Mile Two increased benefits utilization by 5x with JOON’s flexible, card-connected LSA

Mile Two is a software development company that relies on hiring and retaining experts to help clients push the boundaries of innovation in complex and regulated industries. As HR leaders know, to get the best performance out of great talent, it’s important to give them space and support to flourish.

“Our work is at the cutting edge of technology, and we’re delivering value to organizations that are serving society,” explains Mark Fogel, Learning & Development Manager at Mile Two. To achieve success, Mile Two needs to “be a company where people feel valued, heard, and respected, both in their work and in their humanity.”

Using technology to solve for benefits

Like other forward-thinking employers, Mile Two surveys its workforce and adapts to feedback.

“We found that employees wanted gym membership discounts,” says Natalie Henningsen, HR Coordinator at Mile Two. “We needed an option that supported a remote workforce scattered across the U.S.”

The organization initially selected a wellness marketplace vendor to administer their benefits. While well-intentioned, their program ran into one of many common problems.

“We quickly found that the marketplace was too limited,” Henningsen recalls. “Many employees couldn’t go to their preferred gym because it wasn’t “in-network”, and covered gyms weren’t always within a reasonable distance from their home.”

So the company set out to find a more equitable solution that, like Mile Two, uses technology to push the boundaries of what’s possible.

They discovered JOON which offers a paradigm shift for benefits experiences, unlocking any vendor in the world within a designated category as eligible.

“Fringe benefits are often only accessible through time-consuming, multi-step processes,” says Henningsen. “But if you really want the program to benefit employees, it can’t be so complicated. The card-connection solution that JOON offers is key to driving participation.”

Beyond giving Mile Two’s workforce more freedom for gyms to choose from, JOON also enabled access to other categories.

“Employees use their JOON benefit for varying wellness expenses: gym memberships, mental health therapy, nutritional supplements, smart watches, running shoes, race fees, golf, and more,” Henningsen states proudly. “We have a Slack channel devoted to benefits, and it’s been cool to see employees share how they’re using their monthly JOON benefit.”

Increasing engagement by 5x without administrative burden

“Employees are far more engaged. We never had above 10% utilization with the other vendor,” says Henningsen.

Just months into their program with JOON, Mile Two has already achieved 50% monthly utilization thanks to the platform’s ease-of-use and flexibility. The administrative experience is no less seamless.

“I have very high expectations of the vendors we choose to work with, and JOON has not disappointed,” Henningsen says. “I don’t even remember implementation, and that’s a good thing! It was simple, and employees had few questions about setup. From an admin perspective, the month-to-month workload is minimal, and my questions are dealt with quickly and effectively.”