal and professional lives by killing their joy, contentment, productivity, creativity, and performance.

Depression is a mental health issue that urgently needs to be addressed at the workplace. It is a deep sadness that people who experience it can’t explain. The best way to understand it would be to imagine being color-blind and being constantly told how colorful the world is. A study recently found that 42.5% of employees in India suffer from depression (source: ASSOCHAM). This figure is not nominal and employers must take action.

The two most common problems about mental health issues in general, and depression in, particular, is that employees who suffer from it either don’t know they are going through it or they are aware but are afraid to talk about it and seek help. In either case, suffering employees will exhibit physical and behavioral signs that are red flags for employers. Intentionally raising awareness about depression in the workplace is extremely important. Your employees need to know that it is okay to not be okay. It is time to listen to what your employees are not saying.

These are three practical tips to help your employees overcome depression:

1. Recognize the signs

To be able to help your employees better, these are some signs of depression that you need to watch out for:

• An employee begins to show up to work consistently tired.
• They are not motivated and miss deadlines often.
• They are not co-operative with their colleagues.
• They find it hard to concentrate.
• It’s hard for them to muster up a positive attitude.
• Their productivity suffers because of their low morale.
• Their overall performance at work decreases.

2. Managers need to do their bit.

It is important for managers to undergo basic training on mental health issues so that they can identify red flags in an employee’s behavior, have tough conversations as well as provide the employee the help that they need.

3. Be proactive

It is important to have an emotional wellness program in place with access to a clinical psychologist. This will provide a safe space for your employees to talk about their personal and professional issues and get help to resolve them.

According to Graeme Cowan, a survivor of depression and author of Back from the Brink: True Stories and Practical Help for Overcoming Depression and Bipolar Disorder, “A big regret for depressed individuals is that they didn’t get an accurate diagnosis and treatment plan earlier. There is a stigma around depression that discourages people from getting treatment. But when companies emphasize the importance of treating these issues, they help de-stigmatize them, which will lead to more people getting the help they need more quickly.”

At Ergos Mind, we believe that help for your employees is just one conversation away. We have a bespoke module on Employee Emotional Wellness which is led by a team of qualified clinical psychologists. They will be able to help employees on an individual level through one-on-one sessions. This module is designed to bring about awareness of mental and emotional issues so that employees don’t feel like they are alone. We also address and discuss mental health issues so that they are de-stigmatized and employees feel free to deal with their struggles.

To know more about this module click here.