Launching Unmind #1: Virgin Media's compelling comms strategy

In September 2020, Virgin Media used a blend of internal and external communications to roll out Unmind to its 12,500 employees. Here’s how they inspired their teams to sign up to the platform and start proactively measuring, understanding and improving their mental health. 

Launch day is when the partnership begins. Our Client Success team of workplace mental health specialists work with organisations to identify and meet their wellbeing goals.

This series explores the ways we’ve worked with four of our clients to launch the Unmind platform to promote mental health within their organisations, from the initial splash to engagement campaigns and initiatives.

The first instalment shines a spotlight on how Virgin Media are driving platform uptake, boosting usage, and taking a whole-person approach to supporting mental wellbeing at work.

Clear and compelling comms

Connecting millions of homes and businesses across the country with TV, broadband and phones, Virgin Media is an organisation that needs no introduction. As a brand that values heartfelt and straight-up service, their Unmind launch comms needed to connect with their diverse workforce.  

Virgin used a combination of internal and external communications and open and inclusive language to ensure its workforce were aware of the partnership, and knew exactly how to sign up and use the platform.

Internal and external comms

In September 2020, Virgin Media launched Unmind. The team used a blend of internal and external communications to spread the message far and wide, and maximise sign-ups and engagement. Here are the channels they used:

• Internal newsletter – The partnership was revealed in Virgin Media’s newsletter which is sent to its entire workforce.
• Email from the CEO – Virgin Media’s CEO Lutz Schüler used his influence to share the message of the importance of proactively managing mental health and how employees can do so using Unmind.
• Video – Virgin Media also created a bespoke video aimed at its employees outlining why they’re launching Unmind and how to sign up.
• Social media – The Virgin Media LinkedIn page was used to share the video to maximise exposure.

Ongoing campaigns

Since the initial launch, Virgin Media have run regular activities to keep mental health a priority. For this, they use two key vehicles:

• Fortnightly focus – Every two weeks Virgin Media shine a spotlight on a specific wellbeing topic. Whether that’s sleep, or Unmind’s Plus One feature, which enables users to share the platform with a loved one.
• Quarterly campaigns – The organisation also runs larger-scale overarching campaigns on broader mental health topics.

Thanks to these initiatives, and the always-on support of the wellbeing leads, Virgin Media employees have really taken on to the platform. This we see in both usage and positive feedback.

Over 18% of all employees have already signed up, together engaging with more than 82,000 minutes of tools. Overall, 96% of Virgin Media users rated the experience good or excellent.

An ongoing campaign for cultural change

Read the full case study to see how M&S, Entain, and Nationwide also launched Unmind to promote mental health among their workplaces.

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To launch your proactive and preventative mental health strategy, book  a chat with one of our specialists today.