As we bid farewell to 2023, it's time to reflect on the remarkable achievements we've made together at YuLife. This year has been a whirlwind of exciting developments, expanding our reach, enhancing our offerings, and making a positive impact on the lives of our employees and customers.If you've followed the YuLife blog or our LinkedIn page, you'll likely have heard about a lot of these activities and achievements already. But in case you missed anything, we thought we'd bring together the year's biggest highlights in one easy-to-read article. Read on as we walk you through the continuing adventures of YuLife in 2023.1. We launched Group Health InsuranceWe'll start with a biggie: This past Autumn, we officially unveiled YuLife Group Health Insurance. We've partnered with Bupa to provide access to 600 hospitals in the Bupa network, the most extensive mental health cover in the market, 24/7 virtual GP appointments, medication to people's doors, an AI symptom checker, outpatient consultations and treatment for eligible conditions, extensive cancer cover and more.This comprehensive plan provides employees with access to essential health and wellbeing benefits, further strengthening our commitment to promoting their overall well-being. And of course, we're applying the core elements of our offering to health insurance, including access to the game-like YuLife app — creating a product that supports employees’ health and wellbeing and encourages healthy lifestyle habits.2. We expanded to Japan and South AfricaIn 2022 we expanded our UK operation into the USA. This year, we broadened our global footprint further by launching our innovative app-based wellness program in Japan and South Africa. That means we're now active on four continents: Europe, North America, Africa and Asia!In the Spring, YuLife made its debut in Johannesburg, South Africa. YuLife South Africa’s policies are underwritten by Guardrisk Life, the largest life cell captive insurer in South Africa, and the market leader in tailored risk solutions. Herman Schoeman, CEO of Guardrisk Life, was quoted as saying that partnering with a forward-thinking company like YuLife, which shares their commitment to meeting customers’ needs, made good business sense.Then in Autumn, YuLife partnered with Dai-ichi Life Holdings Inc. to commence a pilot implementation of the YuLife Wellbeing Model in Japan. We believe the YuLife app, in particular, is perfectly suited to this audience thanks to its user-friendly interface aesthetic and use of charming and cute elements throughout, invoking the uniquely Japanese notion of 'Kawaii'. The YuLife app's gamified nature is also proving predictably popular in the country that brought the world video games by Nintendo, Sega and Sony.3. We made YuLife better than everWhile our core offering remains solid, there's always room for new features and innovations to help our partners and their employees get even more out of their YuLife memberships. For instance, in 2023 we launched YuScore, the first AI-powered health and wellbeing metric that helps businesses predict their risk profile and optimise their wellness strategies. This innovative tool demonstrates our commitment to using cutting-edge technology to enhance employee wellbeing.We also unveiled Yudoku, a brain game challenge that combines the benefits of Sudoku with mindfulness techniques to promote cognitive health and stress reduction. As they say — or as we say: "a puzzle a day keeps the brain fog away!". Doing regular, small puzzles helps to boost employees' brain power and keep their minds healthy and sharp. This engaging addition to our mental health offering further strengthens our commitment to empowering employees to take charge of their wellbeing.More recently, we've added some new UK grocery retailers to the YuLife app to make people's Christmas budgets stretch further than ever. Joining the list of our existing stores, M&S, Tesco, Sainsbury’s and Aldi, Brits can now use their YuCoin at Asda, Waitrose and Morrisons. And we've also levelled up our YuLife rewards with Xbox, allowing YuLifers to exchange YuCoin for vouchers to use on Xbox and Windows games and entertainment. At a business level, meanwhile, we achieved B-Corp certification in 2023, demonstrating our commitment to social and environmental responsibility. This recognition reflects our dedication to making a positive impact on the world beyond simply providing financial services.4. We led the conversation with our incredible eBooksIn 2023, we continued our drive to support businesses in understanding and addressing the challenges faced by their employees. As part of this effort, we released several informative books. Perhaps the most timely was our Cost of Living eBook, which highlighted the gap in perspectives between HR leaders and employees on this rapidly evolving situation. We also examined how this crisis was affecting business as a whole, in our landmark report on Financial Wellbeing and the Impact on Performance in the Workplace. This ebook delved deeply into the results thrown up by our YuLife Employee Health and Wellbeing Survey, held in partnership with YouGov.It wasn't all doom and gloom though in 2023, though. For our ebook Meet the CEOs, we asked seven CEOs of highly successful companies across different industries what they think are the most important leadership traits in this era of flexible work. Their answers made fascinating reading: download this great read today if you haven't already!5. We hosted webinars with world-famous namesAs another strand of our deep involvement with the business community, we organised a series of engaging online events, featuring renowned speakers like Dragon's Den's Steven Bartlett, Olympic swimmer Tom Daley and fitness guru Joe Wicks.These events provided valuable insights into leadership, resilience and the role of HR in promoting employee wellbeing. Many of these must-see events are still available to rewatch online, so don't miss out!Other highlights of 2023's webinars include our sessions with ex-HR director of the BBC Lucy Adams, men's coach and thought leader Ryan Parke, former CEO of Lloyd's of London and LGBTQ+ rights advocate Dame Inga Beale, and former global head of company culture at TikTok, Michal Oshman.As we embark on the next 12 months, 2024 looks like another hugely exciting year for YuLife. We've got big plans to make YuLife better than ever, and we're committed to continuing to innovate and make an even greater impact on the lives of those we serve. Together, we're enthused and motivated to work towards creating a world where employees are healthier, happier, and more engaged — leading to a more prosperous and fulfilling future for all. Basically…we can't wait!About YuLife.YuLife is working to reimagine the insurance industry by protecting lives, rewarding living and inspiring life. We’re on a mission to transform traditional insurance into a life-enhancing experience each employee will value and use daily. How does it work? Our award-winning app uses behavioural science and game mechanics to reward your people for living well while offering protection in case of crisis. And with our top-rated employee assistance programme, your team gets access to mental, financial and social support, virtual GPs, nutritionists, life coaches and more to help them live their best lives.Because we believe that your employees should benefit from their insurance from day one — and that wellbeing should be accessible every day, for everyone.Request a demo for your team today.