Nearly two-thirds (70%) of employees who suffer with depression at work said they don’t feel supported by their employees, according to new research out of the UK.
The research, published by jobsite CV Library in tandem with “Blue Monday,” dubbed the most depressing day of the year, also found that 73% of employees who suffer with depression said there is a negative stigma about depression in the workplace.
Another two-thirds (74%) of respondents said they wouldn’t feel comfortable talking to their manager about their issues, and 64% said they wouldn’t give depression at the reason for calling in sick.
Read: Employee mental health concerns on the rise
According to CV Library’s research, the top solutions to support employees with depression are:
1. Flexible working opportunities (23%)
2. More support from management (21%)
3. Affirmation of job security (13%)
4. Reduced workloads (9%)
5. Access to counselling services (9%)
“A huge proportion of the nation’s professionals are suffering with mental health issues, and it’s concerning to see that attitudes aren’t changing as quickly as they should be,” said Lee Biggins, founder and managing director of CV Library.
“What’s more disheartening is the negative stigma attached to depression. This, combined with the prejudices that workers are facing, prevent employees from being honest with their managers.
“Those with depression often feel marginalised and judged, and it’s worrying that this attitude is still prevalent in the workplace. For the UK’s mental health issues to be properly addressed, and for workers with depression to get the support they need, these beliefs need to change for good.”
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