Be it Monday madness or TGI Fridays, there are times when one feels like sitting indoors. Often dismissed as laziness or ‘just don’t feel like it’, this unusual but usual lethargy could also be Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD).SAD has been discussed since the 80s in theory. However, just recently, an increasing number of cases and their adverse effects have been reported. Usually caused due to less exposure to sunlight, SAD is said to occur in the winter months in temperate climate zones. However, SAD is also known to affect people during the summer months in the warmer parts of India. Commonly known as the summer sadness, it accounts for 10% of the regular SAD (it records 10 million cases in India annually). Though there is plenty of research on SAD in the temperate zone, there is less research on summer sadness.
Who gets affected?
Though all age groups are affected by SAD, it is mostly those between 18-30 years that are diagnosed with SAD. Needless to say, organizations keen on employee wellness should take careful and constructive action.
Impact of SAD on Women
Employee wellness is a critical component of focus for an organization’s well-being. Therefore, the management must take utmost care in ensuring the physical and mental well-being of employees, especially when a disorder like SAD affects the available diverse population.
Visibly when that takes a toll on productivity, the cost is higher, for the recovery needs to be immediate and effective. Although all genders get affected by SAD, the available studies imply that the regular casualties of SAD are women. A research by the University of Glasgow indicates that SAD is most likely to affect women who experience seasonal variations with depressive symptoms. The most significant part of SAD is that its symptoms like worthlessness, fatigue, low energy, feelings of depression, etc., are absent in men.
Combating SAD
Proper intervention can tackle SAD before the repercussions downpour on to the organization’s functioning and the well-being of employees.
Ensuring suitable work infrastructure:
Be it an ergonomic chair near a natural light-hitting window or an oatmeal serving café, the management can establish or improve the prevailing infrastructural requirements. As SAD is reported to cause either increased hunger or decreased appetite along with other symptoms that may require special care, the office should have suitable infrastructural aid for the employees.
Revisiting policies and practices:
As SAD is associated with mental health, organizations must provide employees with flexible work schedules or the option to choose preferable shifts as per their health conditions. It can help them seek adequate treatment and the time to bounce back.
Establishing Employee Assistance Program:
Another essential part is providing a safe and secure workplace culture where they can open up without being judged. Establishing employee assistance programs or resource groups that host internal events like wellness programs, team-building activities, etc. will pave the way for a positive organizational culture in which the individual can thrive. Encouraging proactive conversations within the teams and fostering the culture of allyship could also be solutions.
An adequate support system not only benefits the individual but also ensures the organization’s well-being.
