Vanliga frågor

Howdy is the data controller for all data, and data is stored only on servers administrated by Howdy. Only a few people at Howdy are able to access the technical systems in which the data is stored. The occupational psychologist, to which the individual case has been assigned, has access to the basic information about the person (first name, last name, company affiliation, phone number) as well as the response history. Access to these data is only available for as long as the case is open. As soon as the case work ends, the case "disappears" from the system used by the occupational psychologist.

Only Howdy and the response team can view your answers in order to follow up on your wellbeing. Howdy is also allowed to use the information collected for statistical purposes, such as benchmarking across personas or other relevant characteristics.

Once you leave the company, they will inform Howdy that you no longer want Howdy to store your data, and all personally identifiable data will be removed from the database. Your data may still be included in statistical material – but without Howdy knowing who answered what.

Howdy conforms to the strict requirements imposed by the Danish Data Protection Agency concerning data protection and processing, and also conforms to current Danish legislation.

A group has to consist of at least 10 people for the reason codes to appear in a report.

We apply the recommendations of the Danish Working Environment Authority: Reports are only created for departments/groups in which at least 5 employees have participated in the measurement.

Only the response team and Howdy know who has been in contact with the response team. This information is covered by our duty of confidentiality.

Although it is possible to see the number of employees who fall into "red, yellow, or green wellbeing" in the reports, it is not shown in any way which persons fall into which categories of wellbeing. The data is anonymised.

There may be multiple explanations. The two most common ones are:
1) The employee has an open case and continues to respond every other week.  Their wellbeing does not change immediately and as a result their responses still fall in the “red zone”. Since they already have an open case, which is waiting for a follow-up interview (which is typically 3-4 weeks ahead), no new case is set up.
2) Over the past 12-month period the employee has had 2 cases (which in some cases might be a maximum number of cases per year), and as a result no new cases are set up but are instead referred to the closest manager, HR or other healthcare service.

WHO-5, which is the scientifically developed questionnaire that is being used, has repeatedly shown a national average in Denmark of 70 points. Therefore, the average level of wellbeing in a specific department should preferably be around 70 points or higher.

The monthly wellbeing reports are mostly used by management and HR to get an impression of the level of wellbeing in the individual departments/groups. They make it possible to make targeted and early interventions when signs of decreased wellbeing begin to show within certain departments/groups.

The reason codes are used for the classification of conversations with the response team and they are provided in a statistical form as feedback to the company in the regular reports. As per the recommendations of the Danish Working Environment Authority, there has to be a minimum of 10 people in a group for a reason code to appear in the report. The code(s) is chosen in cooperation with the occupational psychologist. Some additional words are added to work-related reasons such as "workload, problems with a co-worker, etc.", whereas personal reasons are only categorized as "personal reasons". If, for example, the lack of wellbeing (and, as a consequence, the conversation with the response team) is due to a divorce, the cause will be categorised as "personal reasons" without further elaboration. Whether you want to provide a reason or not is voluntary.

The average score is calculated on the basis of all answers that have been registered within the specific month. The scale goes from 0–100 and our experience, as well as scientific studies, shows that the average is around 70 points. If the score in a specific group nears 60 points or below on average, this indicates that there is reason to be particularly attentive to the level of wellbeing in that specific department.

Each question is assigned a points score. Higher wellbeing results in a higher point score. Each question yields a number of points, which depends on how you respond to the question. The better the registered level of wellbeing is, the more points are allocated to the question. The points of all the questions are aggregated and make up the average score.

Managers use the data in the Howdy Portal as a focal point for discussions on wellbeing in their department. Based on history and current data, they can talk about what works, what does not work, and what can be done to improve wellbeing within the department.

No - the conversation with the response team remains anonymous to the company.

The response team consists of occupational psychologists who are trained to talk about issues that concern your work life and/or your personal life. The interview can help you find solutions to the issues that affect your wellbeing

Depending on the agreement your company has with Howdy, the psychological response team is maintained by either Howdy, whose response team consists of experienced occupational psychologists, or the Pathfinder Howdy response team, whose response team consists of registered nurses.

When you accept the consent form, you will be asked to register a phone number. You decide whether to register your personal phone number or your work phone number. You are encouraged to register a mobile phone number - if possible - as it is easier to have a discrete conversation over a mobile phone.

A Howdy case is triggered when:

1. A user’s level of wellbeing is either yellow or drops significantly while in the green (The user may opt to accept a phone call).
2. A user’s level of wellbeing is either red or drops significantly while in the yellow (The user will receive an automatic phone call).

You will receive the phone call within two weekdays.

