Does health coaching work? Yes! Data shows that participants who work one-on-one with health coaches reduce health risks, become more engaged in their health, and show improvement in chronic conditions. This leads to greater employee engagement, increased productivity, and an enhanced culture of well-being. In this week’s blog, we explore how health coaching adds value to participants and the organization.
Years of research from Gartner have found that engagement and well-being are reciprocal, meaning that each influences the future state of the other. Gartner’s research also shows that when engagement and well-being work together, they are “a super-charger for a thriving, productive workplace.” As a result, when employees improve their well-being through health coaching, we see greater employee engagement in the workplace. Let’s explore the specific ways working with a health coach can impact employee health and well-being and, in turn, engagement in the organization.
Health coaching for employees improves health and well-being.
Health coaching gives participants the motivation and encouragement to start and keep working on health goals. Moreover, because health coaches work with participants to address all aspects of life, including financial wellness and work-life balance, coached employees tend to be less distracted and more productive during the workday. Our research shows that engaging with a health coach is also effective in helping participants improve their health by managing and reducing specific health risks, including smoking, lack of exercise, poor sleep, and emotional health.1
Individuals who engage in WebMD Health Services’ health coaching program show a 5-6% general risk improvement per year. Specifically, participants engaged in our coaching programs experienced meaningful improvements in:
- Managing stress and emotional health (+10% improvement)
- Exercise habits (+13% improvement), and a 13% increase in the average number of minutes exercised
- Stress risk (+11%)
- Sleep risk (+7%)
- Eating habits (+6%), including a 12% increase in fruit and vegetable intake1
Individuals struggling with obesity who commit to working with a health coach see great success with weight loss. Through our Positively Me® program, we’ve seen:
- Almost 60% of participants lose weight.
- One in three participants experience clinically meaningful weight loss.
- Of those who lost weight, the average percentage of starting weight loss was 5%.1
Health coaching provides support for employees managing chronic conditions.
Six in 10 adults in the U.S. have at least one chronic disease, and four in 10 have two or more. Chronic diseases—like heart disease, cancer, lung disease, and diabetes—are the leading drivers of the nation’s $3.8 trillion in annual healthcare expenditures.2 And, chronic conditions cost U.S. employers $575 billion and 1.5 billion days of lost productivity.3 Yet many of these conditions can be improved and better managed by making healthy lifestyle and behavior choices—which is precisely where a health coach for chronic conditions comes in. Working with a health coach helps improve quality of life—reducing flare-ups or setbacks—which can in turn help improve on-the-job performance. Our study indicates that improving health risks drives improved productivity and decreased time away from work due to health.1
For example, consider a participant who is newly diagnosed with diabetes. A health coach can devise a personalized plan of action to help this person:
- Understand the diet modifications they should make;
- Make a plan to increase physical activity; and
- Adhere to clinical recommendations and medications.
Our data shows that health coaching that includes a specific focus on condition management (CM) can equip participants with the tools and support they need to make meaningful improvements in their health:
- After engaging with a health coach, over half of our CM participants moved to a lower acuity (severity) level.
- CM program participants see improvements in clinical indicators, such as:
- Increased medication adherence.
- A1C levels for individuals with diabetes.
- The use of beta-blockers and other drugs to control high blood pressure.
- Over the years, we have consistently reported reductions in severity status among CM participants in blood pressure, cholesterol and BMI.
- Engagement with health coaching leads to reduced hospital stays and emergency room admissions.
- Upon initial engagement with our coaching program, we found that the expected number of inpatient hospital stays decreased by 21%. For each additional coaching session, it decreased by 8%.
- Emergency room visits also decreased by 16% after participants first engaged with a health coach. For each additional session, it decreased by 11%.1
Moreover, our data shows that once participants engage with a program, they stick with it: over 96% who engage in CM programs are actively participating six months after their initial call.1
Improved health, reduced flare-ups and fewer setbacks due to chronic conditions means workers enjoy a better quality of life, miss fewer days of work, and are more productive when they are on the job. In fact, one study indicates that improved health risk drives productivity and decreases time away from work due to health issues.3
Health coaching empowers people to be actively engaged in their healthcare, resulting in lower costs.
Despite their best intentions, doctors often can’t spend time with patients to answer all their questions or help them fully understand their treatment plan. This can leave patients feeling confused and unmotivated to actually change their behaviors.
However, participants who work with a health coach become actively engaged and empowered to take control of their health because they have that extra layer of support. Plus, health coaches consider an individual’s lifestyle, responsibilities, time constraints, and habits to make personalized recommendations that they can realistically implement—like making minor adjustments to what they buy at the grocery store, or relevant ways to get more movement in throughout the day.
Studies show when participants are actively involved in their healthcare experience, they tend to have better outcomes at lower costs. For example, a study conducted by the University of Oregon found that patients who were not actively engaged in their health incurred costs that averaged 8 to 21 percent higher than patients with the highest activation levels.
Our research found that greater immediate savings were driven by improving the health of those with chronic conditions. Cost savings were four times greater for those with chronic conditions compared to those without chronic conditions.4
Cultivate happier, healthier, and more productive employees with health coaching.
Adding the services of health coaches to your well-being program can help participants make tangible improvements in their health based on their own interests and goals. Health coaching also helps to reduce current and future health risks and lends support to those managing costly chronic conditions. Additionally, the presence of health coaches in an organization strengthens the culture of well-being and contributes to improved employee morale and productivity. If you’re interested in setting up a program for your organization that includes dedicated health coaches, visit our website or contact us at connect@webmd.net.
