NextGen HiPo
How to make high potential employee development programs fair, valuable, and sustainable
In the world of learning and development (L&D), there’s a decades-old concept of developing an employer’s most promising workers distinctly from their peers, and it’s known as High Potential Employee Development–HiPo for short. Ironically, the promise of HiPo programs has yet to be realized.
In theory, HiPo programs should work. Social science research supports the following statements:
- Top performers shift expectations higher for all employees (source)
- Well-done employee development programs increase employee retention rates (source)
- Growing talent from within is associated with greater company success than hiring talent from the outside (source)
- Effective succession planning is correlated to positive company performance (source)
Yet even though most can agree on HiPo’s parallel benefits to individuals and companies, the programs haven’t provided a competitive advantage or return on investment (ROI) to organizations. The average employer-sponsored HiPo program spends $3mm (source), yet 73% of high-potential programs fail to deliver desired business outcomes or ROI (Gartner, 2016), only 25% of company leaders deem them successful, and 82% HR leaders are dissatisfied with the results (source).
And what about the HiPos themselves? It’s not much better on the individual side. Forty percent of internal job moves made by high potential employees fail, and 46% of high potentials fail to accomplish business results in their new roles (Gartner, 2014). A study by Willis Towers Watson showed that over 70% of “high-retention-risk” employees leave due to a lack of future advancement in their current job (source). Harvard Business Review published a study showing that 75% of HiPos look for another job during their first year of employment and then typically leave the employer after 28 months due to a lack of both career development and access to mentoring and coaching (source).
Why are we writing about HiPo programs?
This article’s authors are professionally focused on creating impactful human development solutions. We’ve both been considered HiPos at various points in our academic and professional careers, and we’ve both benefited and suffered from flawed HiPo processes. As a result, we believe that bringing the most insightful research to bear on HiPo program design will help the programs fulfill their promise as valuable change-makers for individuals and organizations.
Steve holds a PhD in Applied Performance Psychology, is the Founder of Long Training+Research, the developer of the Prosperity Trait(c), and is a consultant to the U.S. Air Force Academy’s pilot program. For the past forty years, Dr. Long has helped leaders reduce the variability between their performance and their potential by using behavioral psychology and scientifically valid psychometrics.
Francie is the Founder of Terawatt, an online marketplace for group coaching. Terawatt works within the Human Capital space, connecting vetted experts to employers looking to solve specific problems and achieve company-level results. The marketplace’s big insight: experts are more affordable when their cost is split by a group.
The History of HiPo
The first and most famous HiPo program began in 1956 when General Electric (GE), under Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Philip Reed, built the Crotonville Conference Center, a 60-acre employee development campus in Ossining, NY. In the 1980s, GE’s CEO Jack Welch used Crotonville as the centerpiece for his revamp of what had been a bureaucratic conglomerate into a stock market darling. Fast forward forty years later: in 2024 GE sold the Crotonville conference center, citing strategic changes in talent development, and the company split itself into three distinct businesses: GE Aerospace, GE Healthcare, and GE Vernova.
In many ways, the current state of HiPo programs mirrors the lifecycle of Crotonville. The underpinnings have true merit, and several leading 20th century companies, including 3M, Arthur Anderson, Boeing, and Deloitte, used them to achieve company goals. But the HiPo programs that were once the envy of the world are no longer cutting edge.
Why don’t our fathers’ HiPo programs work for us? A few reasons: Technology and its relationship to the economy are part of it, but mostly, we’ve learned so much in the past 40 years about people, teams, and workplaces. The new data, combined with some of the seminal psychological research, disproves much of the conventional wisdom regarding employees and the relationship of employee development to company results.
Steve and Francie, this article’s authors, believe we can realize the promise of HiPo programs by building on Crotonville’s key insights with the best social science insights on people and team dynamics. Let us walk you through our thinking and framework for fair, valuable, and sustainable HiPo programs.
Let’s dig in.
GE’s Crotonville
Around 1984 GE’s HiPo program at Crotonville solidified into an annual 3-week course offered only to GE’s highest potential managers, somewhere between 25 and 50 people. The curriculum used case studies based on actual GE problems, and the course covered the themes of excellence, ownership, quality, and facing reality. Crotonville’s rigid admissions process involved sign-off from multiple internal stakeholders, including CEO Jack Welch.
The world cared about Crotonville because of GE’s business success. With Welch as CEO, GE’s market capitalization rose from $13 bn to $600 bn, making GE the most valuable publicly traded company in the world in 2000 and turning Welch into a business superstar.
At the time, and even now, there’s no consensus on Welch’s tenure. Subsequent analysis of Welch’s time as CEO shows that GE’s increase in market capitalization was much higher than the increase in its revenue or profit and that the company’s margin decreased during his tenure (source). This data suggests that some of Welch’s legend can be attributed to the psyche of stock market investors rather than his insights into company management. In addition, many Welch critics charge that his only achievement was deep cost cutting. However you feel about Jack Welch and GE’s heyday, it’s important to understand how Welch connected Crotontonville to GE’s goals and success.
In his book, Jack, Welch enumerates the value Crotonville brought to GE, and the benefits of the HiPo program continue to ring true today. Crotonville’s activities helped GE to:
- Hire and retain the best people
- Treat the best people well
- Pay people well
- Balance short term results with long term results
- Clarify company initiatives
- Develop soft skills to balance efficiency & accountability
- Function as one company, but allow diversity of styles
- Support non-employee stakeholders such as the communities in which the company operated
- Act as a “Bureaucracy buster” where people who are closest to the problem figure it out
- Increase the efficiency of GE’s operations, also known as asking fewer people to do more
- Create a modern company with a single focus on high margin
- Support GE to become the world’s #1 lowest cost provider
21st Century Insights
As we reflect on Crotonville, let’s keep in mind how different our world is today from the 1980s. GE was a leading 20th Century manufacturing company in an era when manufacturing was America’s growth engine. Managers of business units and industrial manufacturing plants were the employees winning the coveted spots at Crotonville. GE’s HiPos faced challenges managing assembly line workers, minimizing waste, and developing high margin industrial products as the lowest cost provider.
