GAP Group launches mental health resource

The UK’s GAP Group has created a mental health and wellbeing platform to give employees easy access to videos, information and links to organisations that offer help and support.

The Glasgow-headquartered company said staff have faced a variety of challenges through the pandemic and it wanted to encourage more open conversations about the benefits of positive mental health as the long-term effects of lockdown become clear.

Douglas Anderson, joint Managing Director, GAP Group.

The GAP Wellbeing Hub is a digital platform developed in partnership with wellbeing tech specialist Frog Systems. It is available to all 1,800 GAP employees and their families across 146 locations in the UK, the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man.

Douglas Anderson, Joint Managing Director of GAP Group, said: “The mental wellbeing of our workforce is just as much a priority for us as their physical safety and wellbeing.

“We want to reduce the barriers that might have prevented them from speaking out in the past and encourage them to be proactive about seeking help if they need it. We see our GAP Wellbeing Hub as an important step in lessening the stigma that exists around mental health in our industry.”

The platform has short videos of people sharing their experiences and advice across a range of issues. Users can search by topic from a drop-down menu, watch videos, and type in their postcode or location to be directed to the nearest support.

The Hub also includes GAP’s existing wellbeing resources as well as links to carefully selected external information and organisations that offer help. The data produced by the platform, used anonymously, will also give GAP Group insight into the issues its employees face and help improve decision-making on how support is provided.

Phil Worms, Frog Systems (left) with Douglas Anderson, GAP Group.

GAP said there was a recognition that the construction industry has particular issues surrounding mental health because of its high percentage of male employees, who may be unwilling to speak about their personal struggles.

“[The wellbeing Hub] will complement the existing wellbeing strategies used by the company, which include providing mental health awareness training for line managers and its on-going support and promotion of the construction industry helpline provided by the charity Lighthouse Club”, said GAP.

The software behind the platform was developed by Frog Systems and is being used by organisations and businesses in many different sectors of the economy to address the surge in mental health problems that have arisen during the pandemic.

Phil Worms, CEO of Frog Systems, commented; “It has never been more important for employers to take care of the mental as well as physical wellbeing of the people who work for them.

“We are proud to have built a platform that helps GAP Group deliver this vital support.”