Two providers have teamed up to launch a group income protection (GIP) scheme that uses gamification to combat increasing workplace absenteeism.
The partnership, between employee benefits insurer MetLife UK and YuLife, a tech-driven provider, gives customers at MetLife UK access to a specially developed version of the YuLife app. The idea is that by gamifying wellness, people keep coming back, which enhances the value of the whole benefits package.
But the scheme “is more than just a wellness app embedded into an employee benefits offering”, the providers said, adding that employee engagement with the app comes ahead of other early intervention services.
Daily engagement
Employees will be encouraged to engage with mental and physical wellbeing activities every day via the app, which has been designed to complement MetLife’s existing early intervention tools, clinical rehabilitation, and proactive absence management support.
The launch comes as workplace absenteeism has reached an all-time high.
Research from the CIPD found that in 2023, UK employees were absent on average 7.8 days per year.
UK rates of sickness absence and ill health have increased in recent years, with a record 185.6 million working days lost to sickness or injury in 2022.
This dramatic rise in staff absences, particularly post-Covid, can be attributed in part to increasingly poor mental and physical health, with employee burnout and reduced productivity a particular concern for employers. The situation has been exacerbated as people struggle to access timely NHS care.
Shrinking workforce risk
The providers warned that unless this trend is addressed, the UK risks a shrinking workforce. There are now nearly 2.5m adults of working age on long-term sick leave, something the partnership aims to address by setting a new standard for GIP policies.
The vast majority (87 percent) of YuLife users have reported an improved level of wellbeing from better access to its tools, which promote long-term employee health and productivity.
Employee engagement is encouraged with incentives for employees to take control of their health from their first day of work, improving productivity and ultimately reducing sickness absences.
Digital transformation
Dominic Grinstead, CEO of MetLife UK, said: “We are thrilled to be deepening our partnership with YuLife. We believe the integration of a unique gamification element around our GIP product will enhance employee wellbeing and empower employers to ‘keep work working’.
“Our existing partnership with YuLife for group life insurance has already shown successful outcomes, motivating us to extend our partnership into GIP. Together, we are creating a highly valued business tool that is designed to enhance productivity and mitigates the risk of long-term absence.
“This unique offering is more than just a wellness app embedded into an employee benefit offering. It’s the start of a digital transformation of insurance. By gamifying wellness, it brings all the benefits of this employee benefit package forward, ultimately preventing absence and reducing the risk of having to make a claim. The benefits of this app come ahead of other early intervention services – we are innovating the insurance ecosystem with pre-early intervention.”
Early prevention
Sammy Rubin, CEO and founder at YuLife, said: “Partnering with MetLife UK represents a significant step forward in our mission to transform financial services into a force for good.
“Early prevention starts with healthy habits, and by combining our award-winning gamified technology with MetLife’s intervention and rehabilitation services, we are creating a proposition that helps employees take proactive steps to mitigate potential health issues, delivering a truly preventative solution.
“We are ensuring that employees are not only protected but are also motivated to enhance their wellbeing, setting a new standard for Group Income Protection by focusing on better outcomes as a result of prevention, early intervention, and rehabilitation support.”
