Seasonal Affective Disorder needs understanding – and sometimes accommodation – to support employees
Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) impacts around three percent of the general population, with that figure rising to 20% for individuals with depressive disorder and 25% for those with bipolar disorder.
For employees, trying to muster up the strength to work whilst suffering from SAD can be exhausting. For employers and HR leaders, it becomes a question of how best to support people feeling down whilst also managing productivity and ensuring the business continues to tick along.
Someone who understands both sides of the coin is Jenn Bouyoukos, chief people officer at Bench Accounting. She says that SAD can feel like she’s carrying the weight of the world on her shoulders.
“For me, SAD usually feels like I’m moving through molasses. I’m tired, unmotivated, and sometimes even basic tasks feel overwhelming. At work, you might notice someone who’s usually talkative pulling back, missing deadlines, or just not showing the same spark they usually have. It’s like their energy level has dropped off a cliff.”
This is why for Bouyoukos wellness checks are a priority, telling HRD that they have the power to uncover things that might otherwise go unnoticed.
“If someone does share, we can remind them they’re not alone,” she adds. “I’ve been there too, and I’ve found small changes like moving my home desk to a window or using a light therapy lamp can help a lot. Sharing those practical tips can go a long way in supporting your team.”
For employers, the issue with SAD is that it’s often difficult to spot. Signs that could be explained away by festive stress, overloaded work schedules or even family issues all present like SAD. However, as Bouyoukos tells HRD, the devil is in the details.
“SAD can be tough to spot, especially when everyone’s working remotely and those subtle in-person physical cues are harder to see,” she says.
“One thing I’ve found really helpful is starting every 1:1 with a quick wellness check-in. I’ll ask things like, ‘Is there anything going on personally that might affect your productivity you'd like to talk about?’ or even something as simple as ‘How’s your energy this week?’ It’s amazing how these little questions can open the door for people to share what’s really going on.”
Beyond that, Bouyoukos says employers can use tools like pulse surveys or team meetings to normalize talking about mental health.
“We can also train managers to recognize changes in behaviour like quieter communication, missed deadlines, or just a shift in someone’s usual tone or their appearance,” adds Bouyoukos. “Personally, I know how easy it is to brush off these feelings as ‘just being tired,’ so creating spaces for employees to connect and share can make a huge difference.”
In Canada, employers have both a duty of care and a legal duty to accommodate with reason. This means that if an employee claims to be suffering from SAD, and therefore cannot come into the workplace or do their job to a required standard, employers are left to come up with some sort of compromise.
“Employers are required to accommodate to the point of undue hardship,” adds Mike MacLellan, partner at CCPartners LLP. “And in the case of a seasonal affective disorder, it's really going to come down to not the diagnosis but the employee’s individual restrictions and limitations, and ways to work around them. For instance, if it’s a retail employee, perhaps there’s an opportunity to do some productive duties outside of the store so that they can get a little bit of fresh air and sunlight if that is medically restorative.”
And sometimes, time outdoors is all it takes to help an employee cope with SAD. But it’s not always a possibility. Geographical location also plays a role in the likelihood of developing SAD – for example, in Alaska, the prevalence is about 9.9%, whereas in sunny Florida, it is approximately 1.4%.
In that case, Bouyoukos suggests employers be flexible.
“It’s all about balance supporting people without sacrificing results,” she tells HRD. “For me, flexibility has been key. I’ve learned to take breaks during daylight hours or adjust my routine when I’m not feeling my best, and employers can make that easier by focusing on outcomes instead of rigid schedules. Giving people the freedom to manage their energy during the day can actually boost productivity.”
The wellness check-in during 1:1's gives people permission to be honest, according to Bouyoukos. If they’re struggling, she makes sure they know it’s okay to prioritize their health and that they will work together to manage their workload.
Despite a rise in people experiencing SAD, for MacLellan, the legalities of dealing with in the workplace are fairly scarce. However, he is keen to stress that employers still need to follow procedure and not jump to any conclusions over naivety.
“As with any employee bringing forward a request for accommodation, the employer's duty should be to gather the necessary information about the employee’s, restrictions and limitations - not their diagnosis. However, with SAD, employers might consider dealing with it in the workplace by considering practical solutions with the employee’s input, rather than jumping straight to a very formal accommodation process.”
It’s a belief that Bouyoukos agrees with.
“I've like to provide resources like wellness stipends in the past for things like light therapy lamps or access to mental health professionals,” she adds. “Leaning on your EAP with tips and a connection to an expert is a great way to leverage something you're already paying for. Supporting your team doesn’t have to be complicated.
“It’s about showing you care and helping them create the structure they need to thrive.”
