Innovative service to help manage depression in the workplace
Release date: April 19th, 2007
In an important mental health initiative from depressioNet funded by the MBF Foundation, Australians living with depression in the workplace will soon have anonymous access to an online support service 24-hours a day so they can better manage their condition and help reduce the enormous cost to industry in lost work time.
The new Working Well interactive website will feature a wide range of easily understood work-specific information about depression and techniques to manage it, peer-based online communication forums manned continually by highly trained moderators, and tools for improving mental wellness in the workplace.
depressioNet, Australia's leading online depression support provider, is developing the service to go live in October.
Dr Christine Bennett, chair of the MBF Foundation steering committee and chief medical officer at MBF, said helping people with depression deal with their illness in a confidential, supportive and 'real-time' environment without fear of embarrassment, loss of anonymity or risk to their employment, will ensure the workplace is secure and productive for everyone.
"Depression affects an estimated 20 percent of Australians and accounts for more than six million days of reduced productivity each year with serious implications for work safety. Working Well will give people grappling with depression in the workplace the tools needed to manage their condition so they can perform at their best as valuable team members," said Dr Bennett.
Terry Houguet-Pincham, General Manager of depressioNet, said depression is often poorly managed within work environments where management responses such as suggesting that a depressed employee take a holiday can actually make the situation worse by lowering the self-esteem of those affected and taking them away from productive, team-focused activity.
"With Working Well, employers will be able to better understand workers with depression and deploy the right strategies to secure the best outcome for the individual, their colleagues and the organisation," said Mr Houguet-Pincham.
MBF Foundation is a charitable institution set up by MBF to support and manage important health initiatives for the community using a portion of MBF Group's investment income each year. The Foundation is focussing on three key areas - wellness and obesity, supporting healthy ageing and keeping healthcare affordable.
