Is Hiring A Health Coach Really Going To Help My Company and My Team?

The smell of greasy French fries filled the air. The floor felt slick under my feet as I hustled about taking orders. It wasn’t a difficult job but it didn’t excite me nor did it feel all that rewarding. When my shifts ended all I could think about was getting out of my beefy smelling uniform. I couldn’t get home fast enough to jump into a hot shower where I literally had to scrub the film of oil off my skin. I enjoyed the paycheck I received every 2 weeks but there were other things I could do without.

My first official job, beyond babysitting and yard work, was in fast food. I was hired at Arby’s Restaurant serving curly fries, shredded roast beef burgers and milkshakes at the age of 15. That was just the beginning of my colourful career path vying to find the ‘right fit’ and the ‘right line of work’ for me.

30 years later, I’ve worked for over 20 different companies. I’ve held down positions as front line staff, delivery staff, warehouse staff, been a pharmacy technician, youth worker, special constable, assembly line worker, management team lead, fitness attendant, and the list goes on. I’ve worked for large companies like Shoppers Drug Mart, Whole Foods Market, and Ford Motor Company.  I’ve also worked for many small ‘mom and pop’ shops along the way.

What I’ve learned through each of these experiences is every company I worked for had its own vision, philosophy, and management/employee relationship. Some companies were more team-oriented, focused on employee satisfaction, and that meant they had many long term employees. But, sadly, most did not. Most companies have a revolving door of employees for a variety of reasons.

The benefit of working for so many different companies was that each and every opportunity provided a chance to see their inner workings. I can tell you from personal experience that in order to keep turnover low, companies thriving, and employees happy, is as much about a fair wage as it is about overall staff support and consideration for their well-being.

Of course making money is important but it’s not the only reason people go to work and continue to. There are many other factors at play, like, does my boss support me? Do I feel valued? Do I enjoy coming into work each day? Am I rewarded appropriately for my efforts? Does the company care about health and well-being? Is it an ‘us’ vs.‘them’ mentality or do I feel like a team member and a family?

I job jumped so often with the hopes that the grass would be greener. Given we spend the majority of our lives working, I want to spend my time doing something meaningful, where I feel I provide value in the world, and that brings me joy. Ultimately I found my “forever career” through self-employment as a health coach and professional speaker and facilitator.

Now, in addition to working with private clients, I provide online group health coaching to help small and large companies support, reward, and care for their teams. This has the potential to create a work environment that maximizes staff retention, increases team morale, and improves productivity.

Without taking good care of your team’s health and well-being, what do you have?

Without your team of dedicated and efficient employees behind you, where would you be right now?

By guiding your team members to make better choices, ensure they feel supported, rewarded, and taken care of will mean they are more likely to stick with you, help your company grow, and continue to thrive, both in and out of the office.

Here are some of the things companies are saying after working with me:

“The team and I are absolutely loving your program. We are consistently engaged and learning so much. We have never rolled out anything like this with our team before but I’m so glad we did. The energy and commitment you bring to each call is contagious.” says Sarah the CEO of a large provincial insurance company.

“I’m not sure if you were warned ahead of time that our staff are not normally very participatory, so the sheer fact you got everyone up and exercising in a virtual setting was awesome!” says Mia, a supervisor of a large corporation.

“I’ve been hearing great things about your presentation from the teachers. Would you be open to coming back next year and doing a longer talk totally focused on nutrition?” asks Glen, chairman of the school district’s Professional Development committee.

“I love your coaching style, your thorough but not overwhelming delivery of information, and that you make understanding how to improve my lifestyle interesting, achievable, and fun.” says an audience member from School District 28.

Health coaching for business, be it through live or online delivery, has been growing in popularity. Companies are realizing the benefit to taking better care of their health and that of their staff. We are living in a day and age where most people sit less, stress more, eat poor quality food, feel disconnected, suffer with low energy, pain, illness, and the list goes on.

Whether you run a large corporate team or a small crew of employees, research shows that offering health coaching and support, you can:

1. Help employees make positive changes. Having the right coach on board can help your employees make changes to their lifestyle that they would otherwise not have. Without the support of a coach to ask questions, hold them accountable, and navigate health concerns they are likely to turn to health care spending accounts for things like meds and pain management.
2. Connect and support your team. Depending on the type of program you purchase, it can improve staff morale and provide employees with the opportunity to connect as a team through group coaching, as well as gain valuable personalized attention with individual employee coaching.
3. Show your employees you care. When you are willing to make your teams well-being a top priority it shows that you genuinely care. Many people will not spend thousands of dollars on a health coach despite the fact that they need it. By offering a group coaching program with some 1:1 support, you can keep costs down while providing them with a unique and beneficial experience.
4. Improve company morale, decrease burnout, and improve productivity. When employees feel connected to one another, are able to manage their stress, and feel their boss ‘gets it’, they are more likely to work harder and better. This means more hours focused on what matters and less on what doesn’t.
5. Set the stage. Most employees want to follow the lead of a head team member or the CEO. They look to you for direction, approval and what vision you hold for your health and well-being. If you value your health and wellness extending that to those who support your bigger vision goes a long way. The very people that work for you and are the backbone of the operation are the very people that need the most care.
6. Reduce the amount of sick days. The amount of sick days or time off your staff have a direct correlation to bottom line. What if your teams felt better, were sick less and could turn those sick days into wellness days? This means your team can enjoy time off having fun with their family or friends, instead of lying in bed unwell. A much more positive and enjoyable experience and one everyone will be grateful for. One of the number one reasons people complain about not sticking to health habits is because of lack of time.
7. Spend a little to gain a lot. Being proactive is far better than being reactive. This means seeing what your team needs and providing it to them. Spending money to take care of the health and well-being of your staff will help them create and maintain a healthier lifestyle. This offers benefits to both you, the employer, and the quality of life of the employee. It’s a win, win!

What I have come to know from coaching hundreds of clients, doing presentations and running health programs for workplaces, is that what we all want to feel is supported, cared for, and loved. Taking action in this way leads to staff longevity, happiness and better health for all.

I believe we need to be the change we wish to see in the world and each of my pillars of health moves the needle once more step closer to helping people make the improvements they are after without feelings of overwhelm.

I offer both virtual and in-person presentations that are high energy, dynamic and interactive. They range in length from a 45 minute keynote to an 8 week, 6 Pillars of Health intensive wellness program. You decide what works for your company and I’ll take care of the rest!

To learn more or to BOOK ME, go HERE