Spencer Group rolls out staff wellbeing app across entire company

‘REALLY GOOD’: Harry Towle, design engineer at Spencer Group, using the Hapstar app

By Rick Lyon

Hull-based Spencer Group has rolled out a wellbeing app to its entire workforce to support their mental and physical health.

The engineering company was the first in the industry to adopt the Hapstar app when it launched a four-month trial among 80 of its 350 employees in April this year.

The app, which staff can use anonymously, enables employees to track their mental and physical wellbeing, as well as accessing support, setting happiness actions and providing anonymous feedback.

The data reflects personal feelings, such as happiness, relationships, activity and lifestyle, alongside career satisfaction, thoughts on their team and overall role.

Based on positive response feedback from participants, the app has been officially rolled out to all employees across the business, enabling more colleagues to keep track of their wellbeing on a regular basis.

The app creates a regular anonymous report for Spencer Group to assess the feedback across the business and data is collected on teams, rather than demographics, to ensure anonymity.

Gary Thornton, managing director at Spencer Group, said: “One of the key drivers behind rolling out Hapstar to the entire company is the development of the mobile app. During the trial, it was only available on a work desktop, so the app means it can now be used as a lifestyle tool used anytime and anywhere.

INNOVATIVE: The Hapstar app allows users to track their mental and physical wellbeing

“Lots of people who took part in the trial found the app to be a useful tool. While it benefits us to looks at the analytics to potentially improve areas of the business, employees said it helped them to improve their own lifestyles.

“They fill in their responses on the app and it gives them a good indication of how the changes they’ve made are making a difference to their wellbeing.”

Yvonne Moir, HR director at Spencer Group, added: “Hapstar also includes life coaching, so if there are areas where staff are scoring lower, on self-confidence, for example, there would be a suggestion to try to help them feel better, or tips offered on how to improve their overall mental health.

“Another example is if any staff are concerned about the rising cost of living or finances, we could arrange for a financial coach to come into the business and share tips on smarter money management or money-saving advice.

“We can split the data any way we wish, including on-site teams compared to off-site teams, or specific teams compared to others across the business.

“We’ll review the report results from those who use the app on a monthly basis and we can pick out urgent priorities to respond to if there are any data spikes in certain areas.”

Adam Campbell, CEO of Hapstar, said Spencer Group is leading by example in focusing on employee wellbeing.

EVIDENCE-BASED: The Hapstar app uses data to help improve health and wellbeing

He said: “Spencer Group prioritises wellbeing and cares about it. They’re doing something which is effective, not just implemented and forgotten about.

“When it comes to engineering, some people see wellbeing as an insurmountable challenge. That’s not the case and you need a unique approach to reach everyone.

“Spencer Group is willing to try new things and is leading the way with an evidence-based approach.

“With Hapstar, you have to look at the data, which helps guide you through to action and, while this is a personal journey, the company backs it up with various initiatives and support.

“Spencer Group is very good at communication with its staff, based on the evidence from Hapstar.

“We want to create a conversation around it and help staff to feel heard and listened to. That’s a core part of having a good culture and wellbeing and Spencer Group is giving employees that voice.”

Harry Towle, design engineer at Spencer Group, who took part in the trial, said: “The app is really good. It’s not just a tool that we can use to communicate with the business, we can also use it to improve our own health and wellbeing.”