Why Raiffeisen chose Bliss
Raiffeisen has always invested in its people's wellbeing, but it had no in-house psychologists. Any internal option also risked a trust problem: would staff worry that opening up might reach their manager or affect their performance?
The bank wanted external, certified professionals, fully separate from managers, team leaders and HR. It also needed those professionals to speak its employees' language. Bliss was the only startup offering this support locally, in Albanian. Employees could talk to a licensed therapist or coach in the language they think and feel in, without the barrier of translating their inner life into English.
“It was a meeting of firsts. We were the first institution to introduce online therapy for our staff, and Bliss was the only startup that actually provides it.”
The impact
Demand proven in 10 days
Raiffeisen started with a pilot to hear directly from employees before committing further. Every session in the pilot allocation was booked within about 10 days. For both teams, that settled the question of whether staff wanted this support.
Employees reaching for bigger roles
The results went well beyond crisis care. Employees used their sessions to build confidence, sharpen assertiveness and work through doubts about their careers. Some went on to apply for more senior positions they had previously believed were out of reach. They credited therapy with giving them the confidence to step out of their comfort zone.
“We had people who went out of their comfort zone and applied for positions they thought they would not adapt to, just because therapy had given them the strength and the confidence to do so.”
From pilot to full agreement
The feedback was strong enough for Raiffeisen to move from pilot to a full agreement in less than a year. Bliss and the HR team track feedback through regular surveys and tailor the programme with webinars and workshops.
Built for enterprise trust
As an international bank, Raiffeisen operates under GDPR and strict banking regulation. Bliss went through full legal, compliance and cybersecurity due diligence, and supplied every document the bank required. The decision itself was fast, thanks to an HR team that championed the project from day one.
“You do not need to have a problem to go to therapy. This stigma has to end. Our staff should be heard by professionals so they can grow and feel more confident at work.”