Health and wellness are integral to our daily lives, affecting how we function at home, work and beyond. Aspects like physical, emotional, and mental states intertwine, impacting our overall well-being. When one of these areas is out of balance, it often ripples into all aspects of our lives, including our work life.
According to a survey conducted by Statistics Canada, it was found that a minimum of 20 percent of Canadian workers experienced “high or very high levels of work-related stress”. This significant prevalence of work-related stress can have detrimental effects on individuals’ health, resulting in lost hours and revenue for both employees and employers alike. Stress can also result in a variety of long term health conditions such as diabetes, heart disease, depression, musculoskeletal injuries and more. The costs associated with mental illness, including absenteeism, reduced productivity and healthcare expenses, were estimated at $51 billion in Canada alone.
Most companies are now eager to support their employees in achieving optimal health, recognizing that healthy employees are more engaged in their work and tend to be more productive. More and more employees are also expecting increased wellness support from their employers.
An effective wellness program that yields a positive value of investment is one that is tailored to the individual: considering their demographics, interests, needs, and the demands of both their work and home life, among other factors. These elements significantly influence how we function in various aspects of our lives. Therefore, it is crucial to address and implement key pillars of fitness, health, and wellness across all levels and areas of need, encompassing physical activity and movement, nutrition, and mental health.
Benefits of Coaching on Employee Well-being
A workplace where employees are struggling inevitably hampers the organization’s overall performance. Health and wellness coaching emerges as one of the most effective solutions for enhancing mental health in the workplace, fostering employee engagement, resilience, coping mechanisms, and productivity.
Evidence indicates that workplace coaching can effectively reduce individuals’ stress levels. Coaching, as a non-clinical, future-oriented approach, aims to assist individuals in personal growth, adaptation, goal attainment, and behavior change. Studies have demonstrated significant improvements in self-rated health, life satisfaction, psychological distress and burnout through coaching. By enhancing workers’ internal resources, such as resilience and their own beliefs about their ability to improve their well-being, coaching equips individuals with the tools to effectively manage stress.
Recent research on coaching and well-being has shown:
- Significant improvements in well-being among individuals with chronic illness.
- Substantial enhancement in all domains of quality of life (mental, physical, spiritual, emotional well-being, and social activity).
- Reduction in depressive symptoms and perceived stress levels.
- Increased importance ratings concerning achieving and sustaining high life satisfaction.
- Heightened confidence ratings in the ability to achieve and sustain high life satisfaction levels.
- Positive shifts in readiness to make changes regarding achieving and sustaining high life satisfaction levels.
- Improved resilience, work boundaries, self-awareness, self-compassion, and self-care among physicians.
12 Weeks to Wellness Coaching Study Results
In a recent coaching study for a regional health authority in Vancouver, British Columbia, 12 Weeks to Wellness, a Canadian wellness coaching company, addressed prevalent challenges in the health workers’ environment: stress, mental wellness, burnout, absenteeism, and presenteeism.
The wellness coaching program, delivered by certified coaches and based on best practices, focused on goal setting, behavior changes, increased self-awareness, confidence, personal growth, and development, as well as stress reduction and resilience building.
All program participants had access to a wellness portal, offering validated assessments, goal-setting tools, self-directed workbooks, articles, and more to support their journey.
Based on pre, mid and post surveys, the 12 Weeks to Wellness coaching program was found to yield significantly positive results across all areas including:
Reduces stress and increased resilience
- Participants were able to significantly reduce their perceived stress levels and increase their coping resources after 3 hours of coaching.
- Before coaching, 86% of participants were in the high or moderate stress category, which reduced to 47% after six hours of coaching.
Goal Achievement
- 70% of participants reported major progress towards, reaching, or almost reaching their goals.
Empowerment
- At the program’s onset, 64% of participants felt empowered to take control of their well-being. This increased to 84% after completing 3 hours of coaching, and reached 100% by the program’s end.
Job Performance
- 77% of participants noted an improvement in their job performance during the program, reflecting the positive impact of coaching on workplace productivity and satisfaction.
Well-being
- 96% of participants reported an improvement in their general sense of well-being based on the changes made during the program, highlighting the effectiveness of coaching in enhancing psychological well-being in a practical and cost-effective manner.
The 12 Weeks to Wellness coaching study further demonstrates the significant impact health and wellness coaching can have on employee well-being and organizational performance.
This study highlights the importance of focusing on personalized, client-centered approaches, goal setting, and behavior change in workplace wellness programming.
In summary, the study shows that coaching is a powerful tool for enhancing employee well-being and organizational success in today’s evolving workplace wellness landscape.
To learn more about the 12 Weeks to Wellness Coaching services click here.
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Sources:
- Report from the Canadian Chronic Disease Surveillance System: Mood and Anxiety Disorders in Canada, 2016
- Workplace Strategies for Mental Health, “Making the Business Case: Relevant Statistics,” accessed January 19, 2020
- McGonagle, A. K., Beatty, J. E., & Joffe, R. (2014). Coaching for workers with chronic illness: Evaluating an intervention.
- Schneider, S. , Kingsolver, K., & Rosdahl, J. (2014). Physician coaching to enhance well- being: A qualitative analysis of a pilot intervention.
- The Sage Handbook for Coaching, “Coaching in Healthcare“, accessed January 19, 2020
- Mayo Clinic Proc. 2014. The effectiveness of wellness coaching for improving quality of life.
Author: Emma Carpenter
Manager of Operations and Workplace Wellness Strategist, BSC, Health Promotion
Emma has over 20 years of experience in the area of leadership and workplace health promotion and has worked with many private sector and public organizations in Canada and Europe helping them build a health promoting culture and design custom wellness solutions. Emma is passionate about designing workplace wellness solutions that help people reach their full potential by empowering them and giving them confidence and tools to make lasting lifestyle changes.
