Wake-up Call: Why Pay for Benefits That You Already Have?

The appetite for preventative wellness benefits has surged, driven by a Millennial market that embraces self-care and an accelerated focus on wellness since the pandemic. It’s a tall order for employers scrambling to keep up with and satisfy the diverse needs of employees. At the same time, individuals have flocked to high-profile subscription services that offer a cornucopia of options, running the gamut from daily guided meditations and weight-loss coaches, to games designed to improve their mood. Layered with enticements to build subscriber relationships, these services all have one goal in mind . . . renewal.

In 2021, health and fitness verticals reported monthly subscription growth rates of 25% or more, according to a Bold Commerce survey of nearly 800 subscription brands. Stronger U markets a monthly $159 subscription that offers coaches who provide ongoing nutrition and lifestyle advice and recipes. That translates to almost $2,000 a year out of pocket for the subscriber. Noom provides virtual coaches who promote weight loss starting at $60 for the first month. In the same manner, dozens of on-demand mental health subscriptions are ready to connect you to a behavioral health coach. It begs the questions, what credentials does a “coach” provide, and why pay out of pocket?

Clearly there is demand for these services, but are these subscription programs the best answer . . . or do they just have the biggest promotional budget? How many of these individual subscribers are spending out of pocket for services included as part of their company’s wellness benefits? And how often are they paying for “coaches” when instead they could access elevated services—with professional, qualified clinicians—as a no-cost or low-cost alternative?

In many cases, employees simply don’t understand or aren’t aware of the benefits to which they are entitled. Meanwhile, companies are stuck cobbling together wellness programs and struggling to integrate multiple service providers while facing escalating costs. It’s enough to make an HR manager’s head spin.

Time to exhale. A preventative wellness evolution is happening, and Husk is leading the charge. We partner with organizations to make healthy easier by designing a sustainable framework for wellness that connects employees to their benefits and simplifies the task for employers by bringing everything together in a one-stop shop. Our contemporary model integrates nutrition, mental health and fitness wellness offerings designed to meet employees’ diverse needs and led by registered dietitians and licensed clinicians. We connect the dots for people and companies to achieve the lowest-cost, best-outcome and highest-value services available with the greatest ROI for the employer.