EveryDay Strong: A Simple Tool to Combat Anxiety and Depression in the Workplace | News, sports, jobs

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Anxiety and depression are a growing problem in our society, and businesses are not immune.

As I networked in the valley, a surprising number of business owners told me that this was one of their biggest concerns. You Should Be Worried – Beyond the human compassion we all share, the American Psychiatric Association says anxiety-related poor work productivity and short- and long-term disability result in indirect workplace costs of more than $4.1 billion.

Many people assume that you need to know what is causing a person's anxiety or depression before you can help. Do they need different medications? Is there an addiction problem? Maybe it's a family or religious problem.

The problem is that you often can't ask such questions in the workplace. And the problems underlying the anxiety or depression may be so great that there is nothing an employer can do about it.

Here's the good news. You don't have to know everything about a person's exact circumstances to be helpful and compassionate. Modern psychology actually assumes that the things people need to thrive are universal. By learning what these needs are, you can become a supportive person in their life.

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What are universal needs? There is a helpful framework that I learned from Dr. Matt Swenson, a child psychiatrist at Intermountain Health: Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs. You may remember this from the high school or college magazine “Psych 101.” This is a brilliant and underrated piece of psychology.

At EveryDay Strong, we break down Maslow's hierarchy into four main levels.

First, satisfying your physical needs is the foundation of all well-being. Food and sleep are the most obvious examples, but these also include shelter, access to healthcare, exercise and sensory needs.

Afterwards, people crave a sense of emotional security. This may include the safety to speak openly and honestly, the safety to fail and make mistakes, or the safety to explore or try new things. Feeling that it's okay to be yourself, make mistakes, and be different also falls into this category of emotional safety.

Connection and friendship are the next universal needs, and that doesn't necessarily have to mean long lunches or ping pong tournaments; It can be as simple as a shared joke in a meeting.

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The final need is a feeling of trust. Best way to give someone confidence? Express your trust in them. Remind them of what they are good at. If they are still unsure, help them build a sense of competence by helping them practice for the upcoming presentation or teaching them a new skill that will help them in their work.

This is great in theory, but how does this translate to the workplace?

If your employee or colleague seems to be having an unusually difficult time and you're not sure how to help, these levels of need can help you think about how you can be supportive and caring.

Start at the bottom. Maybe that means bringing them a snack or buying them lunch, or asking when they last slept. Consider holding “walking dates” where you can both stretch your legs outside.

You can also work on being a “safe person” to talk to about their mistakes, failures, and problems by being validating and open-minded.

Try to find small but meaningful ways to connect and build a relationship, and boost their confidence by praising their work or reaffirming your belief in their abilities.

This framework may seem so simple that it is almost childish.

However, I want you to imagine for a moment that the people in your life (your boss, spouse, friends, or colleagues) are aware of your needs and are actively looking for ways to take care of those needs. Imagine spending time thinking about how you can feel safer, more connected, and more confident.

How might your performance change? How would your relationship with these people change?

We often don't spend enough time thinking about other people's needs and how we can provide for them. It can be absolutely transformative when someone does it.

The bottom line is that you cannot solve all of an anxious or depressed person's problems on your own. Nothing will magically change overnight.

But Maslow taught us that a person needs the same thing to be happy as they need to be resilient. Both mean well-being. And this is the beginning of overcoming anxiety, depression and other difficulties that so many people face.