Interview with Gianna Jaspar from jobvalley

There’s a major emphasis on prevention at OpenUp. People who look after their mental health on a daily basis are more resilient and recover more quickly in the face of setbacks. When we’re confronted with challenges in our private lives, then we take this to work with us – and vice versa. That means that it’s really important to create a (mentally) healthy environment in which employees feel comfortable and talk about their issues openly.

Companies like jobvalley share the same mission: to make mental health accessible for all employees. In an interview with OpenUp, Gianna Jaspar, Coordinator of People Projects at jobvalley, spoke about how their collaboration helped to combat challenges triggered by the pandemic and to raise their eNPS in the field of health and wellbeing.

Why did you decide to work with OpenUp?

The big triggers were the pandemic and the war in Ukraine. We wanted to step up as employers and offer something to help our employees. For this, we considered various mental health platforms and engaged in a few introductory consultations. The entire package at OpenUp appealed to us, from its general approach to its cultural ethos – a match with our own.

 What helped you decide that OpenUp was the platform for you?

I did the check-in and had a click through the “My OpenUp” world. Without realising, I completed the initial consultations and mindfulness units. So, really, I used it normally and I liked the whole concept. There’s always something you can discuss with a psychologist, whether you want to get something off your chest or use it as a form of coaching.

What challenges did you run into when introducing OpenUp to employees?

The biggest challenge was raising awareness of OpenUp amongst employees. We’ve had a lot to accomplish this year, with a heavy workload on the operative side of things.  At times like this, approaching extremely busy colleagues and offering them training courses, learning opportunities or anything similar is always challenging

Initially, we announced our collaboration with a written announcement and organised two all-hands meetings at different times, so that as many people as possible could join. Introducing the topic and answering questions related to data protection and confidentiality were extremely important. On top of that,  we have included OpenUp as a benefit on our Intranet site and added the information straight into our onboarding program, so that new employees will know about it right from the start. 

We’ve tried to give as much information to our employees on OpenUp as possible.  And we’re still doing so now.. Our HR business partner raises the topic regularly during meetings with managers and I also keep posting OpenUp content in our chat groups.

How has OpenUp changed things at the company?

We carry out a monthly staff survey where we ask questions related to various topics, including health and wellbeing. We’re able to draw some key insights from these surveys, since we have an 80% participation rate across our 400+employees. Since collaborating with OpenUp, our eNPS in health and wellbeing has risen substantially. And, during months when usage is particularly high, we see a corresponding increase in employee satisfaction. It’s clear that we have something to offer in this department and, that alone, makes a difference in people’s minds.

To what extent do you support employees with their mental health alongside OpenUp?

Our flexible working hours model has a very positive effect on the mental health of our employees. Many of us make use of these flexible working hours and it allows us to organise our free time better. As a result of the remote-working opportunities we offer, including workcations, it’s very easy to look after ourselves and, for example, attend doctor’s appointments. 

What does mental health mean to you?

To me, mental health means freedom. I believe that when you feel good, you’re also freer in your mind and make different decisions to those that you would when facing a mental health challenge. Mental health also means being on the right track mentally and having the freedom to do the things I enjoy. 

What do you do for your own mental health?

I always make sure that I have a good work-life balance and spend my free time doing things that I know are good for me. I take my dog for plenty of walks outside and make sure I get a lot of fresh air. Fresh air is good for the mind and I’ve always been an advocate of getting out and about.