23.03.20
Cabinet Office publishes contract notice for digital wellness platform
In an effort to support the mental and physical health of its employees, the Cabinet Office is aiming to develop a digital wellness platform.
The platform is intended to support staff in tracking and improving their physical wellbeing, as well as helping to manage common workplace mental strains including stress, anxiety, focus and sleep.
A contract notice for a supplier to work with it over the next year, beginning in mid-April on development and then providing support thereon after, has been published by the government department.
The Cabinet Office wants the platform to include mindfulness functions and meditation sessions, relaxation and breathing exercises, customised learning and development programmes on issues such as stress management and sleep, a personal journey or diary function and signposting to bespoke content including internally available support.
All of this will be packaged with audio, visual and interactive elements, with content uploaded quarterly and available on mobile devices.
The plan for the platform is part of the Cabinet Office’s Approach to Wellbeing strategy, which was launched in November 2018. It includes mental health, physical activity, social and financial wellbeing as targeted areas to help support staff.
In January 2019, the department also launched a mental health action plan which the digital wellness platform is expected to support.
The plans follow a similar initiative undertaken by the Environment Agency, which has recently unveiled plans for a mindfulness app to help support the mental health and wellbeing of its employees.