HR.com has decided to take an analytical look at a new on-line source for behavioral health called lifescape.com.   By offering companies the chance to read an independent evaluation of the website, this HR.com product review will provide a guideline of its features and limitations so that the value of lifescape.com might be seen.  

Lifescape.com is a website that is accessible free-of-charge to anyone on the Internet.   Specializing in behavioral health information and support, the daily updated site deals with very current and relevant human resource topics that arise among employees in the workplace.   Although the depth of information is somewhat limited, the site deals with a wide variety of topics and often refers the users to a short blurb on the topic followed by longer articles and a reading list.

How does lifescape.com work and what does it offer?

The lifescape.com website offers general information, has medical experts answer incoming questions from readers, and presents much more on topics from A to V and everything in between: Assessments to Life Skills to Violence of the domestic sort.  

The topics covered are important to a cross-section of today´s society.   There is not an employee of today who wouldn´t be faced with some of the issues that are covered.   The following are just a few examples of the subject matter discussed on the website:   Everything from...

·               family matters such as child and adolescent development to individual matters such as the singles scene,

·               women´s issues such as menopause to children´s issues such as bedwetting,

·               and the general "anxiety and phobias" to the more specific "binge eating disorder".

The site also offers "Message Boards" where people can join a discussion on a topic such as childhood issues, marriage, or stress reduction, post tips, and seek advice.   Even if users have no desire to post their questions, concerns or frustrations on the site, they can still read both the technical information from the site´s experts and the input from other readers.   For example, after a scientific explanation of how stress affects our bodies and what can be done to help, several people posted their favourite ways to manage stress.  

The "Calculators" section of the site offers mechanisms to help users determine if certain aspects of their lives are healthy or practical.   Users can check out their caffeine intake or body mass index, for example.   After entering your height and weight, you are told whether or not you have a healthy BMI.   Upon being told that my BMI was healthy, I was directed to articles about accepting my body and not buying into the "looks are everything" ideal, just in case I wasn´t happy with my body type.   Regardless of what the outcome of the calculation is, the reader is not left without further reading to investigate.  

The "News and Views" section offers information on everything from the effects of chocolate to the effects of pot, and from older drivers to many other archived articles.   To see exactly what else is available on lifescape.com, check out the Site Map and the "A to Z" topics list.    

Applicability

The website developers use American authors and experts from within the behavioral health profession such as Dr. Mark Goulston, a specialist in life skills, to create the content for the site.   A group of experts from around the US belong to a professional advisory board, the purpose of which is to make certain that the information provided on lifescape.com is relevant, accurate, and useful.  

So what does this site offer HR professionals?   Well, the fact of the matter is that many workers are becoming "desk potatoes"-to borrow a term from the headlines of one of this week´s news stories-as we don´t get nearly enough exercise in a day.   We sit in our cars or on busses travelling to and from work, sit at our desks for a large part of the day, and then often sit at home, exhausted from our workday.   This lack of exercise is affecting companies´ bottom lines.   Studies and experiences from Canadian companies have shown that workers who are active and exercise throughout the week miss fewer days of work, experience higher productivity levels, file fewer grievances, and are generally happier in the workplace.   Satisfaction in the workplace is contagious, just as dissatisfaction is.   Which would you rather have in your company?  

Limitations

As is noted on the site, this is not the place to go for detailed medical information or advice.   Much like other websites that are free of charge to the user, there is not a great depth of information, although the breadth is quite good.   However, this reviewer thought that lifescape.com offers a good combination of scientific or technical knowledge with more general information, all in layman´s terms.   Information provided on the site is an easy read.  

Support

Lifescape.com provides an "Ask the Expert" feature in which questions for medical experts may be submitted.   They are then featured prominently on the site, in the "Special Features" section on the first page, for example, where users can read the question and a brief blurb on the answer.   The full answer is then just a mouse click away.  

Any questions for the company concerning the maintenance and operation of the site are directed to feedback[at]lifescape.com.   I found this assuring and felt that it offered some credibility.   Freebie sites often create skepticism, but this site is able to back its information with accountability.  

User Friendliness

The site is extremely simple to use and navigate.   I liked the inclusion of an index shown on every page entitled "Topics A to Z".   By clicking on this, users are provided with a subject listing almost two pages long of links to topics covered within the site.     A site map is also provided to enable readers to find what they are looking for very easily.    

Overall Evaluation

Lifescape.com covers topics that are concerns of today´s employees.   Easy to use and free of charge, it is a good site for human resource departments to make their employees aware of, whether it be for a research start of a particular behavioral health question or for general information on an employee´s, or an employee´s family´s, well-being.          

About the Company

Lifescape.com was developed by a management team of five professionals with experience in behavioral health, Internet communication, and business development.   Bios on each of the management team members is available on the site.   The information provided on lifescape.com is written by a variety of authors and experts, some of whom also have a bio on the site.   These bios offer resume type information about the contributors, building their credibility and validating their expertise for the readers.    

 For enlightenment on everything from addictions to vitamins, from career anxiety to work-life balance, discover www.lifescape.com and find helpful information to assist today´s employees.