As of March 31, 2024, the five largest companies by market capitalization are Microsoft, Apple, Nvidia, Alphabet, and Amazon (source). All are United States-headquartered technology businesses and derive their market value from knowledge workers’ output, otherwise known as human capital, an insight made by the SEC in 2020 (source). This means that today’s stock market places the highest value on companies where innovation and human output thrive.
In order to create a 21st Century HiPo program, we need to draw on the best research regarding human experience. This article relies on data regarding what works best for knowledge workers from the following authors: Karen Arnold, Robert Rosenthal, Lenore Jacobson, Google, McKinsey, Captain, L. David Marquet, and our own proprietary research.
Research on High IQ & Education
In their book Noise, Daniel Kahneman, Olivier Sibony, and Cass Sunstein report that General Mental Ability (GMA), organizational and industrial psychology’s preferred intelligence measurement, is required for highly complex jobs. The correlations between standardized test scores and job performance are in the .50 range, indicating a strong predictive value by social science standards. There are high-GMA people in lower-level occupations, but almost no people with below-average GMA among lawyers, chemists, or engineers. It should come as no surprise that high mental acuity is necessary for highly complex professions.
Karen Arnold’s Illinois Valedictorian study in 1993 followed 81 high-achieving high school valedictorians for 10 years following their high school graduation, and found that only 25% of the valedictorians were ranked at the top professional levels for their age after ten years. The remaining 75% fell back into the middle of the bell curve and some slid even further behind.
Further, research shows that expectations are just as accurate a predictor of success as ability rating and classification. Robert Rosenthal and Lenore Jacobson’s Pygmalion in the Classroom studied six grades of students that were randomly and secretly assigned to “fast,” “medium,” and “slow” reading ability classifications.
The researchers show that teachers’ perceptions created a Halo Effect where expectations affected student performance on report cards and IQ development.
A few examples:
- After both one year and two years, high potential boys who were expected to prosper academically showed greater gains in verbal IQ, while high potential girls who were expected to prosper showed greater gains in reasoning IQ. According to their teachers, the high potential students showed greater advances in reading ability. As with IQ gains, the younger high potential students exhibited a greater expectation benefit in reading scores.
- The high potential students who were rated as more intellectually curious, happier, and, especially in the lower grades, were less in need of social approval.
- The more the high potential students gained in IQ, the more favorably their teachers rated them.
- The more the lower-track children in the control group gained in IQ, the more unfavorably their teachers viewed them. As these students became more intellectually competent, their teachers viewed them more negatively.
- Through the teacher’s words, timing, facial expressions, posture, and even touch, teachers communicated to the high potential students that they expected improved academic performance.
Arnold’s findings combined, with Rosenthal and Jacobson’s data, teach us that while IQ or GMA matters for performance complexity, high performance isn’t an inherent trait, and expectations also matter a great deal. What would happen if high expectations were applied to everyone? The conclusion is that something other than IQ or GMA must account for “real world” success.
Google’s “Project Aristotle”
In 2016, Google allowed the New York Times to write about one of its key trade secrets. For years, the $2 trillion market cap company and internet pioneer had been searching for a throughline that connected its “best teams.” The piece does not define the phrase “best teams,” but we see two possible definitions: groups that created Google’s most profitable businesses, AdWords, Gmail, Google Maps, YouTube, and Google Play, and/or teams that demonstrated over time high productivity and low churn.
After four years of researching the connection, Google’s researchers identified a single attribute held by Google’s best teams: “psychological safety.” In other words, the company’s best performing teams didn’t share a physical location, an alma mater, or any of the other conventional wisdom attributes that typically function as short hard for “best.” The best performing teams allowed team members the freedom to explore, experiment, and ultimately fail without repercussions. Failure not only allows HiPos to develop their potential more fully but also activates their curiosity. This leads to further innovations and discoveries.
Google’s discovery is revolutionary because, up to this point, conventional wisdom had been that top performing companies resulted from the smartest people working together. This assumption is rampant within the literature on HiPo programs. It’s also connected to the now-debunked assumption that hiring individual star workers drive company level results (source, source and source).
McKinsey’s People + Performance
McKinsey published a March 2023 report called “Performance Through People: Transforming human capital into competitive advantage” showing that of the 1,800 largest global companies, the best performers from the ten year period of 2010-2019 both developed their employees and demanded accountability. This top tier of the best performers achieved the highest return on capital, economic profit, upward mobility for employees, and revenue growth during the Covid pandemic.
McKinsey’s insight is that developing people, in concert with accountability, is linked to company results and financial success. This is important for the earlier generation, as it used to be conventional wisdom that developing people didn’t yield quantifiable company level results.
L. David Marquet
A Navy nuclear submarine captain, David Marquet, wrote an extraordinary book called Turn the Ship Around, where he discusses his success in flipping the traditional military command structure. In leading the USS Santa Fe for a year, Marquet replaced the typical “leader-follower” leadership structure with his innovation, the “leader-leader” structure.
Marquet found that giving employees closest to the problem more decision-making authority led to long term superior ship performance. Instead of giving orders, he writes at length about giving control. For example, he changed the reporting style so that officers would state their intentions with, “I intend to…” and his affirmative response would be, “Very well.”
