WHOOP
Performance wearable company WHOOP is cutting staff and rolling back its B2B effort.
The latest: On Tuesday, it announced a 4% reduction of its workforce, less than six months after laying off 15% of its staff amid operational challenges.
Of note, the employees affected were from WHOOP Unite, the brand’s B2B unit it launched last June.
What it means: WHOOP helped pioneer heart rate variability and recovery data, but now, those metrics have become common across next-gen wearables.
Seeking growth channels beyond pro athletes and high performers, WHOOP turned to workplace wellness. But, as the company eliminates jobs to “sharpen its focus,” its enterprise offering appears to be shortlived.
Between the lines: While WHOOP reevaluates its B2B effort, other consumer brands are still pursuing employee well-being. Whether or not the pivot pays dividends remains to be seen.
- May: Recovery tech brand Hyperice kicked off an employee mental health program spotlighting its Core service.
- October: Performance brand Exos, already a fixture in corporate training, debuted a program for burnout coaching.
- October: Apple announced it would enter the health insurance market by 2024, with Apple Watch as the “center of health.”
- November: Headspace Health launched a unified employee wellness app connecting employees to both therapists and meditation.
- December: Smart ring maker Oura announced its sleep-focused B2B program, including a high-profile performance partnership with soccer club Real Madrid.
Looking ahead: It’s unclear whether WHOOP will abandon its B2B effort entirely. Once valued at $3.6B, the company is facing the same headwinds as the broader tech industry — which likely means new, unprofitable initiatives are off the table for now.
