About this project:
Most projects that have examined the relationships between depressive disorders and employment have focused on the economic costs of these conditions for employers and society in general. Our project aims to tackle these issues through the process of “mutual education” by engaging in an exchange of ideas, knowledge, concerns, and strategies concerning depressive disorders with numerous types of employers. The objective is to gain a more comprehensive understanding of how and why employers act concerning depression in the workplace and how those policies can be altered to facilitate the best outcomes for both employers and employees.
The goals of this project are to: (1) Develop a toolkit for employers which provides guidance to supervisors, human resource personnel, and administrators (the “policy makers” and “policy implementers” of employers) as to how to address depression in the workplace, and (2) Foster relationships with all types of employers, traditional and innovative, large and small, in order to engage in a process of “mutual education” about issues related to mental health in the workplace and how policies can be shaped to improve outcomes for both employees (in terms of personal health and well-being) and the employer (in terms of financial health and wellbeing).
This project is funded by an Innovation Award grant through the University of Michigan Depression Center titled, Work is Therapeutic: An integrative approach to addressing depression in the workplace.
The Work is Therapeutic project team consists of Dr. Phil Margolis,
Dr. Briana Mezuk, Dr. Kara Zivin and Dr. Amy Bohnert.
