1. May 2015 Employee Wellness Communication
EWC NO 64
Mental Illness Awareness
Month
July 2015
July is Psychosocial Disability
Awareness month
According to Statistics South Africa,
employee absenteeism costs the South
African economy between R12 billion and 16
billion annually, a large portion of which can
be attributed to workplace stress, burn-out
and employee ill health. Recently, a
study by Bloomberg ranked South
Africa as the second most stressed
nation on the planet.
FIVE WAYS COMPANIES CAN HELP
1. Educate employees on depression and
especially how cognitive symptoms can affect
work performance.
2. Raise awareness of any existing employee
assistance programmes AND emphasise that
they can help with mental health problems,
like depression, too.
3. Promote a culture of acceptance around
depression and other psychiatric disorders –
they are no different to diabetes or asthma.
4. If an employee shares their struggle with
depression, refer them to a mental healthcare
professional and reassure them the illness
can be treated.
5. Explore creative ways to support an
employee’s recovery, like flexible/adjusted
working hours or working from home for a
while.
Alan Brand
POSITIVELY ALIVE cc
Employee Wellness Consultant and Specialist
Trainer
Mobile: +27 (82) 453-0560
Direct Line: +27 (11) 482-5605
Fax to mail: 086 245 6833
E-mail: albrand@iafrica.com
Website: www.positivelyalive.co.za
Visit the South African Federation for Mental
Health for more info at www.safmh.org.za
Or
The South African Depression and Anxiety Group
at http://www.sadag.org/
Emergency Number: Dr Reddy's Help Line
0800 21 22 23