📌 TL; DR
Mental wellbeing initiatives often fail not because of technology, but because of a lack of use. Because real participation does not come from app features, but from trust, relevance and professional communication.
On average, mentalport achieves a Utilization rate of over 85% - because the approach is systemic, data-based and suitable for everyday use.
Instead of selective measures, mentalport delivers a intelligent operating system for mental health: with minimally invasive coaching, legally compliant GBU psychology, smart reporting and an integrated communication strategy.
The result: fewer absences, higher psychological security, better leadership and tangible savings.
Anyone who thinks mental wellbeing is an “add-on” is missing the lever. Anyone who relies on mentalport gains sustainability.
Mental health is no longer a side issue. In times of shortage of skilled workers, increasing absenteeism and growing pressure to innovate, more and more companies are recognizing that the mental state of their workforce is a key success factor. The willingness to invest in appropriate programs is increasing — whether in the form of workshops, coaching offers or legally binding measures such as psychological risk assessment (GBU Psyche).
In practice, however, the picture is always sobering: Despite good concepts and high investments, there is no participation or impact. The offers do not reach employees — or even generate resistance. Why Because mental health doesn't work in organizations if employees don't feel seen, safe and meant.
It is not about guilt or lack of insight. Rather, many initiatives fail because they treat mental health like a tool — and not as what it is: a deeply human issue that requires trust, relevance, and systemic thinking. This is exactly where operational health management is separated from strategic.
Because it is clear: Without participation, there is no effect — and without effect, no justification vis-à-vis stakeholders, management or works council. If you don't actively shape participation, you lose time, budget and credibility. On the other hand, anyone who systematically optimizes for participation can not only meet legal requirements, but also enable real transformation.
Practice shows that participation occurs where three key requirements are met — and consistently.
First: anonymity that is not only promised but also noticeable. Employees only participate if they can be sure that their data is protected — and if the separation of HR, management and individual evaluation is credibly mediated. mentalport meets this requirement with a consistently GDPR-compliant, pseudonymized process and a clear communication concept.
Second: tangible, individual benefits. No one just wants to provide data. What counts is personal feedback that helps to reflect on your own everyday life — including specific recommendations, micro-training and access to your own systemic coach. It is precisely the interplay of professional and private contexts that makes the use relevant to everyday life for many employees.
Thirdly, communication that motivates rather than controls. At mentalport, psychologists, UX experts and communication professionals work to ensure that employees experience the offer not as control but as support. The systemic coach is perceived as support, not as a digital monitoring tool.
An additional lever: Monetary reward systems for active participation — in particular via tax-optimized wage benefits. Companies that work with mentalport can incentivize voluntary participation through targeted benefits that neither affect the company's liquidity nor trigger debates of envy. At the same time, these pay components strengthen individual appreciation and psychological security: “Your commitment counts — not your name. ”
This system is not a random product. It is the result of targeted research and countless practical projects. And it is the reason why mentalport and its partner companies regularly achieve participation rates of over 80% — in some cases even significantly higher.
In recent years, many companies have introduced so-called Employee Assistance Programs (EAP) — often as a hotline, brochure or on call. These models, which we now call “EAP 1.0,” follow a reactive understanding: Support only comes into play when employees actively seek help. What began as a good intention often ends in ineffectiveness.
The figures speak for themselves: Less than 2% of employees actively use traditional EAP offers. The inhibition threshold is high, the benefits unclear, and integration into everyday life does not exist. But above all: The programs appear isolated and generate little trust, as they are often operated by external hotlines or anonymous platforms whose quality employees cannot assess.
EAP 3.0 — as is reality with mentalport — fundamentally reverses the perspective: People don't have to actively seek help. The organization creates an intelligent, continuous learning system that proactively recognizes when help is useful — and offers it immediately. The support process doesn't just start at the time of the crisis, but much earlier: based on mood patterns, biofeedback signals and psychologically based check-ins.
Each team member has access to a systemic coach — directly in the app. No applications, no hurdle, no sense of control — but an empathetic, AI-supported companion who reflects, provides inspiration and strengthens the dialogue with themselves. This coach recognizes when topics are on the agenda and makes individual recommendations without the person having to take action themselves.
There are also educational formats, micro-trainings, biofeedback evaluations and regular reflection exercises that promote psychological safety and anchor healthy behavior in everyday life. Companies can use the platform to import targeted measures, make recommendations and actively support the mental climate — based on anonymized, aggregated findings.
