Currently, 80% of health claims are related to mental health, and the numbers are increasing. The COVID-19 pandemic has put the spotlight on the mental health of Quebecers, but it has also affected it. A young Quebec start-up, Nurau, wants to prevent before curing with its application.
Unknown, uncertainty, successive changes, closures and restrictions, workplace evolution, financial difficulties…a real explosive cocktail for many people, so much so that we can no longer deny the importance of integrating mental health into all our practices, including in the workplace.
It’s time for employers to integrate mental health
There are a lot of mental health issues out there and companies are not equipped. Society needs new solutions to address stress, anxiety and burnout.
Today, more than a quarter of Canadians are reportedly experiencing burnout. Employees who are not doing well lead to lower productivity and put pressure on a company, especially in the context of labour shortages. Companies have everything to gain by integrating mental health into their practices.
Nurau’s proactive approach allows companies to create healthier corporate environments, save on medical costs and increase productivity. Specifically, Nurau offers employees and managers 15-minute online mental health micro-training sessions with an expert with whom they can interact. By adopting the application, companies also show their employees that they care about their well-being, which is increasingly important for team cohesion and staff retention.
One ambition: to reach as many people as possible
Created in 2020 and launched in January 2021, Nurau has already convinced clients such as Ardene, BAM Strategy and Axxel-Bromelin, and is in discussions with Desjardins and the FTQ, among others.
What makes Nurau so successful is its accessibility, for companies of course but also for employees, the main users. The usage rate of the application is between 30% and 35%, while the usage rate of traditional employee support services is usually only between 1% and 3%.
The startup has also made a name for itself in the entrepreneurial world in recent months as it has won numerous awards and honours. In particular, it won first prize in the TechPreneur contest at the Technoparc Montréal organized by PME MTL Centre-Ouest and was named one of Startup Montréal’s 20 Revelations 2022.
Most recently, Nurau was selected by McGill University’s Dobson Centre for Entrepreneurship and Impact 200 to represent Canada at the Sustainable Day, two events held in New York City in late May at the Canadian Consulate and the United Nations. Finally, Nurau was selected this month to participate in the 9th cohort of the Esplanade Quebec’s Accelerate program.
But Nurau’s ambition does not stop there. The company hopes to reach 250,000 users by 2024. “We want Nurau to go global and we are already in discussions with insurance companies in the United States to establish ourselves there in two years,” adds Justin Lessard-Wajcer.