Uprise AI employed to manage workplace stress

Artificial intelligence is now being used to manage stress and performance in the workplace.

Sydney start-up Uprise has developed an app-based wellness program that has been adopted by workplaces across Australia.

The program was developed with the assistance of a grant from Jobs for NSW.

“This great new app uses internet-delivered cognitive behavioural therapy (iCBT) to reach employees who are at risk of burnout,” said John Barilaro, Deputy Premier and Minister for Regional NSW, Small Business and Skills.

“An employee can complete a mental health checkup in one minute and is then offered a one-month digital program that teaches proven psychological skills to manage thinking, stress and behaviour.”

Each employee also gets a phone coach who is a trained psychologist that shows them how to use the skills.

“Over time the AI is becoming more intelligent so eventually the skills can be delivered without a coach — effectively as a fully automated chatbot,” said Barilaro.

Property group Lendlease has partnered with Uprise to support its Health and Wellbeing Framework and in 2015 took part in a pilot program which participants said provided them with practical tools to deal better with stress.

Since then approximately 220 people have participated in the program with a wider release expected this year.

Uprise recently won the Startup of the Year for Social Good at StartCon in Sydney and travelled to San Francisco in March to compete as a finalist on the global start-up stage.

Uprise Chief Executive Dr Jay Spence said that one in five Australian workers suffered from a mental health condition each year but only one in 20 accessed their workplace employee counselling program.

Image caption: Dr Jay Spence, founder of Uprise.

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