Depression: How eap Latina makes a difference

How an Employee Assistance Program helps fight depression

Depression Awareness Day was established on January 13 to raise awareness, orient and guide the world population, depression being a disorder whose numbers are increasing disproportionately throughout the world.

According to the WHO, depression is the leading cause of disability and a major contributor to the overall global burden of morbidity.

Depression in the workplace can present itself in a variety of ways:

◾ Concentration problems
◾ Failure to meet deadlines or goals
◾ Decreased productivity
◾ Fatigue and lack of energy
◾ Excessive delays and absenteeism
◾ Lack of safety precautions
◾ Lack of initiative or motivation
◾ Communication problems with other co-workers

Considering a combination of these, how many of your employees do you think may be affected by this mental disorder?

More than 75% of people affected by depression in low- and middle-income countries do not receive any treatment (WHO).

To help employees on a personal level, many companies rely on an Employee Assistance Program (EAP), a tool that has become vitally important in helping people deal with personal conflicts and increasing levels of wellness and satisfaction with life.

Companies of all industries and sizes choose to offer access to an EAP as a corporate benefit, a service that connects employees to free-of-charge, confidential and voluntary professional assistance in different areas.

Some key features of Employee Assistance Programs to fight depression:

Professional advice with approved methodologies:
Unlike other counseling services for employees, EAP has regulated and standardized methodologies that are governed by EAPA. One of these methodologies states that care must be provided by a certified professional psychologist trained to this end. The ability to listen when a person feels the need to talk about any concern in their personal or work life is one of the main characteristics. An EAP offers a series of sessions where a professional actively listens and guides. In addition, this professional follows-up and assesses each case.

Critical incident support: In the event of a crisis, accident or natural catastrophe in the organization or area, an EAP can send support personnel directly to the site to assist the teams in person, bring peace of mind and promote the development of resilience. In these cases, immediate action is essential. For this reason, some EAP Latina professionals are available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

Work-personal life balance: People often do not know how to handle certain legal, financial, accounting or some other specific situations. EAP experts provide guidance and resources in these areas, supporting employees with their paperwork and helping them deal with worries that affect their wellness. For example, having to review a rental contract or insurance policy or needing information about institutions to take care of a family member going through a difficult and delicate time such as old age or an addiction. Knowing the way forward and having the right community resources will help reduce the stress of not knowing how to solve a problem.

The first step to fight depression is to recognize it, and having an assistance program in place is critical to this.

Engaging in a conversation with a professional with whom the employee can establish a relationship and feel safe to speak confidentially will allow the employee to begin suitable treatment.

If you would like to have more information about this type of programs to implement in your organization leave your data here and we will soon contact you to tell you about our EAP and other corporate wellness services.