Emotional fitness provider eQuoo urges businesses to equip employees with tools to build resilience in order to prevent mental health crisis

@ONS reports that 1 in 5 adults have experienced some form of depression during the pandemic

With the Office for National Statistics (ONS) reporting that one in five adults have experienced some form of depression during the coronavirus pandemic, a rate which has doubled since the beginning of the year, mental health support for employees is more critical than ever.  In addition, the Carnegie UK Trust found that the wellbeing of people in England was in ‘free fall’ in their latest report on Gross Domestic Wellbeing.

Supporting your employees’ mental health has always been important, but with the added layers of stress brought on by the Coronavirus, it is no longer an optional extra for businesses to invest in their collective mental health and resiliency. An engaged, motivated, and mentally fit workforce is critical for business survival and recovery. In fact, research from Deloitte found that poor mental health now costs UK employers up to £45 billion each year, a rise of 16% since 2016.

In a time where remote working is the norm and face to face interaction is limited, it is essential that digital health solutions that focus on preventative care are available to employees before it is too late. Instead of waiting until the crisis hits, employers need to equip their teams with the tools to build mental and emotional resiliency. Unlike other traits, resilience is learnable and there are a host of options available to increase employee’s resilience for a thriving organisation.  Some cost-effective approaches include digital e-health products – evidence based apps like eQuoo and SuperBetter that use gamification are at the forefront of neuroscientific mental health and resilience training, and particularly appeal to young people.

Silja Litvin, Psychologist, CEO and founder of PsycApps comments,

“We know that our collective mental health is in crisis. No one could have predicted what 2020 would deliver, but it is vital that organisations now place a focus on supporting and improving their employees’ mental health and resiliency. Resilient employees are less likely to display low levels of productivity and motivation, suffer from depression or abscond from work, all of which impact the business bottom line. The stronger the employee, the stronger the company – there are clear opportunities for employers to focus on preventative care and arming employees with the skills that will make them more resilient and able to cope in the face of increasing stress and pressure.”