At Howdy, we are committed to uniting digital prevention and early care by providing proactive support to employees and organisations. One vital arm of our preventive machinery is the Howdy Response Team, consisting of psychologists who step in, when signs of decreasing wellbeing are detected among Howdy users.
Howdy’s Response Team encounters a variety of issues in their daily work. Chief Psychologist at Howdy, Elisabeth Gadner states: “Our client conversations cover a wide range of topics. From private-life matters like dating advice, the loss of a loved one, divorce or parenting struggles, to the complex challenges of the modern, fast-pacing workplace. The team of psychologists and I meet you in a kind and empathetic manner and provide you with specific advice and tangible tools for your individual situation.”
Below we have listed the most common themes the Response Team experiences in the calls with the Howdy users:
- Physical Stress: Addressing stress before it takes a physical toll on the body, thus averting the need for medical intervention.
- Sleep Disorders Unrelated to Work or Personal Issues: Providing techniques and strategies to combat sleep issues.
- Toxic Work Environments: Offering guidance to navigate difficult work situations, and if possible, providing tools to effect organisational change.
- Organisational Stress: Particularly common in the healthcare sector, we help individuals manage stress arising from organisational dysfunction.
- Perfectionism and Overcommitment: Educating employees on the importance of delegating tasks and maintaining a healthy life balance.
- Consequences of COVID-19: Discussions around the mental and physical repercussions of the pandemic.
- Parental Stress Due to Children with Special Needs: Assisting parents in managing stress related to caring for a child with special needs.
- Challenges Due to Divorce: Offering coping mechanisms and strategies to manage stress during and after a divorce.
- Financial Difficulties: Providing tools to navigate the stress arising from financial challenges.
- Emotional Stress Due to Illness in the Family: Helping individuals process and manage the emotional burden that comes with illness within the family.
- Trauma Recovery: Offering support for the emotional and psychological aspects of healing from a traumatic event.
Real-Life Success Stories
The following case studies showcase the versatile and impactful nature of our interventions. From battling the isolation experienced during the pandemic to addressing unacknowledged stress, our methods pave the way towards a more holistic approach to wellbeing.
Battling Isolation During the Pandemic
An employee felt isolated and disengaged during the pandemic because the employee had to work from home. The employee found it difficult to maintain good habits and routines that used to come naturally – such as cycling to and from work. During the pandemic, the employee “forgot” their good physical habits. After a conversation with a psychologist in The Response Team, the employee received good ideas on how to replace old habits with new ones, so as to sustain physical activity. In a follow-up conversation a month later, the employee was happy and no longer felt isolated and tired. It turned out that the new habits were a major reason for this.
Normalising the Stigma Surrounding Men's Mental Health
Another case involved a man suffering from anxiety who found it embarrassing due to societal stigmata surrounding men’s mental health. Our intervention helped to normalise his condition and encouraged him to seek professional help from a healthcare provider.
Coping with Marital Separation
An employee, who had been left by their spouse just a few days before The Response Team’s call, received confirmation that their feelings of deep unhappiness were entirely normal. The employee was grateful for the follow-up conversation and the opportunity to contact Howdy for further emotional support.
Recognising and Addressing Unacknowledged Stress
Several individuals initially denied experiencing stress, but later admitted to it during our discussions. Post-intervention, these employees sought professional mental health support through their health insurance, and significant improvements were reported during follow-up calls.
Parents with Children Having Special Needs
Having had previous experience working with children with special needs, our psychologists were able to guide parents through the complexities of the healthcare system, helping them get the support they need.
An employee was in crisis due to divorce and did not have the capacity to seek external help. The employee was therefore very grateful to have conversations and follow-ups from the same psychologist in The Response Team. The employee felt that the psychologist "made a difference" and was "by their side during a difficult time".
Feedback From our Valued Howdy Users
It brings us great satisfaction to hear that our unique approach is making a genuine impact. Below are some testimonials from our users, shedding light on their personal experience with Howdy.
“It is good to have a call even though it might not be felt necessary at the time. However, it makes you reflect on the situation and your actual wellbeing.”
“I needed the support more than I had realised. Very helpful for me.“
"Fantastic system, it was truly wonderful to speak with the psychologist, THANK YOU for you.”
“Thanks for being helpful and understanding. The psychologist gave me a great advice which I am going to act on and I am looking forward to our follow up call in 4 weeks.”
“Thank you so much for the call. It has been a particularly hard time in my personal life and I felt the counselor really helped. It’s the first professional person I have spoken to too, and I found the whole experience very reassuring. Thank you again.”
"I received the call within hours of filling out the questionnaire. I appreciate the fast response and the check-in regardless of the fact I wrote in the comments that I was aware I was in a danger zone and taking the day off. I feel like the people who call do care.”
"Was called by a psychologist - it is an extremely fine service, but I have no further need to speak with a psychologist at this time. However, it is very positive that one is offered this, and I hope this offer becomes more widespread in the job market."
“The counsellor I talked to was amazing and made me feel better on our call. Thank you.”
These success stories exemplify the value, effectiveness and reach of Howdy’s Response Team. They also reflect our commitment to our vision of becoming the leading SaaS-powered platform for employee wellbeing solutions in the workplace. Our ongoing efforts are in line with our continuous method to pave the way for better mental, physical, and organisational wellbeing.
