3 Years of the "Boon Effect"

Jun 20

Co-Founder Alex Simmons

We first launched in May 2020 with a vision: to create the most accessible mental well-being platform for employees, emphasizing daily challenges over crisis intervention. Now, as we celebrate our 3-year anniversary, we've evolved significantly. We've learned a ton, shifted our business assumptions, and now collaborate with nearly 100 businesses across 20 countries, with more than 200 vetted and certified coaches on our platform.

As we continue to scale, here are five key learnings and predictions that will shape the future of Boon and the broader landscape of employee growth:

Personalization is EVERYTHING — Each employee is on their own journey, requiring tailored solutions for unique challenges. “One size fits all” solutions are a thing of the past. We've built a tech-enabled platform at Boon that leverages a very human-centric approach to personalizing experiences. Prediction: AI will never replace the value of 1:1 human interaction between a coach and client. However, AI will increasingly augment our human-centric coaching model, enhancing personalization and making a transformational impact.
We are craving human connection more than ever — With remote and hybrid work becoming the norm, people desire human connection more than ever. Safe spaces for open discussions about our personal and professional lives are vital. In my own day-to-day, I have a therapist and a coach that I work with consistently. I get a ton of value out of having non-judgmental third parties that I can turn to for support in my life. Prediction: As technology becomes more prevalent and self-care continues to destigmatize, this trend will only accelerate.
HR is the most under-staffed resource within an organization — As companies expect more from their HR and people teams, we consistently find most HR teams are under-resourced and overwhelmed, especially in rapidly scaling SMBs. HR leaders and Managers aren't formally trained to deal with employee issues like a professional, but they are expected to have all the answers. Prediction: As personal and professional growth become bigger organizational priorities, we anticipate a surge in the demand for external partners like Boon. These partners can provide specialized support, reduce the load on HR teams, and enhance employee experience. The role of HR will also evolve, becoming more strategic and less transactional, with a focus on leveraging partnerships to drive employee growth and well-being.
The intersection between personal and professional is more prevalent now than ever before — It's increasingly difficult to separate our work lives from our personal lives. Today, employees seek an integrated solution for personal and professional growth. Prediction: Personalization, as mentioned above, will play a crucial role in addressing this trend.
The "Boon Effect" is real — I was talking to one of our customers a few weeks ago and in the middle of the call, they said “I actually don’t know what we would do without Boon right now.” Our stats speak for themselves: high utilization rates, improved productivity, resilience, employee retention and overall culture. But the heart of Boon lies in the stories we hear, our service's virality across organizations, and our ability to truly integrate with HR teams. We call this the "Boon Effect." Prediction: This is a new term that we coined in 2023. We'll all know what the Boon Effect means a year from now :)

Looking back at our journey, I am filled with pride and gratitude for what we've accomplished thus far at Boon, and the team we've built to do so. We are still just scratching the surface and I've never been more optimistic about the opportunities that lie in front of us, and Boon's position in the market to take advantage of those opportunities.

Onward.