The primary task of the response team is to screen and assist the user in further action when needed. In this way, early symptoms of stress or depression may be uncovered. The psychologists do not perform diagnoses. They use the WHO-5 measurements as a gauge for wellbeing, which helps the individual gain increased awareness, reflection, and insight into their own situation. The psychologists of the Howdy response team do not offer therapeutic treatment, but in cases where the user is assessed to be capable of increasing their own wellbeing, they do offer coaching.

You will receive a message in the app saying that your wellbeing is at a critical level and that you should seek assistance from a healthcare professional.

The response team will begin by asking questions about the situation, based on whether you are aware of why your level of wellbeing has caused a call. They will attempt to clarify the following: The cause of the problem, the ability to handle the situation, whether the stressful situation has been short or long term, and the extent of the problem. During the conversation an agreement is made about what the employee should do and in some cases a follow-upcall will be made to ensure that action is taken. The psychologists in the Howdy response team work from a technique of Socratic questioning, through which the user is encouraged to uncover important connections and gain greater self-awareness.

The app will automatically notify you if the available number of conversations is exhausted and you will be advised to contact your immediate manager or HR, if you believe you are in need of help.

When the response team calls, they will always inquire whether you are available to talk. If the time is not appropriate you can arrange another call. If you are unable to answer the call, they will leave a message and attempt to call at a different time. After the fourth attempt you will receive a message that they have been unable to reach you and will make no further attempts. If you still want to be contacted, you are always welcome to write to support@howdy.care or call at 88877700. 

Yes, you will. The Howdy-solution covers vacation periods and holidays as well. Your wellbeing is relevant regardless of whether you are working or on holiday and Howdy measures your overall level of wellbeing.

Various municipalities provide different services to their citizens. Therefore, the response team may need to know which municipality you reside in. You will not be contacted by your local municipality and no information is exchanged. It is only to let us know which services may be available to you.

If you do not want to use Howdy anymore, you may contact: support@howdy.care

When you log in to Howdy (via the app or via the web version) you can find your own figures in the menu at the bottom of the screen (the choice in the middle). The web version is here: http:://howdy.care

You will receive a reminder that it is time to respond 15-18 days after your last response—we never ask during the weekend. The fact that this occurs every 15-18 days is due to an effort to avoid the measurements all falling on the same weekday. It is optimal, if you participate with approximately 2 weeks of space, as experience shows that 2 weeks is the optimal period of time for reflection and provides the best overview of the evolution of your wellbeing

It is fine, if you forget to respond, but please try to provide at least one response per month, so your wellbeing will be incorporated into the monthly wellbeing reports

Go to https://start.worklifebarometer.com/recover and enter your e-mail. You will then receive a new mail with a link to your profile.

The Danish Data Protection Agency requires a consent form in order for Howdy to be allowed to process data about you. Howdy conforms to strict requirements concerning security, handling, and processing of data.

Yes, it is voluntary, but everyone is encouraged to participate--even if you already feel content. The prerequisite for creating a better work environment for everyone is a high level of participation, so the proper initiatives can be put in place.

It is optimal if you participate with intervals of approximately 2 weeks, as experience shows that 2 weeks is the optimal period of time for reflection and provides the best overview of the evolution of your wellbeing.

Poor wellbeing is typically a condition, which evolves over time, and it can be difficult to assess the level yourself. The Howdy measurements help visualise this development and subsequently helps to address problems at an early stage. Each month, the given responses are calculated into an aggregate wellbeing score for your team or place of work, so your responses are important as part of the larger picture to make the reports as accurate as possible.

The 5 questions have been scientifically tested around the world, and have proven to be very precise. The scientific basis is specifically based on these 5 questions, also known as WHO-5

The solution focuses on the complete person. Personal life and work life are connected. You are not only unwell in your work life but also in your personal life.

The questions in Howdy are converted into a score on a scale from 0 to 100. If you have a low score and/or a significant decrease in your score, this will trigger a certain feedback in the app and/or contact with the response team. A wellbeing score below 35 is marked as "red". A wellbeing score between 35 and below 50 is marked as "yellow". A wellbeing score above 50 is marked as "green".

On its own, a lack of sleep does not trigger "red wellbeing" or contact with the response team. The aggregate responses to the 5 questions are the basis for the assessment of your level of wellbeing. The scientific model ensures that the balance of the responses is assessed without prejudice.

An important element of the science behind the questions is the effort to encourage a reflection over the last 14 days, so your response does not just apply to the day it is given. It also encourages you to reflect on your overall wellbeing—both privately and professionally

NO! All responses are anonymous to the company and are aggregated into anonymised statistics for use in the Howdy Portal. There has to be a minimum of 5 responses before we can show statistical data.