Depression in the workplace costing workers and businesses

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Dr Geoffrey Toogood.

Dr Geoffrey Toogood. Photo: Joe Armao

An alarming number of Australians feel their workplaces are mentally unhealthy environments, causing staff to take more sick days due to depression, anxiety and stress, a new survey has found.

Workers say mental wellbeing is even more neglected than physical safety on the job, with 48 per cent of 1126 respondents saying their employers fail to help them through job-related or personal mental health issues.

The TNS Global study, commissioned by beyondblue, found those working in mentally unhealthy workplaces were twice as likely to take sick days.

With one in five workers taking time off work due to feeling mentally unwell in the past year, industry groups and health advocates have urged employers to treat the mental health of their staff as seriously as physical health and safety.