Case Study: Central Michigan University achieves a data-driven culture of wellbeing with Personify Health

Using Data to Build a Culture of Wellbeing

Central Michigan University (CMU), a large public university with roughly 2,600 faculty and staff, set out to modernize its wellbeing efforts by shifting from a program-led approach to a culture-driven strategy. The key challenges were increasing employee participation and leadership buy-in, broadening focus beyond disease prevention, and proving long-term Value on Investment (VOI) across health, retention, performance and costs.

Partnering with Virgin Pulse, CMU applied a data-driven VOI framework, segmented participants by behavior and health metrics, and launched a high-engagement rollout that included leadership-led events and complimentary wearables. Outcomes included a 66% signup rate at launch, 12% lower healthcare claims for participants, an average $450 reduction in medical costs per additional 1,000 daily steps over two years, ~4,000 step increases among low-activity starters, and 85% of device recipients improving activity—demonstrating measurable wellbeing and business benefits.

Central Michigan University