The Cabinet Office is aiming to develop a digital wellness platform to support the mental and physical health of its employees.
It has indicated that the platform would enable staff to track and improve their physical wellbeing in areas such as stress, anxiety, focus and sleep.
The department has published a contract notice for a supplier to work with it over the next year, beginning in mid-April, on the development and then provide support.
It wants the platform to include functions for mindfulness and mediation sessions; relaxation and breathing exercises; customised learning and development programmes on issues such as stress management and sleep; a personal journey or diary; and signposting to bespoke content including the support available internally.
All this will include audio, visual and interactive elements, with the content updated quarterly and it will be available on mobile.
Part of strategy
The plan derives from the Cabinet Office’s Approach to Wellbeing strategy, which was launched in November 2018 and includes mental health, physical activity, social and financial wellbeing. One of its three key priorities is to ensure employees take responsibility for their own health and wellbeing.
The department also launched a mental health action plan in January 2019, for which the digital wellness platform is expected to provide support.
The plan for a platform follows a similar initiative by the Environment Agency, which has unveiled plans for a mindfulness app to support the mental health of its employees.
Image by Jonathon Rolande, CC BY 2.0