Marquet cites the following metrics to demonstrate the Santa Fe’s results after one year of “leader-leader”:
- The submarine’s tactical effectiveness evaluation re-rated from “below average to average” to “above average to excellent.”
- Enlisted personnel selected for officer programs tripled from 1 to 3.
- The ship’s rate of re-enlistment was twelve times higher than the previous year, with 100% retention.
- Two junior officers withdrew resignation requests.
- Santa Fe received the Arleigh Burke Fleet Trophy, an award given to the Naval ship or squadron that achieved the greatest improvement in battle efficiency in the calendar year.
Marquet’s results echo the findings of Google’s Rosenthal and Jacobson’s Pygmalion research: The individual and collective excel when individuals master a subject, become subject matter experts, and gain decision-making authority. The below quote strikes us as an apropos juxtaposition to GE and Crotonville:
“In our modern world, the most important work we do is cognitive; so, it’s not surprising that a structure developed for physical work isn’t optimal for intellectual work. People who are treated as followers have the expectations of followers and act like followers.”
Our key takeaway from Marquet’s book is that the leader-follower method of leadership, even though revered as the pinnacle of military efficiency, isn’t the only way to achieve success, and it wasn’t the winning strategy for the USS Santa Fe submarine in 1999. Combining the above research tells us that long term, quantifiable results do indeed come from trust, respect, expertise, and individual actualization.
Terawatt’s research on employee development
Terawatt published a series of surveys comparing and contrasting the opinions of employee development stakeholders regarding professional development. One of the most interesting insights came from the 2022 report. It found that people who identified as Latino viewed their employers’ professional development programs as unfair at a much higher rate than their white peers.
This is valuable because it reminds us that the allocation of professional development still suffers from selection bias. Who gets selected to receive employer-sponsored support, and who is in charge of selecting participants? Anyone running a program to develop employees must actively work to avoid bias. The data also speak to the fact that seniority at a workplace is not necessarily correlated to ambition or drive, reminding us of the aphorism: “Talent is equally distributed, but opportunity is not.”
Steve Long’s research on Prosperity
Dr. Stephen Long’s life’s work has been developing a response to Martin Seligman’s learned helplessness construct. Seligman demonstrated that clinical depression and related mental illnesses are a result of ineffective belief systems relating to the individual’s real or perceived control over situational outcomes. In other words, people with a high degree of learned helplessness don’t believe that change and growth are achievable for them, and that leads them to waste their inherent potential (Source). Curious about how athletes like basketball’s Michael Jordan and football’s Tom Brady, who had a notable lack of athletic success in high school, but improbably went on to be considered the greatest of all time in their respective sports, Steve sought to explain and re-create human performance.
Steve discovered how individuals can acquire a belief system to create consistent outcomes and prosperity. Building on Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs and Walter Mischel’s Marshmallow Study, Steve created a psychological test called the Prosperity Trait Index© (PTi) that led to the discovery of a character trait found to be the human attribute responsible for value creation – The Prosperity Trait®. The PTi measures people’s belief systems that either lead to variability or consistency between their performance and their inherent potential, and it serves as an objective measurement for individuals to quantify their thinking. The lower the variability an individual can achieve, the greater the change in behavior and results.
Another way to understand the PTi is to think about Growth Mindsets and Fixed Mindsets (source). People who hold fixed mindsets are threatened by the Unknown Unknowns (also known as Inattentional Blindness), dismiss feedback, and are subsequently destined to continue to stagnate and exhibit variable performance. These people exhibit the same Learned Helplessness characteristics that Seligman described, wasting much of their potential.
Francie took Steve’s PTi assessment and received a score of 9 out of a possible 100 points. After working with Steve on her thinking patterns for six months, Francie scored a 99. Six months later, she scored a 97. Francie felt the PTi helped her seek out detailed feedback on her process, accept what she couldn’t control, focus on what she could control, and enjoy the reward of a job well done rather than look for outside validation.
PTi’s insight is that excellence can be taught, and the adoption of a growth-oriented mindset is available to everyone. All people, regardless of their starting point, can grow beyond what they and others believe is their limit.
What are the Ethics of HiPo Programs?
Is it ethical to rank employees or offer some employees what others don’t get? Yes, as long as the differentiation is quantifiable and auditable. In other words, pattern-matching for candidates that fit the culture and other gut-driven criteria isn’t appropriate for NextGen HiPo.
Who are HiPo Programs Intended For?
Employees who work with their hands to produce physical items are typically referred to as “blue collar,” and employees who work with their minds to produce ideas or new products are typically referred to as “white collar” or “knowledge workers.”
In this article, we’re focused on HiPo programs for knowledge workers. We define knowledge workers as employees whose job requires them to spend at least 25% of their time using a computer and whose work product is not something that can be weighed on a scale. HiPo programs may be employed for a subset or all of an organization’s workers.
The authors believe there is an interesting case for blue collar HiPo programs, but that’s not the focus of this article.
Our Proposal
Combining all of the above, we’ve developed a template to create an ROI-generating Nextgen HiPo program.
- Define what success looks like: Before beginning, define company and individual measurements, metrics, and goals. Tweak once a year based on participant feedback.
- Tracking cadence: Tracking metrics and goals monthly, making the results easy for participants to find to monitor their progress or points of friction.
- HiPo selection process: Our experience tells us that development programs are most successful when employees opt in. Plus, if a person is good enough to be hired by the company, then they should qualify to opt into the HiPo program. We recommend admitting applicants throughout the organization and ranking them equally on two key areas: 1) Quantification of time and value helping others within the organization, i.e. through ERGs or mentoring programs, and 2) Quantification of employee’s work impact onto the organization.
