Happy employees are productive employees. A longitudinal study has recently been released, adding to the growing body of scientific evidence on employee productivity. The study confirms that depression is common in the workplace and detrimental to employee performance.
These findings are reported in the May issue of The American Journal of Psychiatry, the monthly scientific journal of the American Psychiatric Association. The study found that absenteeism due to health problems was twice as high for employees with depressive symptoms compared to those without depressive symptoms. The study also revealed that the likelihood of decreased performance on the job is seven times higher for depressed employees. The longitudinal study of more than 6,000 employees at three corporations took a close look at the relationship between depression, satisfaction with health care, and employee productivity. The study also found that employees who complained about their health care, including problems with access, communications, choice, and continuity of care, were also more likely to be depressed and work less productively. According to Lloyd Sederer, M.D., Director of the Division of Clinical Services for the American Psychiatric Association, The message is clear: there is both medical and financial value in better detection and effective treatment for depression in the workplace.”
