White paper, podcast by Hummingbird clarify engagement in health coaching programs.
Companies struggling to harness rising health insurance costs and promote healthy lifestyles among employees are increasingly turning to corporate wellness programs. Health coaching, in particular, is becoming ìde rigueur.î
Yet there is little agreement on the definition of its key ingredient for success ñ engagement. If employees arenít engaged, their lifestyle choices donít change, and the organization has wasted its investment of time and money.
ìEngagement in Wellness Programs: Definitions, Evolution and Key Factors,î is a new white paper available for download at http://www.myhealthcoach.com/default.aspx?tabid=8038, by Sean Slovenski, chief executive officer of Hummingbird Coaching Services. Slovenski explores the history of health coaching, its escalating popularity, and varying ways engagement is now defined, approached and measured.
In an accompanying podcast, he explains several key milestones in the history and definition of engagement.
ìUnderstanding effective engagement is more than a question of semantics,î said Slovenski, a pioneer in the coaching industry. ìItís an important question that determines whether a wellness program is an actual success, a perceived success or a failure.î
Enrollment is not the same as engagement, Slovenski explained. Companies trying to measure program success by how many employees show up will not likely see the outcomes theyíre looking for: healthier employees and decreasing health insurance costs. Engagement is actively working with a coach over a period of time ñ frequent contact that creates a sustained relationship, motivation and accountability.
Companies must also be aware of how different vendors and organizations define ìengagement.î Health coaching companies provide statistics on engagement, employee satisfaction and success, yet these figures are based on self-reported projections, not scientific measures.
Engagement Key to Health Coaching Success, but Elusive Definitions Prevail
Says Hummingbird Coaching Services
