Fiit Rolls Out Corporate Wellness Package Tailored Towards Hybrid Working

  • Digital fitness platform Fiit launches scheme to help organisations in the UK and US support the health and wellbeing of their people, wherever they’re based 
  • Global accountancy firm EY, HSBC Global Graduates, Formula E and Mindful Chef are among the first wave of organisations to sign up 
  • US survey suggests just 2% of people working remotely over the last year would prefer to return to the office five days a week 
  • The launch follows news of measures to combat COVID-19 in England, which could see people told to work from home once again if cases rise too quickly 

LONDON, United Kingdom — As organisations adapt to the challenges of hybrid working, digital fitness platform Fiit has launched a new corporate wellness solution to keep employees active and engaged, no matter where they are based. 

The initiative, called Fiit for Work, is a digital-first employee benefit that the London-based company hopes will provide an innovative and gamified way for organisations to support the health and wellbeing of their people. 

Employees at US and UK companies that sign up will have access to over 900 on-demand workouts, ranging from HIIT and kettlebell classes to yoga and Pilates, via the Fiit app. 

Additional features include group classes, scheduled team workouts, training plans and a platform for businesses to host company-wide challenges that all employees can participate in. 

Fiit launches scheme to help organisations in the UK and US support the health and wellbeing of their people
Image: Fiit

Global accountancy firm EY, HSBC Global Graduates, Formula E and Mindful Chef are among the first wave of organisations to sign up while leading insurance company YuLife is further incentivising staff to get active via the scheme. 

YuLife is rewarding employees who complete a Fiit class with YuCoins that can be exchanged for bonuses and discounts from UK brands or given to select charities. 

Fellow UK insurance firm Vitality has also partnered with the app – this time in a B2C capacity – providing members with a six-month Fiit subscription and awarding them five Vitality points for every completed class. 

Creating team connection and team culture post-pandemic
Drawing on gamification mechanics to engage employees in health and wellbeing is nothing new. As of 2014, 62% of employers in the US were using similar techniques, with six in 10 employees noting it made a positive impact on their health. 

Chris Pinner, employee wellbeing specialist and Founder of Innerfit, believes Fiit’s partnerships with YuLife and Vitality are good examples of the innovation that will be required by HR teams post-pandemic. 

However, he told Welltodo, the new hybrid working landscape also presents two fundamental challenges: keeping people moving and teams physically connected. 

“Anything that helps people get more active is great, but how much will it bring teams together? The benefits that are on offer in the future might be quite individual. People might use schemes like Fiit it in an individual way rather than with their colleagues,” he said. 

Secondly, Pinner said, the challenge will be for Fiit and organisations to incentivise employees to move regularly throughout the day. “Lower back pain and musculoskeletal injuries are one of the top three reasons people take time off work long-term,” he explained. 

Fiit launches scheme to help organisations in the UK and US support the health and wellbeing of their people
Image: Fiit

Adding: “In a hybrid world, one of the greatest challenges will be creating that team connection and team culture. As we emerge from the pandemic, the priority will be on finding ways to inject regular movement into people’s days and to bring people together in person.”

Just 2% plan to return to the office full-time
Fiit’s corporate-focused scheme follows announcements of new measures to combat COVID-19 in England, where people could be told to work from home once again if cases rise too quickly. 

A recent survey by FlexJobs in the US also highlights the scale of the challenge facing organisations in the wake of the pandemic. Just 2% of people working remotely over the last year would prefer to return to the office five days a week. 

“Fiit for Work is the next step we are making to support companies in ensuring their workforce is happy, fully engaged and productive,” said Daniel Shellard, CEO of Fiit. 

“The pandemic has unearthed the need for companies to design and integrate adequate wellbeing programmes to support their workforce,” he continued. 

“Together with our partners and through Fiit for Work, we’re able to build on our already engaged community, growing and nurturing relationships to ensure a sense of community continues to exist within the workplace.”

Early adoption of the Fiit for Work scheme – presumably as a pilot test of the initiative – has been positive. EY reported that 40% of their employees used Fiit in the first 90 days, more than double the average gym use in the UK.