5 Reasons to Support Employee Mental Health with Technology
With so many gadgets, apps, and screens in our lives these days, it’s easy to push mental health and resilience training tools to the side simply as “another app” or “digital platform”. With that being said, digital tech has built a strong case for itself in the mental health space and is the primary method of training today for numerous reasons. Here are 5 reasons to support employee mental health with technology:
Gone are the days of standardized resources that are one-size-fits-all. Much like your Netflix feed learns the type of content you’re most likely to enjoy, technology has brought employees a personalized experience when it comes to resilience and mental health training. It’s the modern way of consuming media, and employee training is much better off for it.
With some employees in the office, some at home, and some on-site, accessibility of training tools is an important factor to maximize utilization. Digital mental health solutions are accessible from home or work, at any time, without having to make an appointment with a counselor or fill out any paperwork. Whether it be on the job site or in the health & safety meeting, technology is enabling employees and managers always-on access to mental health training.
Enhanced benefits like paid leave are a great nod toward improving the mental health of employees, but how are the outcomes of those benefits tracked? The ability to track behavioral data of employee populations through digital mental health tech provides organizations with critical information about their teams that they can then take action on and be aware of in advance.
Let’s face it: time is precious. Resources of the past that brought employees into a half-day workshop, or virtual lunch and learns, do not offer the flexibility that employees are used to. There is a reason why the PVR and streaming services have made cable TV redundant. People want to do things at their own pace, on their own time, that suits their schedule. And, with micro-content that’s delivered in just a few minutes at a time, it saves both the organization and employee considerable time as well as improves retention through continuous access. The element of convenience brought on through technology is a core benefit to digital mental health training.
Although conversations about mental health in public are becoming more and more common, some still do not feel comfortable disclosing their personal mental health struggles with coworkers or leaders at work. Digital tech is perfect for this reason as employees have a private, personalized experience that gives them the important tools and resources they need to be supported. “When introducing digital mental-health solutions, it is important for employers to emphasize that participation is purely voluntary and that an individual’s data will be treated confidentially and in accordance with data protection regulations.” (Source: https://www.mckinsey.com/industries/life-sciences/our-insights/using-digital-tech-to-support-employees-mental-health-and-resilience) While the in-person nature of employee mental health support will always have its place, it is clear that the benefits of digital training make it the best format available for employees now and into the future.