Every week we see mental health “trending” in our news feeds but is that enough? In 2020 suicide rates reached their highest level in 14 years and the government has now approached ex-Love Islander Alex George, to be its newly created Ambassador for Mental Health, recognising how vitally important it is to put in place actions, rather than simply pay lip service to it.
As a result of Covid-19, more employees are now working remotely or in conditions that are forcing limited social interaction, which is not always best for mental wellbeing. A recent Oracle survey revealed 70% of people feel more stressed and anxious than ever before.
Gen Z (18-24 year olds) and Millennials (25-34 year olds) are being impacted the greatest from the pandemic with more than half reporting an increase in anxiety and depression as a result of social isolation, loneliness and financial stress (NRC Health Report). At the same time, these young adults are turning to a broad range of coping mechanisms with 39% focusing on personal development (Kantar Global Covid-19 Barometer). And with lockdowns and social distancing practices across the globe, mobile app downloads have increased 24%. (AdColony).
The £45bn Cost of Mental Health Problems in your Workforce
Your organisation is vulnerable to three significant outcomes from poor mental health: staff turnover, absenteeism, and presenteeism.
Research has shown that an astonishing 70 million workdays are lost annually from mental health problems alone in the UK. These days off are costing UK companies, approximately £2.4 billion a year.
Another problem, which is not as obvious is presenteeism. A term that was relatively unheard before, is now more prevalent than ever. Presenteeism means employees are at work but are not working to their full capability or potential, due to poor mental or physical health. According to the Vitality Healthiest Workplace Study, which was conducted anonymously over five years across 180,000 employees, presenteeism increased 75% from 20 days in 2014 to 35 days in 2019.
Studies show presenteeism is propelled by several factors, lack of personal resilience being the most prominent. It can present itself in several ways, all of which result in lower productivity. Presenteeism can spread throughout an organisation, making it a far larger problem, and a far more costly issue.
A report published by Deloitte at the start of 2020, prior to the pandemic, estimated that poor mental health among employees costs UK employers £45bn each year:
- absenteeism costs of around £7bn
- presenteeism costs ranging from about £27bn to £29bn
- turnover costs of around £9bn
These costs are up 16% or £6bn over two years.
Why Employees are not Seeking Help
In a recent Adzooma survey, 90% of employees who have had a day off sick due to mental health, will not admit to their employers the actual reason. Most believe it may hinder future progression within a company. So, it is apparent, we have a long way to go to eliminate the stigma around poor mental health.
It’s not that these employees don’t want help; on the contrary, 91% of respondents “wish their employers would do more to help”. The question is, how do you help your employees if they aren’t asking for it?
According to an Oracle Workplace Intelligence study conducted in August 2020, two-thirds of employees suffering from mental health “would rather speak to a robot than management” about the issue. In the same survey, 83% of employees “want employers to provide technology to support mental health”.
From this, we can assume that employees will not actively seek support without an avenue that protects privacy; this lack of action is likely to cause the problem to grow within the workplace and at home.
What can you do for Employee Mental Health?
EAP programmes are often used as a tick box exercise; With just 2-5% utilising these services, we are left questioning the effectiveness of this long-standing employee benefit. Having the right solution is key to solving the ever-growing mental health challenge and in an increasingly digital age the solution undoubtedly involves technology as a means to driving stickiness and therefore enhanced benefit.
Unilever recently conducted several trials in the search for such technology, sifting through the 318,000 health and wellbeing apps. A shortlist of 11 apps (including Calm, Headspace, Cognifit and Super Better) was produced. Following some consideration, they chose a mobile app called eQuoo, which has been created by the company PsycApps.
PsycApps is a Digital Mental Health company that has developed eQuoo – the mental health and emotional fitness game. eQuoo uses gamification, Apps and AI to treat mental illness.
PsycApps has developed a way to get people suffering from mental illnesses to stick to digital therapy. Using evidence-based features and gamification to keep people motivated, is fundamental to eQuoo. eQuoo has achieved a top rating at ORCHA, the leading health app assessment platform and is the only game live in the NHS’s App Library.
eQuoo
According to Unilever, eQuoo was identified as the primary choice because it is one of the few programmes backed by scientific and clinical research – in fact one of only 2% of mental health apps proven to work in a clinical setting.
As a result of the trial and the realised benefits garnered from the app, Unilever selected eQuoo as its mental health partner for their Clear Brand Resilience programme touching over 350,000 Clear Brand consumers in the biggest ever mental health intervention on a global basis. Following the start of that programme eQuoo has also been chosen as part of Unilever’s employee support programme starting with 1000 Unilever hair employees.
eQuoo revolutionises how mental health programmes, in the workplace, are delivered. It uses gamification to tap into the brains own reward system and therefore enhance how mental health and emotional fitness skills are trained as well as helping organisations to track and improve mental health at all levels.
“eQuoo teaches important skills in a fun and engaging way,” said Unilever’s Global PDC Search and Social Analyst, Janelle Tomayo. “The game teaches you how to become a better communicator using fictional characters to navigate through difficult circumstances with skills and storylines empirically based on current psychological research.”
Games have proven to improve communications skills. Experts at both Mental Health America and Unilever have expressed that this strategy is one of the best solutions. There is also a significant gap in the provision of such solutions and eQuoo fits perfectly alongside other more traditional interventions or as a standalone App.
Theresa Nguyan, Vice President of Policy and Programs at Mental Health America comments, “Our data indicates that young people are searching for a support that meets their needs and are different from traditionally available services. When we offered different services to online users, more people used eQuoo than any other mental health support. Offering a game based mental health support fills a much-needed gap.” eQuoo fills this gap.
Bosch UK was one of the early adopters of eQuoo following their participation in one of the clinical trials. The company found that the gamified app significantly increases mental wellbeing in employees.
During the five-week, 3-armed, randomised control trial, the app was proven to support mental health through interactive gameplay, and it is clinically proven to be 3x more effective than antidepressants. The study showed:
- 90% of eQuoo players reported the skills they learned from the game benefitted both work and home life.
- 58% reported a better relationship with co-workers
- 83% reported better performance at work after five weeks of playing the game
- 84% of participants reported better resilience, relationship skills and personal growth skills as well as a decline in anxiety
It is not difficult to see why Bosch, Unilever and Barmer Germany amongst many others have decided to invest in this highly effective and useful tool.
Unsurprisingly eQuoo is supported by some of the top professionals within the UK, including Keith Gibbs, former CEO at AXA PPP Healthcare and Non-Executive Chairman at AXA Global Healthcare.
Balcroft and eQuoo
eQuoo has chosen to partner with Balcroft to help other companies actively improve their employees’ mental health. If you would like to find out more about eQuoo, please contact us here.
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