Stress is bad. So they took their wellness startup straight to the stress-filled workplace

It would be nice if the place that stressed you out the most also helped you decompress. Photo credit: pxhidalgo / 123RF.

India is sick. Over the past few years, while infectious diseases have decreased, non-infectious diseases – chronic ones like hypertension, heart disease, and diabetes – have risen quickly, spawning alarm about lifestyles that contribute to the conditions.

There’s lots of stress in India because IT companies work into the night.

Tech startups joined in the effort. To help doctors monitor factors like diet and exercise that affect chronic diseases, there are tracking apps like HealthPlix and Diabeto. To monitor vital signs – a quick indicator when health’s taken a turn for the worse – there are startups like Medaino and Ten3T. However, these are all accessible through a device – either an app or a type of hardware.

Rajesh Mundra figured that something else was needed. To address lifestyle and chronic health issues in the country, his startup looked at a common symptom: stress. So the team bypassed the individual user and took the service to one of our most stressful environments – the workplace.

“There’s lots of stress in India because IT companies work into the night,” Rajesh, co-founder of Truworth Wellness, tells Tech in Asia.

See: Mental illness is an open secret in India. A startup bags a million bucks to fight it

The wellness game

Working with companies like Amazon, HP, and Intel, Truworth runs a wellness program within corporates, stressing that healthy employees mean more output for companies.

“Productivity is 40 percent down for a person sleeping five hours instead of seven,” Rajesh says.

A medical professional will conduct quarterly health screenings on employees, sending the information to doctors to analyze the information. Those physicians come back with a two-pronged health and wellness plan, taking into account physical and emotional health.

From there, it’s all about engagement, gamification, and keeping the employee on the plan. Colleagues can use Truworth’s online portal or app to track their progress, compete, and go on “fitness adventures.”

A person sleeping five hours instead of seven is 40 percent less productive.

In April, the startup will launch an updated “Wellness Corner,” where employees will be able to gain benefits for sticking to their health plan and cheering on their colleagues who are trying to do the same. Prizes will come in the form of a currency that workers can exchange for health products.

Founded by Rajesh, Rohit Chohan, and Rohit Mundra, the Jaipur-based startup is present in over 100 firms, servicing over 600,000 employees in India, the US, and Europe. The team is setting its sights on getting into more offices in the Middle East and Asia.

“Corporates have a very robust program,” he says. While apps that cater straight to customers can end up costing a lot of money in user acquisition, corporates come complete with money and a built-in community – not to mention some interest in health benefits.

See: In the heart disease capital of the world, a new wearable plays it close to the chest

Sticking to the plan

Truworth Wellness employs a team of 120 with offices in cities such as Jaipur, Mumbai, and Bangalore, including 40 doctors, nutritionists, and clinical psychologists who plan a patient’s diet practices and exercise.

The actual time commitment with each individual is kept quite light – besides the quarterly check-up, Truworth’s app aims for 10 to 20 minutes’ involvement from workers every day. It’s a preventative approach, and one that Rajesh stands by firmly as a solution to health and lifestyle problems.

Rajesh Mundra, founder and CEO of Truworth Wellness. Photo credit: Truworth Wellness.

“The current health system [in India] is not equipped,” he explains. “The most important thing is preventative health and wellness methods – disease management methods for these silent killers.”

The app also has an algorithm that helps employees manage their sleep, relationships, and overall emotional health.

In 2009, when the company first started, the approach was simple health screenings for companies. But telling people how to manage their lifestyles doesn’t work unless they actually do the work. Engagement became key.

And engagement remains a struggle – even now. “50 to 60 percent comply when they join a weight loss program,” Rajesh says. Truworth’s methods can work – he reports an average drop of three to four kilograms for half of participants. It’s the other half that Truworth continues to chase.

See: SXSW winner is building a 911 service app for India, promising help in under 10 mins

This post Stress is bad. So they took their wellness startup straight to the stress-filled workplace appeared first on Tech in Asia.

from Tech in Asia https://www.techinasia.com/truworth-wellness-for-corporates-like-amazon
via IFTTT