Depressed Employees Take Twice as Many Sick Days

May 2, 2001
A just-released study confirms that depression is common in the workplace and detrimental to employee performance.

A just-released study -- adding to the growing body of scientific evidence on employee productivity -- 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 (APA).

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 Yale University research investigators termed decreased productivity on the job as "presenteeism" and was a likely result of employee reluctance to report an illness or to consider depression a "legitimate reason" for taking sick leave.

"The perceived stigma associated with depressive disorders may thus result in a high proportion of hidden costs to employers that are not readily evident from health or disability claims data," said researchers.

The 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 Dr. Lloyd Sederer, director of the Division of Clinical Services for the APA, "The message is clear: there is both medical and financial value in better detection and effective treatment for depression in the workplace."

"The APA is strongly committed to working with employers to greatly improve access to quality psychiatric care," said Dr. Norman Clemens, chair of APA''s Committee on APA/Business Relationships. "Quality psychiatric care is good for employees and their families, and it makes economic good sense for business."

by Virginia Sutcliffe

About the Author

EHS Today Staff

EHS Today's editorial staff includes:

Dave Blanchard, Editor-in-Chief: During his career Dave has led the editorial management of many of Endeavor Business Media's best-known brands, including IndustryWeekEHS Today, Material Handling & LogisticsLogistics Today, Supply Chain Technology News, and Business Finance. In addition, he serves as senior content director of the annual Safety Leadership Conference. With over 30 years of B2B media experience, Dave literally wrote the book on supply chain management, Supply Chain Management Best Practices (John Wiley & Sons, 2021), which has been translated into several languages and is currently in its third edition. He is a frequent speaker and moderator at major trade shows and conferences, and has won numerous awards for writing and editing. He is a voting member of the jury of the Logistics Hall of Fame, and is a graduate of Northern Illinois University.

Adrienne Selko, Senior Editor: In addition to her roles with EHS Today and the Safety Leadership Conference, Adrienne is also a senior editor at IndustryWeek and has written about many topics, with her current focus on workforce development strategies. She is also a senior editor at Material Handling & Logistics. Previously she was in corporate communications at a medical manufacturing company as well as a large regional bank. She is the author of Do I Have to Wear Garlic Around My Neck?, which made the Cleveland Plain Dealer's best sellers list.

Nicole Stempak, Managing Editor:  Nicole Stempak is managing editor of EHS Today and conference content manager of the Safety Leadership Conference.

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