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At Breathe, being people-first isn’t a slogan. It’s how we make decisions, how we build our culture, and how we show up for each other every day.
We’ve always believed that when people feel supported, trusted and empowered, they do their best work. But we also know something else: modern work can make healthy habits harder than they should be.
Skip to:
- The reality of desk-based work on our health and wellbeing
- An employee wellbeing initiative that fits our culture
- Something our people champion themselves
- The habits (and humour) we've built along the way
- A wellbeing benefit that helps us feel better, and do better
- Why we're proud to keep investing in it
- FAQs
The reality of desk-based work on our health and wellbeing
Like many SaaS teams, our days can be busy, screen-heavy and, if we’re not careful, a bit too sedentary.
As our Product Manager Bethan puts it:
“Before YuLife, I find myself sitting down working in front of a computer all day. I was super guilty of perhaps working through a lunch break or having my lunch at my desk.”
This style of working can really take a toll on our mental wellbeing, physical health and work-life balance. Over time, a lack of movement and boundaries can quietly contribute to mental ill health, even when you're doing work you enjoy.
And sometimes even when you want to prioritise your mental health and wellbeing, life gets in the way, especially if you’re juggling family life too.
As Nisha from our team explains:
“I’ve always been quite health conscious, but I’ve been quite inconsistent. It’s really hard to find time to build that into your day-to-day.”
An employee wellbeing initiative that fits our culture (not the other way round)
We didn’t want an employee wellbeing initiative that felt forced, performative or like we were trying just to check off an employee engagement box. We wanted something that felt natural, and something people could pick up and use in a way that worked for them.
That’s why we introduced YuLife - a combined wellbeing and life insurance benefit app that turns healthy habits into real rewards. From walking and meditating to workouts and brain games, it helps build small, sustainable routines that boost mental health and physical wellbeing.
For every activity completed, you earn YuCoins - which can be donated to causes like planting trees and donating water, or used for personal treats and discounts.
It sounded like the perfect shift we needed to make wellbeing feel rewarding - and a great fit for our wider wellbeing strategy.
But what we didn’t expect was just how quickly this employee benefit would become part of day-to-day life at Breathe.
Something our people champion themselves
One of the best signs that a wellbeing initiative is genuinely valued is when you don't have to repeatedly encourage employees or send out reminders. At Breathe, YuLife has become a genuine conversation starter across teams, especially where we have employees working remotely.
Our Head of People describes it perfectly:
“It’s the first thing they talk about with our new starters. They naturally campaign and champion it internally. We don’t have to push it. From the leadership boards to the step challenge leadership boards, it’s naturally bringing peers that wouldn’t necessarily interact together. It’s a talking point and a really easy icebreaker.”
We've also seen it encourage managers to have more human, wellbeing-led conversations with their teams.
When wellbeing tools spark connection, motivation and a little bit of healthy competition like this, they naturally support things like retention and employee satisfaction too.
The habits (and humour) we've built along the way
YuLife has helped lots of us turn good intentions into real, repeatable habits.
Some people use it to build movement into the day, like our colleague Amy, who arrives early to get a walk in:
“I get to the office 30 minutes before I can even get into the office, because I actively go for a walk around the block.”
Others have found it supports recovery and consistency, like Dan, who used YuLife to track progress after a serious back injury:
“YuLife was a great way to monitor how I was coming back. It was really beneficial to my recovery.”
And yes, it can be a little addictive, in the best way. As Euan famously said:
“I spend more time on YuLife than I do WhatsApping my wife.”
A wellbeing benefit that helps us feel better, and do better
YuLife isn’t just about personal growth or workplace wellbeing. It’s also about shared purpose and momentum that leads to something even bigger. YuLife has helped us channel everyday actions into real-world impact.
Through YuCoins, our team has:
- Planted 293 trees
- Removed 6kg of plastic from the environment
- Donated 71,837 litres of clean water
- Shared 150 meals with communities in needs
It's a great example of what meaningful wellbeing programmes can look like - flexible, fun and beneficial for both employees and the world around them.
Why we're proud to keep investing in it
Putting people first means investing in the things that genuinely make a difference.
Because at Breathe, we’re not interested in tick-box benefits. We believe in supporting employee wellbeing in ways that actually work - whether that's improving physical health or protecting our team's mental wellbeing.
We’re interested in creating an inclusive culture where people feel good, do great work, and know they’re supported, every step of the way.
FAQs: YuLife and our wellbeing approach at Breathe
What is YuLife?
YuLife is an all-in-one employee benefit app we use at Breathe that brings health, wellbeing and life insurance into one single experience. It’s designed to make looking after yourself feel easy, engaging and relevant – whether through gentle nudges to move more, take breaks, or focus on emotional wellbeing. It’s a programme with real impact that lets our people turn healthy choices into something tangible like rewards or charitable giving.
How does YuLife support emotional wellbeing at Breathe?
Whether it's mindfulness, walking or just a little time away from the screen, YuLife encourages small actions that support emotional wellbeing - helping our people feel calmer, more balanced and better able to cope with the demands of modern work.
Does YuLife help with financial wellbeing too?
Yes. Life insurance provides important financial protection as part of our duty of care, and YuLife adds every value through rewards too. YuCoins can be exchanged for discounts and treats, offering small boosts to financial wellbeing. It's not a replacement for financial support, but it's a thoughtful extra that many of our team appreciate.
Why is work-life balance important in a people-first culture?
We believe that work-life balance isn't just a nice-to-have. It's essential for staff wellbeing and long-term success. Tools like YuLife help make space for balance, by encouraging movement, breaks and healthier daily rhythms.
How do workplace wellbeing and employee wellbeing link to performance management?
They're deeply connected. A culture that prioritises workplace and employee wellbeing creates the conditions people need to thrive - not just personally, but professionally too. When wellbeing is part of everyday life, people are more energised, more focused and more consistent in how they show up. That's why we see wellbeing as a core part of effective performance management.
YuLife's recent report backs this up. It exposes how burnout, presenteeism and delayed care are silently eroding performance and retention (especially in the tech sector).
What are other ways to build a strong wellbeing strategy and prioritise employee wellbeing?
Start by making wellbeing part of the everyday - not just something saved for awareness weeks. Regular 1:1s, clear absence tracking, recognition for a job well done and space for honest feedback all help build a culture where people feel supported. You might also offer training to your managers to help them lead with wellbeing in mind – our free wellbeing course for line managers is designed to support exactly that.
Employee Engagement
