Virgin Pulse and Headspace Deepen Relationship to Help Employers and Health Plans Tackle Employee Mental Health Crisis

By PR Newswire Last updated Jun 29, 2023

Addressing employee mental health concerns is one of the top challenges companies are facing, from work-related stress and burnout to depression and anxiety. Virgin Pulse, the leading global digital-first health, wellbeing, and navigation company, and Headspace, the provider of the world’s most comprehensive digital mental health platform, today announced an expanded relationship to make it easier for employers and health plans to provide high-quality, affordable mental health resources to their employees and plan members. Now, organizations using the Virgin Pulse health and wellbeing platform will have integrated access to the full suite of Headspace offerings as part of Virgin Pulse’s partner ecosystem, including behavioral health coaching, therapy, psychiatry, and employee assistance program (EAP) services. As part of the relationship, Virgin Pulse now also provides Headspace’s offerings to its employee base of approximately 2,000 people worldwide.

It is not a surprise that mental health concerns remain a challenge today among most companies and employees, given the many stressors affecting people across most geographies and demographics over the past several years. The recent 2023 Global Workplace Wellbeing Survey from Virgin Pulse found that mental health is one of the biggest challenges impacting organizations today, as indicated by more than one-third of HR leaders. Half of HR and benefits leaders surveyed (56%) felt that providing support for mental health concerns was the most important issue to address with their health and wellbeing program, followed by stress management (49%).

Headspace’s app has been available to Virgin Pulse clients for several years through its partner ecosystem and has helped members reduce stress, sleep soundly, develop healthy habits, and feel better. Virgin Pulse’s comprehensive partner ecosystem helps organizations close gaps in care across 25 health and wellbeing categories while addressing the most common and costly health concerns. Now, companies using Virgin Pulse’s Homebase for Health® platform can choose to have access to the full suite of Headspace offerings to support the mental health and wellbeing of their employees, complementing the impactful guidance from 200 coaches and actionable mental health content Virgin Pulse offers. The Headspace suite includes:

On-Demand Employee Assistance – The Headspace EAP ensures employees have access to a comprehensive suite of services supporting a broad range of mental health needs, including work-life services like legal and financial resources, and organizational services to augment and support teams.
Coaching and Clinical Care – With Headspace Care services, individuals can access the right care at the right time, from behavioral health coaching to complex clinical support. They have 24/7 access to a team of highly trained behavioral health coaches to build coping skills and manage day-to-day stressors related to general wellbeing, work, family, and relationships, among others. They can also access high-quality, evidence-based clinical care provided by licensed therapists, trained in a range of clinical specialties and data-driven treatment modalities, as well as psychiatrists who collaborate with coaches and therapists to ensure the entire care team is working toward the same care plan.
Self-Guided Care – Employees can access on-demand, self-guided mindfulness and meditation exercises through the Headspace app. With more than 1,000 hours of mindfulness content, users can access evidence-based guided meditations, eyes-open exercises like mindful walks and runs, breathing and wind-down exercises, focus music, sleep content, and more.

“Market uncertainty and increasing workplace pressures are placing greater stress on employees and employers, as well as their health plans, and taking a drastic toll on our collective mental health and wellbeing,” said Russell Glass, CEO of Headspace. “Headspace and Virgin Pulse have a shared purpose of wanting to improve people’s lives. Together, we are making it easier for employers and health plans to offer a range of mental health services that will drive better wellbeing, helping their businesses thrive.”

“You can’t address whole person wellbeing without addressing mental health – it’s a critical pillar in the equation. There is also a direct correlation between mental wellbeing and employee engagement, productivity, retention, and culture, yet business leaders often struggle with how to best support their people,” said Chris Michalak, CEO of Virgin Pulse. “By offering specialty programs like Headspace alongside our expert coaching and valuable content, Virgin Pulse provides a whole person health experience and helps companies across the world prioritize their employees’ mental wellbeing.”

Virgin Pulse’s partner ecosystem program makes it easy for companies to provide their employees with solutions that address their populations’ specific needs, and eliminates administrative burdens by completing thorough partner reviews along with handling vendor contracting, procurement, and billing on behalf of clients. Partner solutions – like the Headspace suite – are seamlessly integrated and accessible through Virgin Pulse’s Homebase for Health platform, which provides a single entry point to comprehensive digital capabilities and live services, optimizing user experience and utilization. Combined with personalized recommendations and incentives, Homebase for Health guides members to make the best possible decisions at every stage of their health and wellbeing journey.

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