Can robots provide better mental health support to employees than people?
Can robots provide better mental health support to employees than people?
Robots are the solution to dealing with the global pressures on mental health, says new research carried out by Oracle and HR research firm Workplace Intelligence.
More than 12,000 employees, HR leaders, managers and senior executives across 11 countries were surveyed for the study on the impact of Covid-19 on levels of stress and anxiety, with the conclusion that “they prefer robots instead of other people to help”.
UK differences
In the UK, employees were found to be more resilient, with 62% saying they were feeling more stressed and anxious at work (compared with 70% internationally). 77% in the UK wanted more access to technology to support their mental health, with 69% being receptive to the idea of a robot therapist. Overall, however, UK staff were more sceptical about using AI to support mental health (60% were in favour, versus 75% globally).
Robots at work
The research suggests that staff are looking for more action by their employers on mental health – with technology being the easiest answer. 76% said they thought their company should be doing more to protect their mental health. 83% would like their company to provide technology to support their mental health: self-service access to health resources (36%), on-demand counselling services (35%), proactive health monitoring tools (35%), access to wellness or meditation apps (35%), and chatbots to answer health-related questions (28%).
Only 18% of people would prefer humans over robots to support their mental health, the study claims. This is because robots provide a judgement-free zone (said 34%), an unbiased outlet to share problems (30%), and quick answers to health-related questions (29%). 68% of people would prefer to talk to a robot over their manager about stress and anxiety at work; 80% of people are open to having a robot as a therapist or counsellor. 75% said the use of AI had already helped their mental health at work: providing the information needed to do their job more effectively, automating tasks and decreasing workload to prevent burnout.
People need people
EAPA chair Eugene Farrell said: “The increased demand for advice and support during the pandemic has led to more organisations introducing online support resources, Q&As, videos and podcasts around mental health . That’s been valuable in making sure everyone can have immediate access to a fundamental level of help and ideas, signposting them to the EAP if they want to speak with a human being or arrange personal, one-to-one counselling to explore issues in a more thoughtful, psychologically reassuring way.
“We’re in a world where automation is the norm. It’s a tool for completing tasks, whether that’s at work, for shopping or buying insurance. But it’s important that counselling and the principle of mental health support, is based on a core of human relationships and care. Who wants to open up about a psychological issue, struggling to find reassurance and sense of meaning, while knowing that they’re really only opening up to a blank space, an automated void?
“EAPs will always be about people helping people.”