Survey Says 22% of Canadian Workers Are Depressed

Depression among your workforce may be more common than you think. Although some depression may be seasonal, workers may be depressed at any time of the year.

According to a recent survey by Ipsos Reid, 22% of Canadian workers report that they’re currently suffering depression (with 14% have been diagnosed with depression). An additional 16% reported having experienced depression previously.

The good news is that management seems to be aware of the need to address depression and other mental health issues in the workplace. For example, 84% of managers and supervisors said they believe it’s part of their job to intervene when a worker’s showing signs of depression.

But managers may not know what to do with a depressed worker. Although 31% of managers and supervisor have gotten training for dealing with workers showing signs of depression, nearly two thirds of those surveyed would like better training to address this type of situation. And they’re asking for more support and flexibility from senior management and HR. (This infographic visually depicts the survey results.)

Employers can get a handle on dealing with workplace mental health issues, such as depression, by implementing CSA Z1003, the new standard on psychological health and safety in the workplace, the final version of which is expected to be released any day now.

The OHS Insider’s Psychological Safety Compliance Centre has additional resources for employers, including:

In addition, at Safety Smart, you can get a safety talk on depression. Not a Safety Smart member’ Sign up for a free 14-day trial.