Characteristics of Japanese companies with high turnover due to depression

Organizations with high turnover due to depression have three characteristics

• Good salaries.
• Good benefits package
• Have problems with supervisors

Good pay

If the salary is low, to begin with, employees will quit and change jobs before depression sets in. What leads to depression is that the financial conditions are not best for the individual. No matter how much you improve your financial conditions, depression will not go away. In other words, being paid more does not equate to the environment being more worth staying in. Nothing of consequence has improved. Many managers think that increasing salaries will solve the problem. Increasing total business performance is one thing, but when it comes to mental health, other factors should be considered. 

Well-being

Many businesspeople who suffer from depression work hard at their jobs until they are forced to leave or take a leave of absence. The common denominator in the workplaces where they work is that they have good benefits and are supposedly “treated well”. In other words, paid fairly and, therefore, should not have any issues. Changing jobs can be very taxing psychologically, as they must form relationships again in a new environment. Ironically, the very environment that offers good benefits can also be the cause of depression.

There is a problem with the boss

Depression in organizations is mainly caused by work-related stress, but much of that stress is due to “the relationship with the boss”. If you had an ideal boss who would recognize your personality, listen carefully to your career plans, and praise and scold you appropriately but in a way beneficial to you, that would be far better for both sides. If you had such an ideal boss, you would enjoy your work. However, the reality is different.

Individuality and personal qualities are ignored, only quotas are demanded, and only shortcomings are pointed out every day. Therefore, a lack of understanding and acknowledgment weighs heavily on individuals. In fact, working hours and working environment have little to do with it. If the individual feels this way, he or she may feel less stress about both the boss and the job. In such an environment, he will proactively enjoy his work as much as possible. Rather, a certain amount of pressure and stress is necessary to work happily.

Depression caused by work can be held against the company

If you develop depression due to work-related stress, you can hold your company responsible in Japan if it is recognized that the depression was caused by your work. If workers’ compensation is applied, you can file a claim for workers’ compensation, and separately, you can file a claim for compensation for damages.

If workers’ compensation is recognized, a claim for workers’ compensation can be filed. Workers’ compensation is another phrase for “compensation due to occupational injury” and refers to injuries or illnesses that occur at work or during commuting. If depression is caused by work, it may be recognized as a work-related injury or illness. If the work-related injury or illness is recognized as a work-related injury or illness, an application for workers’ compensation insurance can be filed. The general process for applying for workers’ compensation insurance is for the worker himself/herself to apply to the person in charge of personnel and labor affairs, and the company will take care of the procedures at the Labor Standards Inspection Office. However, for depression to be recognized as a work-related injury, it must be proven that the depression was caused by work.

The three requirements to be recognized as a work-related injury are as follows:

• The mental disorder must be covered by the certification criteria.
• Strong psychological burden due to work must be recognized.
• The illness must not have been caused by factors other than work.

Details of the requirements are dealt with in the next section. To be covered by workers’ compensation, it is important that a strong psychological burden due to work is recognized and that there is no cause of depression other than work.