According to LifeWorks, Government Report on Mental Health is 'Missing the Boat'

LONDON, October 26, 2017 /PRNewswire/ --

Following the Government-commissioned report, Thriving at Work, Jamie True, Global CEO of LifeWorks - the market-leading Total Well-being Platform, describes the report as "missing the boat".

According to NHS Digital, "Mental Health will affect 1 in 6", yet workplaces are focusing on the statistics, not solving the problem.

"We've heard it all before. We've been talking about the same statistics and problems for years. Yes, there's more awareness around mental health issues, but employee participation is low; the average usage of a traditional employee assistance programme (EAP) is just 2-3%. The critical element missing is technology - an employee-centric mobile platform that supports mental, physical and financial wellness proactively. This is Total Well-being.

"Technology plays a transformational role in employee well-being, but it's not happening. We see an 87% take-up rate for employees using LifeWorks, so we know it works. Forward-thinking companies are embracing it, but many continue to use traditional 'duty of care' solutions in a tick box exercise reactively. What's more, awareness amongst staff is low, they're hard to access, and there's stigma attached to using them - you see, mental health is still a taboo subject in many workplaces. But, most importantly, they're not meeting employees, especially millennials, where they are."

According to Tim Stoves, Managing Director of Canada Life, "A total well-being solution with all the information in one place is what ultimately anybody wants whether you're an employee or an employer. The way that we communicate and we operate today is different than it was yesterday. The role of smartphones means that we have information at our fingertips."

George La Rocque, Principal Analyst and Founder of HRWINS adds, "Employee experience is the lens that modern HR is starting to look at the workforce through. They're starting to align programs and budgets along how they can impact the employee experience because that's where culture gets maintained, it gets bolstered, and that's where business outcomes stem from."

Tim Davie, CEO of BBC Worldwide believes the time for action is now. "The evidence is utterly overwhelming. Those employees who feel that they are cared for by a company, that they're actively looking after their well-being deliver better results. This is no longer a debating topic."

Jamie concludes, "Employers who care about well-being, choose the right platform, and focus on solving problems, won't miss the boat."

About LifeWorks 

Our mission is to transform the way employees live their lives in and out of the workplace. We deliver a mobile-first solution that makes employees feel supported, connected, recognised, guided, rewarded and ultimately loved by their employer.

With a 40-year track record in mental wellness and EAP, LifeWorks merged with WorkAngel in early 2016 to launch an industry-first mobile employee engagement and well-being platform. We empower employers to support their employees' well-being while simultaneously transforming their company culture and driving business results.

Used by 15 million people and 49,000 companies, LifeWorks Total Well-being Experience includes employee assistance, rewards & recognition, HR communications & community, perks & savings, and personalised wellness.

For the first time, employers can offer their workforce one unified well-being platform that transforms their mental, financial and physical wellness.