Working During Depression Offers Positive Health Benefits to Employees

A new study has found that employees battling with depression can manage their illness better by attending work rather than taking a sick leave from work.

Depression is known to be a major cause of disability, absenteeism and loss of productivity among the working-age adults. This mental condition is defined as a complex condition that is characterized by changes in thinking, mood, or behavior. Depression in working population is equally complex and not much is known about the causes.

The latest study - led by researchers at the University of Melbourne in collaboration with Menzies Research Institute at the University of Tasmania - found that attending work while suffering a depressive illness helps employees better manage their depression rather than taking a sickness absence from work. This is the first study to look at the long term cost and health outcomes of depression-related absences when compared to those who continue to work among employees with depression in Australia.

According to the lead researcher Dr. Fiona Cocker, the employees and the employer can be benefited only by understanding the cost and consequences of absenteeism and presenteeism.

"We found that continuing to work while experiencing a depressive illness may offer employees certain health benefits, while depression-related absence from work offers no significant improvement in employee health outcomes or quality of life," she said. "Cost associated with depression-related absence and attending work while depressed were also found to be higher for white collar workers who also reported poorer quality of life than blue collar workers."

Further, the researchers even calculated the cost on productivity loss, expenses linked with medication and the use of health services. They also evaluated the cost of replacing the employee who is unwell and is absent from work.

"This is important information for employers, health care professionals (e.g. GPs) and employees faced with the decision whether to continue working or take a sickness absence. It suggests that future workplace mental health promotions strategies should include mental health policies that focus on promoting continued work attendance via offering flexible work-time and modification of tasks or working environment," she said.

The researchers stated that workplace programs and modification also offer positive long-term effects on the employees' health as well as well-being.