The Perfect Wellness App for Millennials in The Gig Economy

We’re living in a fascinating time when it comes to work culture. More and more, millennials are abandoning the traditional 9-5 jobs their parents held and instead opting for the gig economy or freelancing.

While earning a living this way comes with amazing perks like choosing one’s own schedule, oftentimes, no options for group benefits or being self-employed can also leave workers vulnerable to life’s mishaps. Many millennials are doing rewarding work and creating lives that their parents could never have dreamed of – but they are also living without clear boundaries between work and relaxation. As a result, options for prioritizing health and wellness can often be put on the backburner.

Enter Manulife Vitality – the first technology-based wellness program of its kind in Canada, that caters to the gig-economy hustlers. Here are the hard facts: as we’re growing up, we’re also growing older and not always as healthy as we’d like to be. 60% of deaths worldwide are caused by lifestyle factors that are in our control – such as physical inactivity, smoking and excessive alcohol consumption – and I think I speak for most people in saying that no one wants to be ill or die from something they could’ve prevented. 

Thankfully, Manulife Vitality – available as an add-on for CoverMe health and dental plans -not only comes as part of a comprehensive individual insurance policy, but also helps members save money by encouraging healthier choices with the help of this web platform and app. How millennial of them: we do love our rewards. 

So how does it work? First, you sign up for Manulife Vitality as part of your CoverMe health and dental insurance plan. The Manulife Vitality app links to your smartphone or wearable device, and kicks off with a quiz that finds your “Vitality age”. Sure, there’s chronological age, the date on your birth certificate, and what you *sometimes* tell someone when they ask, but then there’s the age you really are. The age your body responds to, based on your eating habits, stress level, exercise routine, if you smoke, drink excessively, or have a family history of health ailments. 

Once you know your real age, the app will frequently communicate with you about your progress, and incentivize you along the way. Based on the healthy choices you continue to make, and how frequently you use the app, Manulife Vitality will offer you monetary rewards, such as Amazon gift cards and savings on policy premiums. The best part? No matter your health or fitness level, this program is for everyone. Based on their stats, members that use Manulife Vitality accomplish 40% more active days per week while using the app, and they engage with the program an average of 23 days a month. The long and short: it works. 

The program also rewards you with free health screening, fitness club discounts, hotel stays, as well as free or discounted wearable devices. The real reward is creating a healthy life for yourself and watching yourself get better by the day. Who doesn’t want that? 

So what are you waiting for? Start the journey to a healthier, happier life – and more rewards by clicking here to get started.