For agricultural temporary foreign workers seeking to enhance their safety and health while employed in Canada, WorkWell is a mobile app that will educate them on their job safety and general health. Unlike other solutions, WorkWell delivers personalized, easily digestible content through interactive videos, audio clips, and engaging visuals tailored to each worker’s interests.
The Challenge
Temporary foreign workers from Mexico, Guatemala, and the Philippines often arrive with minimal knowledge of safety practices or their rights in Canada. Their risk of injury tends to be higher than that of local workers, and many do not advocate for themselves. With high illiteracy rates and confusing rules, it’s crucial that workers have clear and reliable information to stay safe and healthy on the job.
Why It Matters
WorkWell is crucial for:
- Preventing severe outcomes like involvement in human trafficking
- Reducing fears among workers about raising workplace issues.
- Ensuring access to proper medical care.
- Empowering workers to advocate for their well-being and that of their peers.
- Adapting to the higher standards of worker rights in Canada.
Process
Design Philosophy
We designed WorkWell to feel approachable and informal, steering clear of the sterile, bureaucratic vibe of government apps. With a minimalist, user-friendly design featuring a mix of grotesque sans serif for body text and contemporary serif for titles, the app balances authority with accessibility. We used fun illustrations instead of images to make it more interesting for the user without overwhelming them.
Functionality and Content Delivery
Our initial plan was to create short, social-media-style content snippets, but we ended up incorporating longer text formats due to the size and styling of the original content. Despite the trade-offs, going this way gave authors more freedom in creating content. Plus, the app breaks down material into easy-to-follow lessons, making it easier to learn and remember.
Authoring Experience
It’s important to have a smooth experience when creating good content. Our editor and auto-translate make creating content easy and inclusive, with support for languages like Spanish and English.
Preliminary Outcomes
WorkWell is in beta and people are loving it! Everyone is finding content that speaks to their own needs and experiences.
