Treating Depression Can Start at the Office

When you walk into your office today, take a look around. Observe your employees for a moment longer than you normally would. Notice anything different? You might. It is estimated that 20 million American adults suffer from depression. You might not be one of them, but chances are someone that works for you is. And while depression primarily affects family and home life, work takes a hit from it as well. It can drastically lower effectiveness and moral for those suffering, which means that you are also affected.

A study conducted by the National Institute for Mental Health shows that by investing in mental health coverage for your employees, you can actually save money. Since depressed adults are more likely to call in sick and slack off due to underlying issues, addressing the problem with psychotherapy allows them to refocus and engage themselves in treatment.

Averaging costs for benefits such as mental health insurance can range from $100 – $400 per employee. The study suggests that an average of $1,800 in productivity was saved, per employee treated.

More than forty percent of the employees treated in the study continued to work within the company that supplied the treatment for them, saving not only productivity costs, but also hiring and training time and money. And implementing such programs will drastically increase company moral as well. Every team is only as strong as their weakest player, so take action and start looking into mental health coverage for your employees.