Your how-to: Offering mobile app solutions for mental wellness
Offering mobile app solutions for mental wellness within your company refers to the process of providing access to mobile applications specifically designed to improve and support the mental health of your employees. These apps use various techniques, such as mindfulness, cognitive behavioural therapy, and stress management to aid users in maintaining their mental wellbeing.
These solutions can range from mindfulness apps like Headspace or Smiling Mind, to applications offering guided therapy, like Counselling Online or BeyondBlue - the latter being an Australian non-profit that provides information and support for individuals dealing with mental health issues.
Within the workplace, these applications are used as part of a broader mental health strategy, aiming to provide resources and tools to help employees manage their mental health. They can be especially valuable for remote workers, offering an easily accessible mental health aid that can be used anywhere, at any time.
Implementing these solutions involves researching the different applications available, assessing their potential value to your employees, and providing access or subscriptions as an employee benefit. it's crucial to ensure that the use of such apps complies with privacy regulations, such as the Australian Privacy Principles (APPs) under the Privacy Act 1988, to maintain the confidentiality of any employee data shared with these services.
Step by step instructions
Understand Your Team's Needs: This refers to determining specific areas in-which your company can support its employees' mental health. This could be stress management, inspirational motivation or even counselling services. Use a combination of team meetings, anonymous surveys, and one on one chats to figure out the types of mental wellness tools that will benefit your workers the most.
Evaluate the Apps: This involves testing out the shortlisted apps to gauge their effectiveness, user-friendliness, and suitability for your work environment. Look at the cost of the apps – while some offer free services, others might require a subscription. The information gathered here will assist in making the final decision.
Implement the Mobile App Solutions: Once you've selected the best mobile apps for your company's needs, it's time to integrate them into your work environment. Based on your company's structure, you might directly provide the selected apps as employee benefits, or offer subscriptions as part of your employee package.
Regular Feedback and Assessment: Continually evaluate the effectiveness of the mobile app solutions in your company. Gather feedback from your employees about their experiences with the tools, and make any necessary improvements or changes based on the received responses.
Research Mobile App Solutions: Begin by looking into various mental wellness mobile applications available. Consider their services, features, user reviews and even privacy commitments. It is advisable to shortlist a few of the best based on the understood mental health needs of your employees.
Consult with a Legal Expert: Given the sensitivity surrounding mental health data, it's essential to ensure that the selected apps are compliant with the Australian Privacy Principles (APPs) under the Privacy Act 1988. Consult with a legal professional or a privacy officer within your company to ensure complete legal compliance.
Employee Onboarding and Training: Host an informative session to introduce the new mental wellness support to your employees. Explain how to use these apps, the benefits linked, and reassure your team about the measures put in place to protect their privacy.
Address Possible Concerns: Prepare to address any concerns or issues raised by employees about the use of these mobile apps. This could involve further privacy assurances or additional support in using the apps.
Use this template to implement
To ensure you can execute seamlessly, download the implementation template.
Pitfalls to avoid
The information shared on mental health apps is sensitive and needs high levels of security. Don't risk putting data security on the back-burner. Ensure that the app complies with Australia's Privacy Act and any other relevant legislation, such as the Notifiable Data Breaches Scheme. Compliance with these will shape the trust of your employees in your initiative.
Don't start developing your mental wellness app without a profound understanding of your employees' needs. Conduct thorough research, anonymous surveys and have discussions to identify what the users seek in the app. The one-size-fits-all approach can be a downfall. Make sure the app includes features customised, and beneficial to your employees' mental wellness.
Don't make the mistake of solely relying on app developers without having inputs from mental health experts. Collaboration between technology and medical expertise is crucial to delivering an effective app. Experts can provide medical perspective ensuring the mental wellness solutions embedded within the app are workable and appropriately designed.
Technology is ever-evolving. Don't create an app and leave it be. Ensure that the app is regularly updated to fix bugs, improve functionality, add new features and keep pace with the latest technological advancements. Also, provide a system for users to report issues and promptly provide assistance.
Your app may have an intensive list of features, but if it's not user-friendly, chances are it won't be utilised. Don't underestimate the importance of having an appealing and simple user interface. A complex design can deter users. Make sure the app is engaging, and it's easy to navigate through different options, tasks and information.
Don't forget to create a buzz around your wellness app. Without an effective marketing strategy, your employees may not be aware of the app and its benefits, resulting in low download rates and underutilisation. Develop a comprehensive promotional and onboarding plan to ensure everyone is aware, intrigued and encouraged to actively use the app.