Generative AI and behavioural data are driving new healthtech developments, enabling providers to offer more personalised support for mental, physical, and financial wellbeing. But as cost pressures grow and employee benefit spending comes under greater scrutiny, these propositions must prove their value in clear, measurable terms.
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At a recent Corporate Adviser roundtable, benefit consultants and advisers discussed the challenges of proving ROI and driving engagement for wellbeing solutions — including the one offered by YuLife.
Participants discussed the necessary changes in adviser and distribution models to overcome cost pressures and accelerate adoption. The conversation highlighted how shifting to prevention-focused strategies can deliver greater value for employers and employees.
Return on investment
The importance of demonstrating a return on investment (ROI) was a key theme throughout the discussion, with advisers pointing out that cost remains an issue for employers, particularly given persistently high inflation and the recent increase in their national insurance contributions.
Consultants at the event said that as a result employers are increasingly focused on measurable results. Advisers liked the holistic approach to employee wellbeing that YuLife offers, and said its use of gamification techniques was popular with HR managers. But they added that those who control benefits budgets also want clear proof that investment into these wellbeing platforms and products can lead to real savings or productivity gains — and some advisers said this has not always been delivered to date.
Barnett Waddingham associate & consulting lead Kevin O’Neill said: “At the moment, this return on investment piece is the key thing that employers are asking when we talk to them about Yulife.
“So they say, what am I going to get for this? What can you show me? What sort of savings am I going to get in terms of my premium, or is it actually going to impact the health of my workforce?”
O’Neill noted that uptake of Yulife had been slower than anticipated, not due to lack of enthusiasm, but because of these wider economic pressures. “Employers have competing worries, such as the recent National Insurance rise, which has made some reconsider the benefits they offer. At the moment cost is front of mind.”
WTW associate director Beth Husted echoed this view: “The Yulife proposition is strong, but affordability is a real question. Right now, it’s often seen as a ‘nice to have’ rather than essential.”
This tension between delivering longer-term value and controlling current costs remains a potential barrier at present. O’Neill said: “It depends on who holds the purse strings in the organisation. We have conversations with HR people and they love this sort of thing, but when it comes down to the people that need to sign off on the budget, there’s someone that wants to see what the return on investment is.”
Brown & Brown head of employee benefits Ellie Sultana said more data-focused conversations can help address some of these inherent tensions. She said: “I start by looking at the top causes of absence, then assess what’s already in place and where the gaps lie. For example, one client had MetLife cover but hadn’t been fully briefed on it. When I showed them that they had a significant population of high-risk over-50 males, the conversation shifted dramatically.”
Sultana also argued that these cost challenges can be reframed as opportunities: “The rise in costs shouldn’t be the problem; it should be the reason to start the conversation.”
Price versus value
Secondsight head of corporate health & wellbeing Charlotte Towne emphasised the importance of framing the conversation around value rather than price.
She said: “My conversation is about value. Yes, you’ve spent £2 million, but if that’s what absence is costing you, then this £25,000 intervention could save you 5 per cent. That’s how I position it. Because that’s what they care about: productivity, cost, and sustainability.”
Towergate head of sales and retention Joseph Martin agreed that value is critical. He said key to this has been changing how the firm presents wellbeing products like YuLife’s to managing director, financial directors or HR professionals.
He said: “We started selling it as a standalone proposition. Then we asked our consultants to flip the conversation, to treat the employer like an employee. “ Many then have a ‘eureka’ moment, understanding how beneficial this could be. “Suddenly they’re saying, ‘I like walking, I like meditation’, and the value becomes personal.”
He added that this can lay the groundwork for a more meaningful discussion about ROI. “Once they’re engaged, you bring in the data. When you show them the return on investment, the numbers land. It becomes about more than just health, it’s about culture, performance, and long-term impact.”
Despite this, education and understanding of wellbeing services remain a hurdle in some parts of the advisory sector and this can impact how employers perceive the value of these various products being sold as add-ons to group protection and healthcare policies.
Lockton senior consultant & consulting team lead Jamie Tuffield said that it takes time for a broker or adviser to fully get to grips with how wellbeing propositions like YuLife work and how they can benefit different employers.
YuLife acknowledged that this has been part of the reason for the relatively slow uptake over the past six years. To address education gaps the insurer has worked closely with a number of key advisory firms, offering in-depth training and even attending joint pitches to clients.
But those at the event agreed that this incremental, organic growth would not be enough to scale adoption rapidly. There was discussion about whether a different approach was needed, with these wellbeing solutions more fully embedded as part of an insurance or healthcare products. Some advisers said this may prove more popular with employers, particularly if this resulted in a better claims record and consequently lower premiums.
YuLife said it is looking to build closer partnerships with insurers and reinsurers, potentially embedding the solution into existing policies.
Advisers were positive about this development, particularly if this meant that there wasn’t any additional upfront cost for employers. YuLife’s chief revenue officer Keith Bale said: “It might require a rethink of the cost model. We can dial up gamification or dial down rewards, since that’s what drives cost. If we get usage, we get faster distribution without upfront cost to employers, and that gives us a much quicker win-win.”
Engagement, while less tangible than financial ROI, surfaced as a powerful secondary metric for employers under pressure to prove the value of wellbeing spend. Visible employee take-up is increasingly seen as a proxy for wellbeing programme success and future value.
YuLife lead data scientist John Ronayne said this shift reflects how employers themselves interpret value not just in terms of cost savings, but through visible engagement. “We understood early on that employers were the ones we needed to convince, because they’re the buyers. What they want to see is: what’s the benefit to us?”
He explained that while some decision-makers may not immediately grasp the link between wellbeing support and workforce outcomes, seeing employees actively engage with the platform helps shift perceptions. “They see there’s a part of the employee base who enjoy this… and they’re promoting it. So they say, ‘Okay, well, they’re happy with it, maybe we’ll keep it.’”
Prevention
Perhaps the strongest case for wellbeing platforms lies in prevention. With mental health claims rising and EAPs often under-utilised, the logic is clear: investing in upstream wellbeing can reduce costly downstream claims.
Husted pointed out a recent trend: “We’re seeing more ‘just-in-time’ mental health claims being declined due to environmental factors. Many organisations have EAPs in place, but they’re often a tick-box exercise with low engagement. When we promote these properly, engagement can jump from 6-8 per cent to 20-25 per cent. That’s meaningful, and that’s where real ROI can come from, by preventing claims before they occur.”
This preventative focus requires a cultural shift, with employers and insurers alike needing to move from reactive to proactive models of workforce health.
Next steps
The roundtable revealed growing admiration for YuLife’s approach but also significant adoption barriers, with cost remaining a key concern. Finance teams want data, advisers need support, and employers require low-friction ways to trial new solutions.
But momentum appears to be building. The gamification and reward techniques used by YuLife could move from being a ‘nice-to-have’ to an essential part of many group risk and healthcare products, particularly when supported by AI tools to deliver better outcomes. To achieve this, those at the event said there needs to be improvements in distribution, with focus on engagement as a key sign of value, and a shift towards a long-term prevention strategy. According to some delegates, the question may no longer be if employers will embrace this approach, but when and how quickly.