- Transparency: Communicate to all company employees how involvement in the HiPo program works and make the selection process auditable.
- When: HiPo professional development should happen virtually or in-person during the workday. Terawatt found that group professional development can happen seamlessly in the workday, first thing in the morning or midday at lunch time. We’ve also had good success when longer-length, in-person meetings begin at lunch and finish in the evening.
- Assessment tools: Use at least two assessment tools to measure starting points and track change. We recommend two key types of tools:
- Assessment of one’s nature: Enneagram, Disc, ILS, Opposite Strengths, or the Big Five. These tools are helpful for individuals to understand themselves, their patterns, and their drivers.
- Valid psychometric testing: Use valid tracking assessment tools that meet scientific standards and meet the following criteria:
- Valid, meaning the tests measure what they say they measure and predict what they intend to predict
- Reliable, meaning test scores are stable over time
- Face Validity, meaning the test appears effective in terms of its stated aims
- An acceptable level of error, meaning that the results occurred more by a valid process and less by chance. A score below 0.05 level is the usual standard that most valid tests adhere to.
- Fair, where it’s proven no demographic classification is advantaged or disadvantaged. In employment settings, large differences in average scale scores across demographic groups can result in lower rates of selection of ethnic minorities, women, or older applicants, which is termed Adverse Impact.
- Team psychological safety: Measure, practice, and measure again with 360 degree testing to understand how this person contributes to a team dynamic.
- Feedback: Make feedback honest, accurate, and timely, coming from a wide variety of stakeholders. Feedback should come from a variety of sources: assessments, mentors, KPIs/OKRs, and peers.
- HiPo Discussion groups: One of the key pedagogical principles in adult learning is review and discussion. We recommend a peer discussion group to hash out progress, successes, questions, etc., as HiPos experience the highs and lows of personal growth. It’s likely to work best when the group itself defines the cadence and method for reflection.
- Leadership involvement: We love how involved Jack Welch was with Crotonville, and his involvement surely heightened its influence within GE. We’d like to see more company leaders get actively involved in their HiPo programs.
Key Resources
- Well-done employee development programs increase retention rates (source)
- Top performers shift expectations higher for all employees (source)
- How to keep your top talent, link here.
- Growing talent from within is associated with more [company success] than hiring talent from the outside (source)
- Developing a deep bench of leaders is associated with resilient and innovative organizations (source)
- U.S. Annual HiPo spend, link here.
- High retention risk employees, link here.
- Dissatisfied C-Suite & HR leaders with HiPo programs, link here
- Jack Welch, Jack, link here.
- Google Project Aristotle, link here
- David Marquet Turn the Ship Around, link here.
- Terawatt Group Coaching, link here.
- Karen Arnold’s Illinois Valedictorian Study, link here
- Robert Rosenthal and Lenore Jacobson’s Pygmalion in the Classroom, link here
- Adaptive intelligence, link
- Pygmalion in the Classroom, link.
- Dr. Stephen Long: Long Training+Research, link here.
About the Authors
Steve holds a PhD in Applied Performance Psychology, is the Founder of Long Training+Research, the developer of the Prosperity Trait(c), and a consultant to the U.S. Air Force Academy’s pilot program. For the past forty years, Dr. Long has helped leaders reduce the variability between their performance and their potential by using behavioral psychology and scientifically valid psychometrics.
Francie is the Founder of Terawatt, an online marketplace for group coaching. Terawatt connects vetted experts to companies looking to solve specific problems and achieve company-level results. The marketplace’s big insight: experts are more affordable when their cost is split by a group.
Leading By Listening
Listening is essential to discovering opportunities, dangers, and a path forward. Winning teams depend on listening for effective strategy, collaboration, and context. When we listen to understand, to uncover what really matters to the speaker, we glean mission-critical information.
Listening intelligence (LI) can move a mission forward, and lack of it, can derail one. Colorado entrepreneur, Dana Dupius, CEO and founder of the ECHO Listening Profile developed methods to enhance collaboration and performance culture by boosting listening intelligence with an assessment and scientifically validated profile.
We listen for what matters to us, and we may screen out, ignore, or not even perceive what we don’t know is important. The very act of listening reveals our values. Yet, I find many people are not sure how to express this core of their leadership, what really matters to them, in listening form.
Have you ever received feedback about your listening?
The business case for listening skills keeps growing as managers struggle to connect with remote employees, retain their high-performers, and develop strong teams.
Honoring what matters to you while you work is a form of inner alignment – congruency between who you are and what you do. As your leadership strategy evolves, so do you. Listening well fuels authenticity and wellbeing, as well as effective leadership.
Consider what you are listening for in your next meeting or conversation.
If you are habitually listening for the data and analysis, you may want to shift channels to listen to how people are being affected. Find out what your team needs, then the design an approach collaboratively, rooted in the reality of their experience as well as your own.
Reliable strengths and listening habits can be easily built so that you can listen more deeply, intuitively and effectively.
Seize the opportunity to network and learn by connecting with professionals from different industries and organizations and upgrade your listening intelligence, starting this month.
Registration is now open for my upcoming 6-series live, virtual and interactive course, “Listening Intelligence Upgrade for People Professionals.” Learn more about this course here.
About the author: Jessica Hartung is a serial entrepreneur, executive mentor and leadership development author. Learn more about Jessica Hartung here.
