MoodHacker helps employees track depression, as well as overcome it

MoodHacker is an app designed for companies to improve the wellbeing of their workforce, by giving employees tips to de-stress at the right moments.

Feeling out of control of mood swings is a bad thing for both personal health and overall happiness, but it can also lead to a drop in productivity, in which case it can also affect businesses. According to Mental Health America, mental illness and substance abuse directly cost employers an estimated USD 80 to 100 billion each year. While devices such as the Melon EEG headband are already helping to track mood fluctuations to help individuals work better, MoodHacker is an app designed for companies to improve the wellbeing of their workforce, by giving employees tips to de-stress at the right moments.

Developed by health technology firm ORCAS, the app was initially released to the public as a beta-version web app. Using techniques from Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and Positive Psychology, the service offered personalized tips to help anyone reduce the symptoms of depression through actionable tasks. Now, the company wants to work with businesses to deliver the app direct to workers through employee assistance programs.

Users log onto the service at the end of each day and rate their mood out of 10. They can also record the positive activities they've accomplished each day, whether it's exercising, a walk outdoors or even something as small as laughing with a friend. Based on this data, MoodHacker then recommends activities, articles and video that may be relevant to those who find themselves feeling down.

Although employees might be wary of handing over such sensitive data to a piece of software offered by their workplace, bosses can't see any of the information that staff provide, according to TechCrunch. However, they are given reports that provide anonymized mood trends and insight into their general workforce. Are there other ways to boost morale in the office?