London Tech Week: Rethinkly Unveils Top Ways the Metaverse and Technology Can Foster Staff Wellbeing

From promoting autonomy, inclusivity and employee engagement – the platform used in several NHS Trusts and IBM offers a unique approach transforming employee wellbeing at work

London Tech Week has returned for its 10th year bringing together industry experts and entrepreneurs in the industry from across the world. It goes without saying that technology has changed the dynamic of the workplace, streamlining operations, increasing scalable solutions and improving communication. In light of the annual event, the leading visualisation platform using virtual technology to resolve workplace communication issues, Rethinkly, discuss how their unique technology is being used to revolutionise the workplace experience, creating environments that prioritise employee wellbeing and mental health.

Findings from their latest national survey found that over one in five (22%) UK employees say that verbal communication with bosses and peers is the hardest part of the job, with just under a third (28%) saying that this inability to communicate has the largest impact on productivity. To this end, Rethinkly’s platform – which is currently used in multiple NHS Trusts and in IBM – is leveraging unique technology to change how mental health and wellbeing are approached in the modern-day workplace.

Virtual Collaboration Spaces
Rethinkly’s metaverse platform creates a virtual world for multiple staff members to enter and visually create a scenario – either one that has already happened or one in the future. For example, a large project or team task. The benefit of the software is that it transcends physical limitations so team leaders can demonstrate exactly how they want this project to unfold. These immersive environments allow employees to connect, communicate, and collaborate seamlessly, regardless of their geographical locations. By fostering a sense of presence and inclusion, virtual collaboration spaces promote teamwork, social interaction, and effective decision-making.

HR: Mindfulness and Wellbeing Applications
Rethinkly empowers organisations to integrate mindfulness and wellbeing practices into their digital ecosystems. Already used in NHS Trusts for mental health treatment and educational settings, the software enables perspective-taking, offers guided exercises and fosters clear communication in situations where speech is hindered. These tools help reduce stress, enhance mental clarity, and support overall employee wellbeing, contributing to a healthier and more productive workforce.

Professional Development and Learning
The metaverse provides a unique opportunity for organisations to offer engaging and interactive professional development and learning experiences. Traditional coaching can cost hundreds of pounds per hour and is limited to executive-level employees. In light of this, Rethinkly enables businesses to implement company-wide coaching programmes as all employees need is an internet connection to log onto the platform. From here they are led by an expert who guides them through particular exercises, whether that be a team-building activity or a session to assess employee sentiment surrounding company culture.

Prioritising Diversity and Inclusion
By communicating in a virtual space where neutral avatars are used to express and convey feelings, all real-world inferences are removed. Allowing for communication where two individuals are not discriminated by any differences, individuals or groups who are marginalised at work can use Rethinkly as a safe space to discuss a scenario that has impacted them. This comes as Rethinkly’s survey unveiled that 36% of the UK’s ethnic minority workforce feel they have no voice in the workplace. The use of visualisation can help ethnic minorities depict their struggles and the challenges they face to managers and peers and give them the autonomy to address how they should be treated and supported, all while being anonymous.

Andrew Jackson, co-founder at Rethinkly comments:

“We think about the metaverse as a new way of thinking about the digital world – where people come together and interact in ways which improve their communications, their relationships and their wellbeing. Our work in mental health settings and with young people gives us hope – that tech can be used for good, helping people build the skills we need to thrive and prosper.

“The metaverse is a space and place you can visit. This ability to drop into a Rethinkly world and start to visualise and process what is happening to you unlocks possibilities that you couldn’t get just by “thinking” or “listening”. The brain works predominantly visually, so by giving people a visual tool that is 3D and has space and context, the process is more powerful. Our work in mental health settings and with young people showed that tech can be used for good. Helping people build the skills in the digital world we need to thrive and prosper in the real world.