Wellness Coaching for Organizations and Professionals
Empowering Your Team to Thrive at Home and The Office
Wellness coaching for organizations and professionals can bring a wide range of benefits, such as improving overall health and well-being, enhancing productivity and performance, and reducing stress and burnout. By developing healthy habits and better work-life balance, individuals can achieve peak performance both at home and in the office. Additionally, wellness coaching can help professionals identify and achieve their personal and professional goals, improve communication and interpersonal skills, and increase their job satisfaction and engagement. By investing in wellness coaching for their employees, organizations can foster a culture of well-being and create a positive and productive work environment.
What is Wellness Coaching?
Wellness coaching is a specialized form of coaching that focuses on helping individuals improve their overall health and well-being. It involves a collaborative partnership between a trained and certified wellness coach and an individual seeking to enhance their physical, mental, emotional, and social health. Wellness coaching aims to empower individuals to make positive changes in their lifestyle and behavior, and to achieve their health and wellness goals.
Workplace wellness coaching has gained prominence as organizations recognize the importance of prioritizing employee well-being. Workplace wellness programs, which may include wellness coaching services, are designed to support employees in adopting healthy habits, managing stress, and achieving better work-life balance. Wellness coaches work with employees to develop personalized wellness plans, provide guidance and support, and help individuals overcome obstacles and challenges on their wellness journey.
Wellness coaching is often offered as a group coaching solution, where the wellness coach and individuals can work together to set goals, create action plans, and monitor progress. Wellness coaches use a variety of coaching techniques, such as active listening, questioning, and reflection, to help individuals explore their values, motivations, and barriers, and to identify strategies for positive change. Wellness coaches may also provide education and resources related to nutrition, exercise, stress management, sleep, and other aspects of well-being, tailored to the individual’s needs and goals.
In summary, wellness coaching is a collaborative and empowering process that helps groups and individuals improve their overall health and well-being, and workplace wellness coaching is a strategic approach employed by organizations to promote the well-being of their employees in today’s corporate environment.
Defining Wellness Coaching in the Workplace
Wellness coaching in the workplace is a proactive approach that focuses on improving employees’ overall well-being, encompassing both physical and mental health, through personalized coaching sessions. It involves working with employees to identify their individual wellness goals, developing strategies, and providing support to make positive changes in their lifestyle, behavior, and mindset. Workplace wellness coaching has gained popularity as a powerful tool for enhancing employee well-being in an engaging, personalized, and holistic manner.
Organizations can use workplace wellness coaching as a strategic approach to promote employee well-being. It empowers employees to take ownership of their health and wellness, and supports them in achieving their goals. By providing personalized coaching, organizations can help employees create sustainable healthy habits, manage stress, improve their nutrition and exercise habits, enhance their sleep quality, and cultivate a positive mindset, among other wellness-related areas.
The fun and upbeat approach of workplace wellness coaching can create a positive and supportive environment in the workplace, where employees feel encouraged, motivated, and empowered to make positive changes in their well-being. When employees are happier, healthier, and more energized, they are better equipped to bring their best selves to work, leading to increased productivity, motivation, and overall engagement.
The Difference Between Health Coach vs. Wellness Coach
While health and wellness coaching may seem similar, there are some key differences between the two.
What is a health coach?
A health coach focuses on a client’s physical health, helping them to manage chronic conditions, maintain a healthy weight, and improve their overall fitness. A health coach often follows a structured and goal-oriented approach, focusing on specific health outcomes and utilizing evidence-based interventions. Health coaches may use techniques such as motivational interviewing, goal-setting, and behavior change strategies to help clients make sustainable changes in their physical health habits. They may also have a background in nutrition, or another healthcare-related field.
What is a wellness coach?
A professional wellness coach takes a more holistic approach, addressing a client’s physical, emotional, and mental health. They help clients to set and achieve goals related to stress management, work-life balance, and personal fulfillment. Wellness coaches may have backgrounds in fields such as psychology, counseling, or social work. They may use coaching techniques such as powerful questioning, active listening, reflection, and feedback to facilitate self-awareness, self-discovery, and self-directed change.
While the two types of coaching have some overlap, they each have their own strengths and specialties. The difference between a health coach and a wellness coach can be subtle, but it’s important to understand. Health coaching may be particularly effective for clients with specific health conditions or goals related to physical health, such as weight loss or managing diabetes. On the other hand, wellness coaching takes into consideration the interplay between physical, emotional, mental, and social health, and aims to help clients achieve a state of holistic well-being.
The choice between health and wellness coaching services depends on the individual needs and goals of the client and the specific expertise and approach of the coach.
The Business Case for Wellness Coaching
The Power of Wellness Coaching for Employee Well-being and Performance
Implementing a wellness coaching program in an organization can yield a significant return on investment (ROI) by positively impacting employee well-being and performance. Numerous studies and reports have highlighted the potential benefits of wellness coaching in the workplace.
One key area where organizations can see a positive coaching ROI is in increased productivity. Employees who are physically and mentally well tend to be more productive and engaged in their work. According to a study published in the Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, employees who participated in a wellness coaching program showed a significant increase in productivity compared to those who did not participate. This increase in productivity can lead to improved organizational performance and bottom-line results.
Another area where wellness coaching can have a positive impact is in reducing healthcare costs. Improved mental and physical health of employees through wellness coaching can result in decreased healthcare costs for organizations. Wellness coaching programs that address lifestyle factors such as nutrition, exercise, stress management, and other health-related behaviors can help prevent or manage chronic conditions, leading to reduced healthcare costs for the organization.
Wellness coaching can also help reduce absenteeism and improve employee engagement, which are important factors in organizational success. Employees who are physically and mentally well are less likely to be absent from work due to illness or stress-related issues. They are also more likely to be engaged, motivated, and committed to their work. Studies have shown that wellness programs, including coaching, can lead to reduced absenteeism and increased employee engagement, resulting in improved organizational performance and employee retention.
