By now, most employers know that a healthy workforce is happier, more productive with less absenteeism and lower health care costs. COVID19 has heightened general health concerns and raised awareness of the importance of investing in employee heath and resilience more than ever. However, many employers fall short of offering a comprehensive wellbeing program that includes Health Coaching.

Health Coaching Evidence

Health Coaches educate, mentor and support individuals or groups in cultivating positive health choices that will help them achieve their goals through lifestyle and behavior change. Strong evidence backs the effectiveness of Health Coaching for improving wellbeing and a variety of physical and mental health conditions.
Health Coaching has also been proven to:

• Produce better health outcomes than programs without coaching
• Be associated with participant satisfaction, sustained participation and health goal achievement
• Show significant improvements in burnout and resilience
• Be just as effective remotely as face-to-face
• Be successful in numerous settings

Diversity and Inclusion

One of the challenges of designing effective wellbeing programs is catering to a diverse group of employees from a range of generations, backgrounds, and health statuses. Individualized coaching can help meet modern day Diversity and Inclusion objectives. With a coach on their side, employees feel supported with personalized, holistic attention beyond physical well-being integrating areas such as career and relationships that affect lifestyle.

Motivating Employees

In the context of a corporate wellbeing program, health coaching connects employees with qualified coaches who help them find the motivation and tools to achieve their goals. Health Coaches can work one-on-one with employees or in groups, in person, over the phone, online, or any combination.

A Health Coach helps employees:
• Identify needs and goals
• Explore personal motivations
• Spot potential obstacles and challenges
• Discover capabilities and resources
• Formulate clear and attainable plans
• Provide ongoing education and accountability.

Now more than ever

During the pandemic we have all learned that feeling alone and isolated amplifies almost any challenge. This is especially true for wellbeing. Support and accountability provided by a professional health and wellbeing coach can make all the difference in every workplace wellbeing strategy — in 2022 more than ever.

If you are seeking a qualified Health Coach or to become one, it is recommended to consult the directories provided by the International Coaching Federation or the National Board of Health and Wellness Coaching.

To learn more about Trends in Health and Wellness Coaching — including workplace — download the new Global Wellness Institute White Paper.

Reach out: ekocher@whealthness.ch or www.whealthness.ch.