HBR Guide to Better Mental Health at Work (HBR Guide Series)

CHAPTER 13

Managing an Employee with Depression

by Kristen Bell DeTienne, Jill M. Hooley, Cristian Larrocha, and Annsheri Reay

Depression is the leading cause of disability worldwide. One in five Americans are affected by mental health issues, with depression being the most common problem.¹ A 2019 report by Blue Cross Blue Shield found that depression diagnoses are rising at a faster rate for Millennials and teens than for any other generation.² All told, the disorder is estimated to cost $44 billion a year in lost productivity in the United States alone.³

Yet despite this enormous and growing toll, many employers take an ad hoc approach to handling depression among employees. Many managers become aware of mental health issues only when they ...