In addition, wellness coaching can play a vital role in reducing employee burnout, which is a significant issue in the modern workplace. Burnout can lead to decreased productivity, increased absenteeism, and higher turnover rates, resulting in reduced organizational success. Wellness coaching can help employees manage stress, set healthy boundaries, and develop coping strategies, which can prevent or mitigate burnout and enhance overall employee performance.
By prioritizing workplace well-being through wellness coaching, organizations can create a healthier and more productive work environment, leading to enhanced organizational success.
Improves Employee Health and Work Productivity:
Through personalized wellness coaching and support, employees are empowered to make positive changes in their lifestyle behaviors, leading to improved health outcomes and increased productivity.
One of the key ways wellness coaching services improve employee health is by addressing risk factors and promoting healthy behaviors. Professional wellness coaches work with employees to identify areas of concern, such as poor nutrition, lack of physical activity, high stress levels, or inadequate sleep, and develop personalized plans to address these issues. By providing guidance, support, and accountability, wellness coaches help employees adopt healthier habits, such as making healthier food choices, incorporating regular exercise into their routine, managing stress effectively, and prioritizing sleep. These changes can lead to improved physical health outcomes, such as weight management, reduced risk of chronic diseases, increased energy levels, and better overall well-being.
Improved employee health also translates into increased productivity in the workplace. When employees are physically and mentally well, they are better equipped to handle the demands of their work, manage stress, and stay focused and engaged. Studies have shown that employees who participate in wellness coaching programs experience reduced absenteeism and presenteeism (being at work but not fully engaged), leading to increased productivity and overall organizational performance.
Furthermore, wellness coaching can also have a positive impact on mental health, which is a critical component of overall well-being and productivity. Many wellness coaching programs incorporate strategies to manage stress, build resilience, and promote emotional well-being. By helping employees develop coping skills, manage stressors, and prioritize self-care, wellness coaching can reduce the risk of burnout, anxiety, and depression, leading to improved mental health outcomes and increased productivity at work.
By addressing risk factors, promoting healthy behaviors, and supporting employees in achieving their wellness goals, wellness coaching services can lead to improved physical and mental health outcomes, reduced absenteeism, increased engagement, and overall enhanced productivity in the workplace.
Reduces Healthcare Costs:
Wellness coaching in the workplace can have a significant impact on reducing healthcare costs for both employers and employees. Through personalized coaching sessions, employees can learn preventive strategies and effective management techniques for chronic health conditions. This proactive approach can result in fewer doctor visits, reduced need for prescriptions, and fewer hospitalizations, leading to overall cost savings.
Wellness coaching empowers employees to take charge of their health and well-being, helping them make positive lifestyle changes that can prevent the onset or progression of chronic health conditions. By addressing risk factors, developing healthy habits, and promoting self-care, wellness coaching can lead to improved health outcomes and decreased reliance on costly medical interventions.
In addition to the direct cost savings associated with reduced healthcare utilization, wellness coaching can also contribute to indirect cost savings. Healthier employees are more productive, engaged, and motivated. This can lead to a healthier and more vibrant workforce, ultimately benefiting both the employer and the employee in terms of healthcare costs and overall well-being.
By investing in workplace wellness coaching programs, employers can take a proactive approach to promote employee health, prevent chronic health conditions, and reduce healthcare costs, resulting in a win-win situation for both the employer and the employees.
Boosts Employee Morale and Engagement:
Wellness coaching can have a positive impact on employee morale and engagement, which are key factors in organizational success. When employees feel supported in their well-being and are empowered to make positive changes in their lives, they are more likely to be engaged, motivated, and satisfied with their work.
Wellness coaching can help employees set and achieve personal health and wellness goals, which can improve their overall well-being and happiness. When employees feel better physically, emotionally, and mentally, they are more likely to be motivated and engaged in their work, leading to increased productivity and performance.
Workplace wellness programs can create a supportive and inclusive workplace culture where employees feel valued and cared for. This can foster a positive work environment, boost morale, and enhance employee engagement. When employees feel that their well-being is a priority for the organization, they are more likely to be loyal, committed, and invested in their work.
Implementing a wellness coaching program in the workplace can also help attract top talent to your business. In today’s competitive job market, offering comprehensive wellness programs, including coaching, can be a valuable differentiator for employers seeking to attract and retain high-quality talent.
Top talent often looks for employers that prioritize employee well-being and offer comprehensive wellness programs as part of their overall benefits package. Wellness coaching can be a compelling offering that demonstrates an employer’s commitment to supporting the health and well-being of their employees.
Organizations that offer wellness coaching services as part of their employee benefits package can highlight this as a unique selling point in their recruitment efforts. They can showcase how they prioritize employee well-being, provide resources and support for employees to achieve their health and wellness goals, and invest in their employees’ personal and professional growth.
Moreover, employees who receive wellness coaching and experience positive results in terms of improved health and well-being are likely to share their positive experiences with others, including potential job candidates. This can create a positive word-of-mouth reputation for the organization, further enhancing its ability to attract top talent.
The Benefits of a Workplace Wellness Program
Supporting Employee Wellness for Personal & Professional Success
Supporting employee wellness is crucial for personal and professional success in the workplace. When employees are physically, mentally, and emotionally well, they are better equipped to perform at their best, achieve their goals, and contribute positively to the overall success of the organization.
Wellness coaching can provide employees with the tools, resources, and support they need to improve their health, well-being, work-life balance, resilience, and professional growth. By investing in employee wellness, organizations can create a positive and supportive work environment that fosters personal and professional success, leading to improved performance, engagement, and overall organizational success.
