Benefits technology provider Zenefits said Thursday it is partnering with technology wellness company Thrive Global to deliver a stress management app to its users.
The partnership will make Thrive’s platform — which includes wellness content, tips and tools — available to employees of the 11,000 small-and mid-sized companies that use
Matt Ketchum, product marketing lead at Zenefits, says the company was interested in partnering with Thrive because it believes the technology is well-suited to the needs of smaller businesses.
“The technology is paired with HR records to deliver personalized results in an easy-to-use format,” Ketchum says. “We find small businesses usually don’t have access to these types of services.”
Zenefit’s mobile application, called the Well-being app, utilizes survey questions to determine the causes of stress in individuals. The questions focus on stress triggers such as sleeping habits and technology usage, but they also zero in on potentially stressful life changes — like a work promotion. Human resource records are attached to the technology to keep track of life changes.
Based on user responses, the app calculates which areas individuals can improve to decrease their stress levels. For example, the app might tell someone struggling to go to bed on time to charge their phone in a room besides the bedroom to eliminate distractions. It also evaluates communication between managers and employees — specifically whether those interactions are both respectful and productive. The app also directs users to appropriate educational materials on self-improvement, based on their personalized survey results.
Arianna Huffington, founder and CEO of Thrive Global, praised the partnership as a way to “bring our behavior change expertise directly to companies, on the platforms their employees use every day at work.”
“Employees will be able to take our Thrive Pulse surveys to find out exactly which key areas they need to improve, from sleep and relationship with technology, to setting priorities and leading with compassionate directness,” says The Huffington Post co-founder.
Ketchum says Zenefits contends the app’s customized success tips are the most effective way to address every employee. Companies that rely solely on group activities, like exercise breaks, to fight stress aren’t targeting the most vulnerable employees.
“Businesses will try to host activities, like office yoga, to boost employee wellness. But the kind of people who participate in those activities already have it together,” Ketchum says. “We want to help the people who are struggling, and give them strategies in the form of micro-steps.”
The technology also allows managers to monitor their team’s stress level in real time. However, to comply with patient privacy laws, the app only shows managers the group average wellness ratings; individual scores are kept private. Zenefits representatives said this function is especially helpful for gauging how employees are affected by management and policy changes.
“From an administrator side, being able to track the wellbeing of your workforce is invaluable,” says Parijat Sarkar, senior director of project management at Zenefits. “The technology helps them evaluate which situations are causing stress.”
With stress levels rising, employers are turning their focus on tackling employee stress. More than three-quarters (78%) of companies identified stress as a workforce health risk, in a survey conducted by the Center for Disease Control.
Zenefits’ announcement follows a similar one from
