H&B&Me Colleague Wellbeing Study
How can a workplace wellbeing app drive real improvements in sleep, stress and motivation?
We evaluated the H&B&Me app with H&B colleagues over 12 weeks, revealing significant wellbeing gains and behavioural insights to guide product development.
Services Provided
Research & Evaluation
Behavioural Insights Generation
Mixed-Methods Study Design
Behaviour Change Measurement (COM-B)
Digital Health Evaluation
Challenge
Holland & Barrett wanted to understand how their H&B&Me wellbeing app could support staff with improving sleep, nutrition, physical activity and emotional wellbeing.
While the app had strong content, the organisation lacked evidence on:
engagement patterns among new users
changes in health and wellbeing over time
the behavioural barriers staff were facing
which features were most useful for sustained engagement
whether the programme had measurable wellbeing benefits
H&B needed a robust evaluation to assess early impact, identify areas for improvement, and build a deeper understanding of staff needs.
Our Approach
We designed and delivered a 12-week mixed-methods evaluation, tailored to a workplace population with varying levels of digital-health experience. Key elements of our approach:
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Baseline, Week 3, Week 6, Week 9 and Week 12 data collection
Validated measures of wellbeing, stress, sleep quality and self-rated health
Behavioural indicators mapped to four health domains
COM-B–based barrier assessment to understand what helped or hindered staff engagement
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We monitored:
frequency of app engagement
progress toward wellbeing goals
self-reported behavioural changes
motivation, confidence and capability levels over time
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Using a validated COM-B questionnaire adapted to this population, we identified:
key motivational drivers
environmental influences
emotional and automatic processes
behavioural barriers affecting continued app use
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Findings were summarised into a clear, accessible insights report, providing:
early indicators of programme impact
strengths of the digital experience
areas for product refinement
recommendations to improve ongoing engagement
Solution Delivered
We delivered a comprehensive evaluation package including:
A detailed analysis of staff health and wellbeing outcomes
COM-B barrier and facilitator profiles
Behavioural insights across sleep, nutrition, physical activity and emotional wellbeing
Clear recommendations for improving digital content and engagement strategies
A set of practical behaviourally informed suggestions for next-phase product development
A concise leadership summary with actionable guidance
Impact
The evaluation demonstrated meaningful early outcomes for staff, including:
Significant improvements in wellbeing indicators
life satisfaction
feelings of life being worthwhile
happiness
self-rated health
Reduction in stress levels
Strong improvement in sleep quality
Behaviourally:
Engagement frequency increased across all health areas
Motivation showed measurable improvement, particularly automatic motivation (habitual and emotional drivers)
Participants reported greater clarity on their goals and stronger confidence in their ability to take small, achievable steps
Workplace wellbeing outcomes remained stable, which is typical for short-term interventions focused on individual behaviour rather than organisational change.
These findings helped H&B understand how staff use the app, where they see value, and what could support sustained engagement.
Feedback Received
“The evaluation helped us understand how our colleagues engage with the app and what makes the biggest difference to wellbeing.”
“Clear, accessible reporting with insights we can use right away.”
“The behavioural findings have been invaluable for planning our next phase.”