Health tech startup urges hospitality industry to prioritise staff mental wellbeing

Gabriel (L) & Andrei (R)

A health tech startup is calling on employers in the hospitality industry to make their employees’ mental wellbeing a priority this summer as lockdown measures relax.

Superpow! is an app and mental health startup which aims to reduce barriers to accessing quality therapy. Following the findings of a recent survey, they are now urging employers in the hospitality sector to ensure their staff have appropriate support available to cope with the pressures of re-opening following over 12 months of lockdowns and other Covid-19 countermeasures.

Superpow! was co-founded by two friends, Gabriel Birgaoanu and Andrei Stoica, who were motivated to create the app after experiencing their own mental health challenges as well as issues accessing culturally appropriate therapy services. Having spent a number of years working in roles within the hospitality industry, Andrei is also personally familiar with the pressures the environment brings and the impact this can have on employees’ wellbeing.

The online therapy platform recently ran a small survey for employees from within the hospitality sector, asking for their opinions around re-opening after the widespread shut down and restrictions for the sector over the past 12 months. More than 60% of people asked stated they felt anxious about the transition out of lockdown and going back to work, with 75% feeling their employer should do more to support their mental health.

Coupled with staff shortages within the sector, Andrei believes there is a danger of employee wellbeing being forgotten in the rush to re-open and start doing business again.

Andrei said:

“Working in hospitality can be demanding and stressful and now there are the added complications presented by Covid-19 and the increased likelihood of anxiety around the relaxing of lockdown measures. At this time of heightened pressure, mental health should be made a priority for the whole sector.”

Andrei believes their survey results are indicative of a sector in need of a wake-up call, so Superpow! are inviting any hospitality employers to get in touch and find out about their packages designed to make mental health support more affordable for their staff during this time.

“They may not be as celebrated as keyworkers have rightfully been, but staff in hotels, bars, restaurants, clubs and pubs still provide a valued and important service to millions of people in the UK. We believe it is crucial that employers take their staff’s wellbeing seriously and ensure they are offered access to suitable support for their mental health.”

Among other features, Superpow! enables its users to choose therapists from similar cultural backgrounds, if they wish. It also offers high levels of payment flexibility, not requiring users to subscribe for any length of time or number of sessions. For more information, please visit www.superpow.app.