The result is a system that not only reacts, but also designs: culturally strengthening, evidence-based and with minimal effort for HR or managers.
An industrial company with 420 employees working in shifts, which would like to remain anonymous for now. As part of GBU Psyche, they wanted to introduce a digital offering to promote mental health. Previous initiatives had failed — the response rate was less than 30%, the works council was skeptical, the HR department consisting of two people was overburdened.
With mentalport, a different path was chosen. The introduction was planned together with managers and the works council. Communication was multi-level, low-threshold and clearly understandable. Each employee was given access to the app, which not only carried out the GBU, but also provided personalized recommendations, exercises and coaching.
The result: a response rate of 91%. Over 75% of employees continued to use the app even after completing the GBU — an average of nine minutes a week. Particularly remarkable: Acceptance was high even in traditionally skeptical departments such as production and administration. Employees were positive about the low threshold and confidentiality.
The works council finally made an unconditional recommendation for continuation. HR experienced significantly fewer inquiries and relieved the burden of organising measures. Management received a dashboard with anonymized evaluations and was able to invest specifically in teams with increased support requirements. Involvement that works — because it is intentional, not forced.
One of the most frequently underestimated hurdles when implementing participation processes is internal communication. It is not the technical implementation that determines response rates and acceptance — but the question of how the measure is explained, classified and emotionally conveyed.
In the sensitive field of mental health in particular, perception is decisive: Only when employees understand why they should participate, what happens with their data and what benefits they personally have do they create trust and genuine involvement. These messages must be communicated precisely, multi-stage, low-threshold and credibly — ideally from within the company, but with the psychological and editorial expertise of a specialized partner.
That is why mentalport takes care of all accompanying communication — from initial announcement to follow-up. Our experienced communication experts work hand in hand with HR, executives and works councils and bring a tried and tested, finely balanced communication dramaturgy:
The aim is not only to send information, but to generate resonance — emotional, understandable and credible. And also build up the necessary trust. We explain the benefits, ensure anonymity transparently, actively involve managers and ensure that everyone feels addressed — not taught or ignored.
Communication is therefore not the task of internal departments, but an integrated service — in terms of content, technical and operational.
This relief is not only efficient, but also demonstrably increases the probability of success. In our projects, the average response rate is over 85% — even in complex, decentralized organizations. Because participation starts with trust — and trust comes from professional communication.
An effective participation system therefore does not start with a tool, but with the right narrative.
Many platforms promise digital solutions for mental health — but they usually stop at tools. mentalport, on the other hand, thinks systemically: People are not viewed in isolation, but understood in their professional, private and organizational context.
This approach is crucial. Because mental health is not achieved through apps, but through effective processes that build trust, create security and enable concrete changes in behavior. This is exactly where mentalport's strength lies: The app is not an end in itself, but a door opener — for genuine participation, continuous reflection and sustainable change.
In a working world in which psychological stress is increasing, skilled workers are difficult to find and teams are under constant tension, the use of health-promoting offers is becoming a key success factor. But real use means more than a completed questionnaire — it stands for the actual commitment of employees to engage in an offer that appears relevant, effective and trustworthy.
Studies show that companies with a high level of participation in mental health services not only have fewer absences, but also higher productivity, lower turnover and greater innovative capacity. But the key lies in the quality of the system — and this is exactly where mentalport comes in.
With a unique combination of technology, systemic coaching logic, data-based process management and intelligent communication, it is possible to overcome barriers of use and establish healthy routines.
Because high usage rates are no accident. They are the result of a well-thought-out design based on psychological safety and real benefits — strategically developed, repeatedly tested and validated in practice.
Anyone who recognizes this potential does not opt for another tool — but for a systemic lever that has an effect.
High usage doesn't just happen — it's the result of well-thought-out processes, professional communication and real benefits for employees. This is exactly where mentalport comes in: as a partner that not only provides tools, but also enables behavioral change and health-promoting structures.
Our experience shows that when health-related measures are professionally designed and communicated, they not only have an effect — they are also accepted and integrated. The result: reduced absenteeism, stronger commitment, higher satisfaction and long-term relief for the organization.
Anyone who invests in healthy use today is laying the foundation for tomorrow: for productive, resilient teams and a strong corporate culture. And that is exactly why mentalport is not an add-on — but a central component of modern corporate management.
Healthy use is not a “nice to have.” It is the strategic goal of modern healthcare systems — and the most visible proof that it works.
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