Organizational Change | Depression Evaluation Measures

Organizational change measures for depression^1-3

Depression prevention and treatment requires ongoing support from employers. New programs can be added over time and evaluated periodically for their effectiveness. For best results, recognition of the benefits of detecting and treating depression should become an inherent part of organizational change and corporate culture.

Measuring organization change is an assessment of company-initiated programs and policies that affect most employees regardless of their health status (e.g., establishing an Employee Assistance Program). These efforts need to be integrated for greatest effectiveness and will require time for full implementation. Regular measures of employee attitudes and program development are key in determining whether new programs are effective or require further adaptation to prevent continuing investment in ineffective efforts.

Baseline

• Determine workplace barriers to employee’s awareness and use of depression-related workplace programs and benefits
• Assess current workplace depression-related programs
  • List current depression prevention options for employees through worksite and identify number of employees (i.e., participation) using each option. Examples:
    • Number of depression-related programs (e.g., education seminars, individual education, EAP services) and participation in these programs
    • Number of training programs related to factors than may impact employee mental health such as conflict resolution, problem solving, effective communications, and job stressors and participation in these training programs
    • Availability of educational materials on depression prevention and recognition
    • Number of health-related policies (e.g., policies defining appropriate standards of conduct) and environmental strategies (e.g., reasonable accommodations) to create supportive mental health work environments
    • Number of organizational practices that address job stressors (e.g., high job demands; low job control) such as training or job modification
    • Number of workplace communications/media campaigns regarding depression prevention and treatment
    • Number of employee engagement/climate surveys to elicit information on trust and relationships between employees, coworkers, and supervisors
    • Number of partnerships with community resources such as local mental health services programs or extended EAP services
  • Determine costs of current company depression-related programs such as: 
    • Staffing, equipment, and space
    • Employee time to participate in programs during work hours (e.g., education or counseling)
    • Costs of EAP services
  • Conduct survey of employee satisfaction with current workplace supported depression-related programs

Process

• Reassess barriers to employee engagement in depression-related programs
• Document steps taken and progress toward implementing each intervention selected 
  • List numeric goals in each form of intervention within a designated time period (e.g., 12 months from startup):
    • Employee reach (e.g., number of educational pamphlets distributed)
    • Employee participation (e.g., number of employees using EAP services)
  • Describe timeline for implementation of each planned intervention (e.g., length of time and timing of tasks to develop, initiate, and conduct a mass campaign)
  • Create a baseline budget for new interventions including classes, instructors, classroom space, materials, etc
  • Identify opportunities for new partnerships with community groups who provide depression-related programs such as local mental health services programs or extended EAP services
• Reassess employee satisfaction regarding workplace supported depression-related programs

Outcome

• Measure reductions in the number and type of employee barriers for awareness and use of depression-related workplace programs and benefits
• Assess changes in workplace depression-related programs including progress in achieving goals and in implementation of each intervention (e.g., length of time and timing of tasks to develop, initiate, and conduct a mass campaign) 
  • Measure changes in the number of depression prevention options for employees through the worksite and changes in employee participation using each option before and after the depression-related program or campaign. Examples:
    • Number of new programs developed and offered to employees and participation in these programs (e.g., EAP services)
    • Number of new training programs developed and offered to employees and participation in these program (e.g., conflict resolution)
    • Number of new educational materials developed and made available to employees
    • Number new of health-related policies and environmental strategies to create supportive mental health work environments
    • Number of new organizational practices that address job stressors (e.g., high job demands; low job control) such as training or job modification
    • Number of new workplace communications/media campaigns including posters, brochures, employee success stories, organized buddy support systems, etc
    • Number of new employee engagement/climate surveys to elicit information on trust and relationships between employees, coworkers, and supervisors
    • Number of new partnerships with community groups to enhance access and opportunity for employee depression prevention and treatment such as local mental health services programs or extended EAP services
  • Assess changes in program costs from baseline 
    • Increases in staffing or equipment needs due to new program offerings
    • Changes in employee time to participate in programs during work hours (e.g., education or counseling)
    • Changes in costs of EAP services
  • Assess changes in survey responses for employee satisfaction following implementation of a workplace supported depression-related program and compare to baseline

Depending on goal success, evaluate the need to adjust workplace programs.