Flexitime 'can help workers beat depression'

By allowing employees to work flexible hours and promoting the use of "talking therapies" business owners can help workers to tackle illnesses such as depression.

Emer O'Neil, chief executive of charity Depression Alliance, says that business owners can show their support for employees with problems by making it clear that they are welcome to take time off for appointments and offering them support.

"Depression means that even being able to stick to the regular routine of getting up and going to work everyday can be really difficult. For some people it means that they oversleep and for others it means that they can't sleep at night or in the early morning," she explains.

Ms O'Neil adds that depression costs the British economy around £8 billion annually and says it is in the interests of productivity to prevent long-term illnesses.

Figures reveal that 79 per cent of those with depression feel that disclosing their problems to colleagues would have a negative impact on them.