Fostering mentally healthy workplaces is top of mind for all employers, but actioning this across diverse workforces and in hybrid work environments poses a very real challenge.

Medline empower managers and minimise risk

Managing the priorities of keeping people safe at work, while also building psychologically safe workplaces, has caused a headache for many HR leaders who feel caught in a reactive cycle.

If employees are only talking to their managers about wellbeing issues when things reach a critical point, the impact on the workplace is more widely felt.

A proactive approach

With this in mind, taking a proactive approach to helping people take care of their wellbeing in a holistic and preventative way can have long-term benefits to our workforces.

For global healthcare company Medline, which has staff across manufacturing, warehouse, office and on-the-road work environments, this approach to supporting wellbeing was a puzzle to be solved.

HR Business Partner at Medline Alana Rodwell was determined to find a user-friendly option for workplace wellbeing:

“We’ve got around 300 people in our business nationally, and a very diverse workforce. For many, English is their second language. We looked to Sonder partly because of the multilingual service. It’s a massive opportunity to provide employees with a service where they can chat to somebody in their language, in a way that feels comfortable for them.”

A culture of care

While Medline had an existing culture of care, the legislation introduced in 2023 on psychosocial safety in the workplace prompted Alana and her team to look for a more meaningful way to deliver wellbeing support.

They wanted a solution that would help their people when they needed it most. Whether that was with an article on how to improve their confidence as a leader, access to medical information around the clock, or simply a way to check traffic conditions to ensure safer journeys out on the road.

“As a HR professional, when launching something, it can feel really overwhelming. What was nice about Sonder is that they made it really easy.”

Embracing change

Alana and the team were aware that getting people to use the technology would require some initial hand-holding.

To overcome this barrier, Medline selected senior leaders and members of the executive team to be early adopters and advocates for the new system, giving them early access to the platform with very practical, hands-on training.

This in turn empowered the managers in the business to advocate for the app within their own teams, so that people could see in real-time what the benefits of the platform could be.

“Sonder has helped ease manager pressure at Medline. It is another tool in their toolkit. It’s not the answer to everything that they have to deal with, but it is another place for them to go for support,” says Alana.

Complex wellbeing requirements

As Julia Bageski from Sonder points out, most individuals (75%) have three things impacting their wellbeing at any given time. For example, they might be struggling with poor sleep, stressed about finances or going through a rough patch in their relationships. These issues are often inextricably linked.

For Medline, the changing demographics of their workforce – with a growing number of parents of young children in their business – has also impacted the way their people are using the platform, and the type of care they were after. I.e. medical support late at night.

“Sonder data tells us that wellness is never just one dimensional. Many cases present with two or more issues, and more than half of our employees are contacting Sonder outside of business hours,” says Alana.

“Medical related queries are driving the most amount of Sonder usage currently. We know how hard it is to get into a GP. It can require time off work to go and see a doctor and if you’re under financial pressure, or you don’t have enough leave, that can be really difficult.”

Having a proactive approach means Mediline is empowering managers to minimise risk in their teams, and empowering their people and their families to live more fulfilling lives.

It’s a positive approach to managing workforce risk and wellbeing, designed for the complexity of employee requirements and experiences.