Here are some key ways in which supporting employee wellness can lead to personal and professional success:
Establishing a Healthy Work-Life Balance
Identifying priorities and setting boundaries:
Wellness coaching can help employees identify their priorities, both at work and in their personal lives, and establish healthy boundaries to ensure they are able to effectively manage their time and energy. Through coaching sessions, employees can reflect on their values, goals, and responsibilities, and learn techniques to prioritize their tasks and set boundaries to avoid burnout and maintain a healthy work-life balance.
Time management strategies:
Time management is a critical skill for achieving a healthy work-life balance. Wellness coaching can provide employees with practical strategies and techniques for managing their time effectively, such as setting realistic goals, creating schedules, prioritizing tasks, and avoiding time-wasting activities. Employees can learn how to optimize their work hours, delegate tasks, and allocate time for personal activities, which can lead to increased productivity and better work-life balance.
Mindfulness and relaxation techniques:
Mindfulness and relaxation techniques are valuable tools for managing stress and promoting a healthy work-life balance. Wellness coaching can teach employees mindfulness techniques, such as deep breathing, meditation, and body scan exercises, to help them stay present, manage stress, and reduce anxiety.
Improving Physical Health and Nutrition
Incorporating regular exercise daily:
Wellness coaching can help employees create and implement a plan to incorporate regular exercise into their daily routine. This may involve setting fitness goals, creating a personalized exercise plan, identifying enjoyable physical activities, and overcoming barriers to exercise. Coaches can also provide motivation, accountability, and support to help employees stay consistent with their exercise routine, which can lead to improved physical health, increased energy levels, and reduced risk of chronic diseases.
Healthy eating habits and meal planning:
Nutrition plays a crucial role in overall health and well-being. Wellness coaching can assist employees in developing healthy eating habits and meal planning strategies. Coaches can provide guidance on balanced nutrition, portion control, mindful eating, and making healthy food choices, based on employees’ individual dietary preferences and requirements. Coaches can also help employees set realistic nutrition goals, overcome emotional eating, and navigate challenges related to unhealthy eating habits in the workplace, such as stress-induced snacking or frequent dining out.
Adequate sleep and rest:
Sleep is a fundamental component of physical health and wellness. Wellness coaching can educate employees on the importance of adequate sleep and rest, and provide strategies for improving sleep quality and quantity. This may include establishing a consistent sleep schedule, creating a relaxing bedtime routine, reducing sleep disruptions, and managing stress and anxiety that can interfere with sleep. Coaches can also help employees identify and address factors that may be affecting their sleep, such as poor sleep hygiene, sleep disorders, or work-related stressors.
Managing Stress and Anxiety
Stress management techniques:
Wellness coaching can teach employees various stress management techniques, such as deep breathing, meditation, progressive muscle relaxation, and other relaxation techniques. Coaches can guide employees in incorporating these techniques into their daily routine, and help them develop effective coping strategies to manage stressors at work and in their personal lives. By learning and practicing stress management techniques, employees can reduce the impact of stress on their mental and physical health, and improve their overall well-being.
Mindfulness practices to reduce anxiety:
Mindfulness is a proven technique to reduce anxiety and promote mental well-being. Wellness coaching can introduce employees to mindfulness practices, such as mindfulness meditation, body scan, and mindful eating. Coaches can guide employees in incorporating mindfulness into their daily routine, and help them develop the skills to be present in the moment, cultivate awareness of their thoughts and emotions, and respond to stress and anxiety with greater clarity and resilience.
Cognitive behavioral therapy techniques:
Wellness coaching can help employees develop positive self-talk and cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) techniques to manage stress and anxiety. Coaches can teach employees to identify and challenge negative thoughts and beliefs that contribute to stress and anxiety, and help them develop more positive and adaptive ways of thinking. Coaches can also provide strategies for managing perfectionism, overcoming self-doubt, and building self-compassion and resilience in the face of stressors.
Building Strong Relationships and Communication Skills
Effective communication strategies:
Wellness coaching can teach employees active listening skills, effective communication strategies, and interpersonal skills that can enhance their relationships with colleagues and supervisors. Leadership coaching can help employees develop skills such as empathetic listening, open-ended questioning, and assertive communication, which can improve their ability to understand others, express themselves clearly, and build trust and rapport with their colleagues. By enhancing their communication skills, employees can establish positive relationships with others, foster collaboration, and create a supportive work environment.
Building and maintaining positive relationships:
Wellness coaching can guide employees in building and maintaining positive relationships with colleagues and supervisors. Coaches can help employees develop strategies to establish rapport, build trust, and create positive interactions with others. This may involve developing effective teamwork skills, fostering a positive and inclusive work culture, and managing conflicts and differences constructively. Coaches can also provide guidance on building professional networks, seeking mentorship, and leveraging relationships to support personal and professional growth.
Conflict resolution skills and techniques:
Conflict is a common occurrence in the workplace, and learning effective conflict resolution skills is crucial for maintaining positive relationships. Wellness coaching can help employees develop conflict resolution skills and techniques, such as active listening, managing emotions, identifying common interests, and finding win-win solutions. Coaches can provide guidance on navigating difficult conversations, addressing conflicts in a constructive manner, and resolving conflicts with colleagues and supervisors in a respectful and professional manner.
Enhancing Mental Health and Wellbeing
Building resilience and coping skills:
Wellness coaching can help employees develop resilience and coping skills, which are crucial for managing stress, adversity, and challenges in the workplace. Coaches can provide guidance on stress management techniques, emotional regulation strategies, and self-care practices that can help employees build resilience and cope effectively with work-related stressors. By developing resilience and coping skills, employees can better manage their mental health and wellbeing, and maintain a positive outlook even during challenging times.
