Depression has been described as a “clear and present danger” to business, as it manifests itself in alcoholism, absenteeism, injury, physical illness, and lost productivity. Estimates suggest that an employee with depression who goes untreated costs the company twice what treatment costs per year.

A Harvard University study projects that, by 2020, depression will become the biggest source of lost workdays in developed countries; the World Health Organization predicts that depression will rank second as a cause of disability on a global basis by the same year. Young workers (aged 15 to 24) are most at risk.

Assuming the role of a career counsellor to newly hired graduates in a large retail company (The Bay, Costco, Walmart, and so on), explain the employee and employer outcomes of stress and depression in an informed and actionable way.

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