We’ve encountered our fair share of skeptics when it comes to employee health & wellbeing benefits. Before we even make it to discussions around health coaching, we’re at times met with executives who question the value of investing in employee health & wellbeing at all. Some find the notion of “health & wellbeing” too nebulous to consider as part of their overall business strategies (and forget about the idea of “happiness!”). Others consider it an “outside of work” matter.
The latest data is very clear – if you’re not investing in your employees’ health & wellbeing you’re missing out on a chance to support a workforce that’s more engaged, present, productive and committed. According to SHRM via MetLife data, employee satisfaction with their benefits has been steadily declining over the last several years and 60% of employees voiced their benefits were extremely or very important when considering whether to stay with their current employer.
Supporting employee health and wellbeing means making their happiness a priority. And let’s be clear – when we talk about ‘happiness’ we are not talking about giggles and laughing fits. We are talking about a person’s overall state of well-being and contentment in and outside the workplace. Their state of satisfaction with life. This is absolutely something we work on with our existing partners through health coaching and something we’ve seen pay forward in dividends. Not only that, but recent data supports that happier employees are actually more productive, have fewer absences and are more likely to stick around. In today’s blog, we make a case for why every employer should care about employee happiness, which is made more possible through health coaching.
Increased Productivity
Happiness manifests in the workplace in ways many bosses might find surprising. One of the main reasons employers might want to make happiness a KPI is that recent studies have shown happier employees are actually around 12% more productive. Research from the University of Oxford found a similar correlation between happiness and productivity a year prior. Not only that, but productivity is massively impacted by the overall health & wellbeing of your employees. The CDC estimates that productivity losses due to chronic diseases cost U.S. employers $225.8 billion annually.
Decreased Absenteeism
Happier employees are not only more productive, they’re also more likely to show up to work. A recent study on both absenteeism and presenteeism – the latter of which represents employees who show up to work but are not able to fully perform their assigned role – was the first of its kind to explore their relationship between these outcomes and happiness. Results suggest that happiness and gratitude were both linked to lower absenteeism and presenteeism. This data further supports the idea that employees are more likely to show up to work and do their jobs if they’re experiencing happiness.
Improved Retention
According to Gallup data, around half of employees are considering a new job. Within the same report they estimate that the cost of replacing leaders and managers is around 200% their salary. The secret to keeping great employees is making sure they’re happy both in and out of the workplace. MIT research supports the idea that happiness in the workplace is one of the key drivers behind employees whether they decide to stay or leave their current job.
So how do you make sure your employees are actually happier? Health coaching provides non-clinical, supplemental mental health support and inspires positive behavior change that actually catalyzes real happiness. Health coaches leverage science-backed techniques – like positive psychology principles and motivational interviewing – to support overall health & wellbeing and improve overall happiness, which results in happier humans all around.
If you’re an employer who’s looking to create a happier, healthier, more present and more productive workforce, you need to introduce REAL health coaching to your employees. Send us a note to team@yourcoach.health to set up a call to learn more.