In recent years, there's been a growing focus on the importance of mental health within the work place and across society more widely - In this blog, we discuss some of the top companies that contribute towards helping people and their mental wellbeing in and out of the workplace.
The world's focus on mental health has been intensified by the global pandemic, with lockdown having a significant and widespread impact on mental wellbeing across the world. Not only are mental health issues on the rise, but mental wellbeing is also increasingly accepted to be an integral part of employee health and a part of workplace productivity - so much so, that mental health is now included in the UN's Sustainable Development Goals.
Tech companies helping to support mental health are really making their mark on the corporate map. The demand for solutions is on the rise, and ambitious new mental health startups are coming up with plenty of innovative solutions. In this blog, we've decided to have a look at several mental health tech companies and what they bring to the table, so here are a few of our favourites.
Unmind is a London-based B2B mental health platform that empowers staff to proactively improve their mental wellbeing - founded back in 2016 by Nick Taylor, Nick Tong, Ry Morgan and Steve Peralta.
As a lead clinical psychologist in the NHS in 2015, Dr Nick Taylor faced the challenges of managing highly pressured frontline staff. Dr Nick Taylor was determined to find a solution, he discovered that combining clinical science with corporate wellness, organisations could help their teams to actively nurture their own mental health - helping to boost productivity. What started off as a strategy for supporting NHS workers, then became a compelling business case for helping companies such as John Lewis and British Airways, helping to tackle some of their biggest mental health related challenges.
The app offers interactive content focused on topics such as stress, sleep, coping, connection, fulfilment and nutrition. The content is based on research in cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT), positive psychology, neuroscience, and mindfulness.
The NHS has faced one of the biggest crises of it's lifetime in the form of Covid-19 and as a result, Unmind announced that they'll offer free access to their digital resources for all NHS staff in order to help them deal with the pressures and demand that the pandemic has caused. They have now extended their free offer to NHS staff up until the 31st December 2021.
Spill are a London-based company who have created an app that gives their users all the benefits of talking therapy - available to everyone at anytime. Spill was founded by Calvin Benton and Gavin Dhesi back in 2017.
Spill develops software that allows their users to access mental health support from counsellors through online video, over the phone, or by instant messaging. They offer this service through business messaging app Slack. The app is able to identify which employees need extra emotional support, simply by asking them four questions via the Slack app. This allows the user to book a therapy session and provides employees with the opportunity to speak with a therapist, and also access mindfulness tools and exercises at any time.
Spill employs over 30 therapists all around the UK, who work remotely over video, phone, or message. All the therapists are registered with the BACP, NCS, or an equivalent professional body and have at least 200 hours of clinical experience and a minimum three year relevant degree.
Since there's been a high demand for employee mental health support, Spill witnessed rapid growth in 2020. After relaunching via the Slack app, Spill grew from 0-100+ paying companies in less than 12 months with the likes of Typeform, Bulb, and Depop joining their clientele.
Calm is a San Fransisco based company that has produced a mindfulness app that's available for iOS, Android and desktop, founded by Alex Tew and Michael Acton Smith in 2012.
The app features hundreds of calming exercises, helpful breathing techniques and sleep stories that are even narrated by celebrities such as Idris Elba, Harry Styles, Matthew McConaughey and more. Calm now has over 100 million downloads and more than 700,000 5-star reviews due to their many offerings, the simple and easy to use interface, whilst always adding brand new contact to help towards mental wellbeing.
Calm is built on a"freemium" model, giving their users access to their daily meditations, breathing exercises, mood tracker, select sleep stories, numerous music tracks and some guided meditation without having to make a purchase. All users have the opportunity to experience a 7-day free trial of the premium version, which unlocks more than 100 guided meditations, the entire sleep stories library, exclusive musical tracks for sleep and relaxation and also masterclasses led by experts.
After the free trial ends, access to the full library is $14.99 per month or $69.99 for the year, making the monthly payment $5.83 per month. This makes it more affordable than other meditation apps on the market.
Koa Health is a digital mental healthcare provider that offers mental health solutions for common mental health disorders, based in Barcelona and founded by Oliver Harrison in 2016.
Koa Health provides digital wellbeing and therapeutics solutions by combining the latest clinical research and breakthrough technologies. They deliver mental health support, which is accessible, personalised, and effective for a range of different conditions that their users may have. The company also offers different products like Mindset - which is offered through providers as a way to provide private chat-based support for their users.
They create digital tools and resources that encompass prevention, prediction, and even treatment for the many different mental health conditions. Koa Health offers a library of evidence-based activities, which help towards tackling stress, sleeping better, enabling relaxation, positive thinking, and boosting self-confidence.
"We aim to care for people with mental health disorders and to help everyone improve their mental wellbeing. Today - under the shadow of Covid-19 - our vision has never been more important." - CEO & founder, Oliver Harrison.
Here at Talented Recruitment Group, we believe that these companies are just a few of many that are doing great things for the industry and for the wellbeing of others, which is something that needs to be brought to light more often.
After looking into all the mental wellbeing tech companies, it's very clear to see that there are plenty of other companies that deserve recognition such as; TalkLife, Ieso Digital Health, Quit Genius and many more!
We can't wait to see how these companies continue to grow and create a positive impact on our society and workplace, which is much needed after this last year.