Finalist
Target the impact of depression in the workplace
Summary of work
The catastrophic impact depression can have on individuals and their family is well acknowledged, but largely unresolved is its impact on work. For the first time, a group of 13 multinational companies, collectively employing more than one million people, have joined together to create ‘Target Depression’, a sustained, ongoing partnership to tackle the leading cause of disability worldwide.
Affecting decision-making, memory and concentration; depression impacts employee productivity to the tune of £77billion annually. Consequently, employers have a responsibility and a financial interest to effectively protect employees at risk. However, 1/3 of managers receive no training or support.
Within just 18 months, ‘Target’ launched a white paper outlining key challenges in the workplace, a Business Charter encouraging the development of company policies and programmes to tackle depression and hosted an event featuring some of Europe’s most prolific business names. In 2015, companies will road-test interventions to better manage workplace depression. Over 100 employers have been engaged and more than 2,000 million reached via media outreach. Still ongoing, ‘Target’ is taking action to preserve the well-being of individuals, as well as delivering benefits to business in a time when the economy places ever more demands on its primary commodity – its people.
Judges’ comments
This is a great initiative. The big company, cross-sector collaboration made it stand out. The engagement of large employers shows a sophisticated approach that resulted in impressive media uptake. This accomplished campaign has strong initial results and doubtless more to follow.