Seeking support from mental health professionals when needed:
Wellness coaching can also encourage employees to seek support from mental health professionals when needed. Coaches can provide education on mental health resources available in the workplace, such as Employee Assistance Programs (EAPs) or mental health benefits offered by the organization. Coaches can also help employees recognize signs of mental health concerns, such as depression or anxiety, and provide guidance on when and how to seek professional help. Encouraging employees to seek appropriate support when needed can help prevent mental health issues from escalating and promote early intervention and treatment.
Promoting a positive mindset:
Wellness coaching can promote a positive mindset and gratitude practice, which can contribute to enhancing mental health and wellbeing. Coaches can provide strategies for reframing negative thoughts, practicing self-compassion, and cultivating a positive outlook. Additionally, coaches can guide employees in incorporating gratitude practices, such as keeping a gratitude journal or expressing appreciation, into their daily routine. Practicing gratitude has been shown to improve mental health and wellbeing by fostering a positive mindset and reducing stress.
How to Implement Wellness Coaching in Your Organization
Creating a Culture of Wellness: Best Practices for Implementing Wellness Coaching
Assess Current Workplace Wellness Practices
Conduct a thorough assessment of your organization’s current wellness practices and initiatives. This may involve reviewing existing programs, policies, and resources related to employee health and well-being. Collect feedback from employees through surveys, focus groups, or other means to understand their interests, needs, and perceptions of wellness initiatives in the workplace. This assessment will help you identify areas for improvement and guide your wellness coaching implementation strategy.
Finding the Right Wellness Coach
Choose qualified and experienced professional wellness coaches who align with the goals and values of your organization. Look for coaches who have relevant certifications, experience working with organizations, and a track record of helping individuals achieve their wellness goals. Consider partnering with reputable wellness coaching providers or platforms, such as Terawatt, that offer a selection of featured coaches who have been vetted for their expertise and qualifications.
Terawatt Certified Wellness Coaches
Julie Peacock
Health & Wellness Coach
Julie Peacock has long been curious about what makes the body and mind feel good, integrated, and resilient. It’s her passion to bring together the disciplines of nutrition, health and wellness coaching, yoga, and mindfulness to help people feel productive at work and at home, to experience good health each and every day, to feel good in their own skin, and to thrive.
Helanah Warren
Wellness Success Coach
As a Wellness Success Coach with 15 years of experience, Helanah Warren specializes in helping working professionals find work-life balance, collectively increasing their productivity and quality of life by prioritizing their needs & wants through small lifestyle changes. Helanah is Licensed and Certified in Yoga, Meditation, Health Coaching, Plant-based Nutrition, Massage, and Aromatherapy, and has taught 2500+ workshops that have educated the masses on how to regain their health, mental clarity, and peace of mind through building healthy habits.
Define the Goals and Objectives of the Wellness Program
Clearly define the goals and objectives of your wellness program. What do you hope to achieve through the program? Develop a mission statement that clearly communicates the purpose and direction of the program. Determine the components of the wellness program, such as coaching, workshops, seminars, fitness classes, healthy food options, mental health support, etc., based on the needs and preferences of your employees. Make sure the goals and components of the program are aligned with the overall organizational goals and values.
Foster a Culture of Wellness
Create a supportive and encouraging environment that promotes wellness and well-being among your employees. This may involve creating policies and practices that support healthy lifestyle behaviors, such as flexible work hours for exercise, healthy food options in the workplace, and opportunities for mental health breaks. Recognize and celebrate the successes of the wellness program and its participants to reinforce a positive culture of wellness. Encourage leadership buy-in and participation to demonstrate the organization’s commitment to employee well-being.
Investing in Wellness Coaching: A Strategic Move for Your Organization
Investing in wellness coaching can be a strategic move for your organization, with numerous benefits for both employees and the organization as a whole. Here are some key points to emphasize when advocating for the importance of prioritizing workplace well-being through wellness coaching:
Improved Employee Health and Well-being
Employee well-being is crucial for their physical, mental, and emotional health. Wellness coaching can provide employees with the tools, resources, and support they need to make positive changes in their lifestyle, manage stress, and improve their overall well-being. Healthy and engaged employees are more productive, motivated, and committed to their work, leading to a more positive and thriving work environment.
Increased Employee Engagement and Retention
Organizations that prioritize workplace well-being through wellness coaching are more likely to see increased employee engagement and retention. When employees feel supported and valued by their organization through wellness initiatives, such as coaching, they are more likely to be committed to their job and stay with the organization for the long term. This can result in lower turnover rates, reduced recruitment costs, and higher levels of employee satisfaction.
Enhanced Organizational Performance
Investing in wellness coaching can have a positive impact on organizational performance. Healthy and engaged employees are more likely to be present, focused, and motivated at work, leading to increased productivity, creativity, and innovation. Wellness coaching can also help employees develop skills, such as stress management, time management, and resilience, that can improve their performance and effectiveness in the workplace.
Wellness coaching can also lead to potential cost savings for organizations. By promoting employee health and well-being, organizations may see reduced healthcare costs due to lower absenteeism, decreased turnover, and fewer health-related issues. Employees who are engaged in wellness coaching may also experience fewer work-related injuries, illnesses, and stress-related issues, resulting in lower workers’ compensation claims and reduced disability costs.
Start Your Journey to Workplace Wellness Today
Terawatt is an online coaching platform that offers a variety of services to help individuals and organizations. Whether you are looking to enhance your leadership abilities or seeking to foster a culture of diversity and inclusion within your organization, Terawatt can provide the tools and resources you need to achieve your goals.
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