Stress costs Danish companies DKK 16.4 billion annually, but evidence suggests that Howdy could significantly reduce this cost through its wellbeing-enhancing initiatives. The objective of two new research projects, supported by the Ministry of Higher Education and Science and the EU respectively, is to demonstrate this impact.

Two major Danish employers, one from the private sector and the other from the public, have agreed to participate in the initiative, to determine the benefits of focusing on wellbeing: For employers, in terms of reduced absenteeism and increased productivity; and for employees, in terms of enhanced wellbeing.

The two research projects, HELP CARE and EMBRACE, both have the potential to present groundbreaking results in terms of wellbeing, absenteeism, and the economic value of Howdy.

The HELP CARE project, supported by the EU’s Horizon Europe and conducted by the Department of Psychology at the University of Copenhagen, will assess Howdy’s effect on absenteeism in a major health sector entity and its economic impact. The primary researcher for the project is Elena Bermejo Martins, with guidance from Associate Professor Paul Conway and Dr. Ziggi Santini, and the funding for the HELP-CARE project comes from the Marie Curie Fellowship. The application process itself is quite competitive, with KU and Howdy being selected from 8,039 applications. The project has just begun and will proceed over the next two years.

The EMBRACE research project will investigate the correlation between wellbeing and absenteeism, as well as Howdy’s effect on absenteeism in a large Danish company in the private sector. The project, financially supported by the Ministry of Higher Education and Science, started at the beginning of 2024 and is expected to be completed by June 2024.

“We are on the brink of two potentially revolutionary studies in wellbeing and absenteeism,” says Rasmus Hartung, CEO of Howdy. “Playing a central role in these projects is not only a confirmation of our work to date but also an incredible opportunity to extend our impact and further contribute to a healthier work environment in Danish and international workplaces.”

Subscribe to Howdy’s newsletter and be immediately informed when we have the first results ready from the research projects.