The top 5 apps to beat employee stress

The top 5 apps to beat employee stress

Stress is one of the most prevalent workplace issues facing employers today, affecting productivity, engagement, sickness absence, and retention.

And with more than half (52%) of UK employees suffering from above average or high stress, according to new Willis Towers Watson research, the impact on business operations is potentially huge.

The Global Benefits Attitudes Survey revealed that millennials are almost twice as likely to suffer from stress as Baby Boomers, with 34% saying they’ve suffered from severe stress, anxiety or depression in the last two years.

The positive news is that employers have at their disposal the ideal platform for stress relief, which is highly engaging to this stressed-out, time-strapped generation – the smartphone.

Here, we look at 5 apps to help employees manage stress.

1. Headspace

One of the more popular apps on the market, Headspace has gained a huge following for its science-based meditation and mindfulness techniques.

The brainchild of a Tibetan monk, Headspace provides everything from guided meditations, animations, articles, videos, and even mood-tracking, helping users get to grips with everything from stress to sleep.

Headspace recognises the impact of stress on employees and has partnered up with a variety of big brands to improve business outcomes through mindfulness initiatives.

2. Acupressure: Heal Yourself

Acupressure uses the same pressure points as acupuncture but employing finger pressure instead of needles.

The ancient practice has been credited with healing a variety of ailments, including alleviating muscular tension and enabling deep relaxation – leading to stress relief.

Self-massage can also help relieve anxiety and ensure a good night’s sleep.

Acupressure: Heal Yourself is an easy-to-use app, with illustrated instructions on how to perform point massage and its 90 points combinations can be accessed completely offline.

3. The Worry Box

It may seem cliched to say but putting worries away in a box but that is exactly what this self-help app encourages.

Users can input into the app’s worry cognitive diary, which determines whether the worry is important or unimportant, and whether it is controllable or uncontrollable.  If it’s controllable, the app lists steps to help the user manage the stress and if it’s uncontrollable, it offers coping statements to help the user think differently.

The app includes articles on understanding Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, as well as access to relaxation audios and Qi Gong techniques.

4. Recolour

Recent years has seen the rise of adult colouring books, which offer a means of escapism from the stress of daily life.

Recolour capitalises on this trend by makes it more accessible for those who want to colour – and chill – on the go.

With more than 2,000 illustrations to choose from, users of the app can get creative, colouring in the gaps with just a tap.

Recolour helps relieve anxiety by channelling it into a creative accomplishment and its ‘fresh and harmonic colour palettes’ are designed for stress relieving colouring.

5. 7 Cups

7 Cups of Tea is an on-demand emotional health and well-being service, which connects users to trained listeners, online therapists and counsellors through one-on-one messaging chat.

Users can chat one-to-one anonymously and confidentially with a volunteer listener 24/7, access online message therapy with licensed therapists, as well as participate in 300 free mindfulness exercises.

Care can be personalised, through the free wellness test, users are encouraged to participate in simple activities to keep them on their ‘growth path’ and are also encouraged to seek support through group support rooms and guided discussion boards with the 7 Cups community.