Employers should have a plan to look after all employees at all levels in the wake rising levels of depression among the UK population during the pandemic, according to Towergate Health & Protection.
Data from the Office For National Statistics released this week, reveals younger adults and women were more likely to experience depression in the most recent lockdown.
The data shows that while one in five (21%) adults experienced some form of depression in early 2021 (27 January to 7 March), four in 10 (43%) women aged 16 to 29 years reported experiencing depressive symptoms, compared with 26% of men of the same age.
Researchers found disabled (39%) and clinically extremely vulnerable (CEV) adults (31%) were more likely to experience some form of depression than non-disabled (13%) and non-CEV adults (20%) over the same period.
And a higher proportion of renters experienced some form of depression (31%) when compared with adults who own their home outright (13%).
The data also indicated deprivation has a bearing on depression levels with almost three in 10 (28%) adults living in the most deprived areas of England experienced depressive symptoms compared with just under two in 10 (17%) adults in the least deprived areas of England.
Depression affecting work
Overall, the proportion of adults experiencing some form of depression in the early part of the year increased from November 2020 (19%) and was more than double that observed before the pre-pandemic level of 10%.
Around a third of adults (35%) who reported being unable to afford an unexpected expense of £850 experienced depressive symptoms in early 2021, compared with one in five (21%) adults before the pandemic; for adults who were able to afford this expense, rates rose from 5% to 13%.
ONS research from lasst year showed that of those suffering from moderate to severe depressive symptoms, 39% reported that their work was being affected, 47% said they were spending too much time alone, and 19% were finding working from home difficult.
Consequently, Towergate made a number of suggestions from employers to improve staff wellbeing.
This includes putting a health and wellbeing plan in place, or even simply communicating the relevant aspects of an existing programme.
These can include mental health apps, hubs, and trackers for mood which help to monitor changes in disposition and can give the user a ‘nudge’ to access more help if needed.
The advice firm added that support can meet specific mental health issues, from mild or moderate to severe and it can include specialist helplines, online video counselling sessions, early intervention services or in- and out-patient care.
Employee assistance programmes (EAP) can also prove useful, the firm noted.
Commenting further, Towergate Health & Protection distribution director Brett Hill said: “The mental health situation in the UK has reached a point where many employees are finding their work is suffering one way or another from the impact of Covid, whether it is because they are at work worrying about home, or at home worrying about work. Employers must act to manage the problem.
“Much of the anxiety and depression being felt throughout Covid is a compound of concerns about a variety of matters.
“While depression may be the overriding issue, this can build up due to concerns about a multitude of areas, such as financial wellbeing and physical health, for example.
“So if employers really want to support their workforce they need to take a holistic approach and offer benefits that look after a whole range of underlying concerns that can lead to mental ill-health.”