Stress management is more important than ever. Worldwide, employees are experiencing high levels of anxiety and stress, impacting their ability to focus on work. For example, one study surveyed HR decision makers at 650 companies and found 64% of their employees were experiencing reduced productivity and heightened stress due to the coronavirus pandemic.

During this time of crisis, employees must combat unprecedented levels of stress with strength and grace – just like highly trained military personnel do each day.

Charles River Analytics Inc started developing stress management solutions for the military seven years ago. For example, some of our research examines how stress impacts soldier health, job performance, and personal relationships.

In terms of performance, psychological fitness can be just as important as physical fitness. To promote psychological fitness, our SHIELD mobile app offers service members healthy responses to stressful events. This app guides them through personalized stress-reduction techniques, including yoga, muscle relaxation, and breathing exercises.

SHIELD uses a mobile app to engage and interact with the SHIELD program, accessing content, engaging in training exercises, and providing periodic self-assessment reports through an intuitive interface. (right: US Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Mary A. Andom)

Our RELAX mobile app uses cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) interventions to help veterans cope with anger. By properly managing post-deployment mental health issues, this app makes it easier for veterans to encounter daily stressors in a healthy and positive way.

Because modern warfare and disaster relief efforts have become so complex, the military asked us to develop new ways to keep service members alert and healthy. Our state-of-the-art DREEMS toolkit analyzes fatigue and other stressors that can negatively affect cognition and physical performance.

Soldiers resting before deployment. (US Army Photo by Petty Officer 2nd Class Kim Harris/licensed under CC BY 2.0)

At Charles River Analytics, we’re working with the military to create technology that gives people greater access to high-quality care and stress management techniques.