Human Resources and Depression

Depression is a common phenomenon. A number of people suffer from Depression at work in future. Human Resources Departments must educate themselves on depression. Strategies must be formulated for dealing with Depression cases at work. A case study highlighting the lack of strategies at work leads a Human Resources Manager to understand the need for adequate strategies.A Human Resources Assistant lived with his Mum. At 48 years of age, he suffered from chronic depression. His depression started when his mum went into Aged Care. Work was an outlet for him to overcome the issue. Slowly however, his work started to suffer. Normally a cheerful man, he started to withdraw and present serious performance issues at work.He sought help from his Doctor and was given tablets which were found to be the wrong tablets for his condition.His previous Manager was sympathetic towards his plight. Although there were no policies in place, she understood his condition and gave him enough opportunity to undertake counselling. However, she resigned and in came a new General Manager Human Resources.Not understanding Depression, she started to handle the issue from an absenteeism and performance perspective. Soon, the Human Resources Assistant found himself being shouted at by his Manager. He then received a couple of warnings and was paid out on the basis of redundancy.This case highlights a classic example of how not to handle Depression cases at work. Statistics reveal that 90% of people who suffer from depression find that their work is in some way affected. Some find it hard to get out of bed in the morning to go to work. It is important to understand that there are different levels of depression. with the right strategy, those who suffer will find it easier to cope at work and also receive adequate treatment.Those who suffer from depression at work may display one of more of the following symptoms:
• Crying frequently
• Insomnia
• Fatigue
• Irritable Mood
• Increased sensitivity
• Pessimism or lack of caring
• Feelings of worthlessness
• Trouble concentrating or making decisions.Managers must assist an individual manage their depression effectively. Human Resources staff can:
• Organise periodical Human Resources Health Checks to identify and manage any issues that cause stress at work.
• Educate Managers on handling Depression cases at work.
• Organise regular staff surveys to deal with issues that cause stress.
• Develop employee assistance programs to assist employees manage their health issues, seek counselling and otherwise manage depression.
• Prepare Policies for dealing with cases of depression which provide for:
o Taking Regular Breaks – A depressed employee can take regular breaks and step back to do something such as meditation and exercises.
o Staying in touch – An employee suffering depression can be allowed latitude to stay in touch with family and friends during work. This enables them to contact someone they trust allowing them to recover quickly.
o Taking slow steps – When working on a project, such an employee can be permitted to take slow steps to overcome the monotony of having to work continuously on one project.
o Sticking with Depression Treatment – An employee suffering from this condition should be reminded regularly to take their medication.
o Taking counselling – Counselling option should be available to such an employee.There are no easy solutions to handling people with depression at work. Being flexible is the best option in many cases.