How VGD Links Well-Being to Measurable Human Performance

VGD Accountants

From community engagement to strategic human performance

Context

VGD Accountants is a fast-growing accounting and consulting firm with multiple offices across Belgium. Like many professional services organizations, it faces growing pressure on focus, energy and collaboration.

Wellbeing was not a new topic within the organization. The real question was: how can we make it more relevant, more personal and more measurable?

The challenge

VGD was looking for more than isolated initiatives. They wanted a way to:

• Actively engage employees in their own wellbeing
• Make digital guidance accessible to everyone
• Gain clear insight into engagement across different offices

The ambition was clear: wellbeing should not remain an HR initiative, but become a shared responsibility throughout the organization.

The approach

1. Start with Community & Engagement

The initial focus was on launching the community platform and engagement campaigns.

Based on current usage data, we see:

• 470 activated users in total
• 427 active users
• A 91% activation rate
• An average of 4.66 programs viewed per user
• An average of 13.64 unique visit days per user

Community activities, challenges and thematic campaigns, including walking challenges and focused programs, generated strong engagement.

Rather than a one-time workshop effect, a continuous rhythm of interaction took shape. That shift makes a meaningful difference.

2. Rollout of the AI Buddies

Building on the engagement foundation, personalized AI coaching was rolled out at scale.

Within 8 weeks, we observed strong adoption of the AI buddies.

Practical examples:

• Snoozzz (sleep & recovery).
  Employees use Snoozzz to optimize sleep patterns and prioritize recovery during high-demand periods. The approach combines behavior change with data-driven insights.
• Bite Buddy (nutrition & energy).
  Applied to support energy management during peak workloads such as VAT deadlines and year-end closings. The focus is on small, sustainable adjustments rather than restrictive diet thinking.ar
• Mind Master (mental focus & resilience).
  Used to regulate stress and strengthen cognitive performance under pressure, grounded in scientific frameworks such as JD-R and ACT.
• Wellness Wally (personal growth).
  Serves as an accessible first point of contact for reflection, motivation and small, actionable steps.

What stands out is that employees do not experience the buddies as a chatbot, but as a personal sparring partner.

Results to date

Based on current data, we see particularly strong community engagement:

• A high activation rate of 91%
• Consistent monthly interaction
• Recurring participation in campaigns and challenges

The introduction of the AI Buddies demonstrates that personalized coaching can be delivered at scale, without adding extra pressure on HR or leadership.

What is not yet claimed:

• No definitive conclusions regarding burnout reduction
• No direct impact on EBITDA

Such claims would be premature at this stage.

The next step: from well-being to Human Performance

Today, VGD is exploring how to strategically deploy the Human Performance Dashboard.

The objective is not to monitor individuals, but to uncover patterns at organizational level:

• Where does structural energy friction occur?
• Which periods show increased pressure?
• How does engagement evolve across offices and teams?

This approach aligns with the broader vision of Move To Happiness: connecting wellbeing to measurable human performance, not as an HR initiative, but as a strategic lever for the organization.

From intention to system.
From isolated actions to structural steering.