According to numerous experts, mental health problems are among the most important contributors to the burden of disability and disease worldwide.
The UK Department of Health and the Confederation of British Industry have estimated that 15-30% of workers will experience some form of mental health problem during their working lives.
The COVID-19 pandemic has further intensified the impact on mental health despite remote working. As per the report, seven in 10 employees admit that COVID has been the most stressful time in their career.
It’s worth mentioning that the impact of mental health problems in the workplace has serious consequences not only for the individual but also for the productivity of the enterprise.
While most companies lack a clear strategy to support their employees during these tough times, Walking on Earth, the digital platform has come out of stealth to tackle the rising issue of workplace stress.
Secured £3 million
Recently, the company has secured a £3 million seed funding round led by Octopus Ventures, which has backed successful startups including, Cazoo, Depop, and Graze.
The company has further backing from renowned UK entrepreneurs, including health tech success stories Tania Boler, CEO and Founder of Elvie; Dr. Jean Nehme, Co-Founder of Digital Surgery; and Sachin Dev Duggal, Founder of Builder.ai.
Its advisory board includes Arianna Huffington and serial entrepreneur Brent Hoberman MBE, who is behind the successes of Lastminute.com and Made.com.
Tailored digital lifestyle plans
Founded by Reeva Misra, former VP of Strategy at BenevolentAI and certified Jivamukti yoga teacher, the healthtech startup offers personalised, digital lifestyle plans tailored to the individual to reduce stress and increase wellbeing.
Reeve Misra founded the during the lockdown to develop a science-based platform to manage stress. “We draw on ancient wisdom and modern science, learning from the world’s leading experts, to guide people with the knowledge, skills, and tools to mitigate stress,” says the company in the press release.
How does it work?
First off, the platform determines the individual’s stress level through a tech-based assessment.
After the result, the startup pairs the individual with certified experts to create tailored stress reduction programs.
It includes the combination of live group classes, 1-to-1 sessions, curated talks, and science-backed content for self-learning.
Increased engagement
According to the company’s claims, Walking on Earth created a high level of engagement and improvements in individual employee wellbeing & stress reduction, resulting in full-time contracts from all companies involved in the pilot.
According to Reeva, the market is ready to put employees’ health first: “We live in a society that’s created an unsustainable pattern of living where workplace culture is synonymous with burnout and stress is seen as a necessary by-product of success. The past 18 months have put a much-needed spotlight on the terrible impact of stress on our health, and for the first time, employers are taking notice.”
She continued: “We’re moving towards a society where the majority of diseases are chronic, untreatable with modern medicine, and can only be prevented by changing our lifestyle habits. Growing up with Indian parents seeped in ancient holistic health practices and balancing that with my type A, scientifically grounded career, I knew we had to bring science, technology, and holistic health together. We’ve all witnessed the power of technology to advance all aspects of our life, and I believe we shouldn’t be leaving the most important element behind our health. We all deserve to live healthy lives, and that’s why today I’m proud Walking on Earth is coming out of stealth to enable such an ideal to manifest.”
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