One thing we’ve learned in the last year or two is that employees are simply not satisfied with their health & wellbeing benefits. We wonder if part of that steady decline in satisfaction is due to the failure to adapt these benefits to address evolving needs of our multigenerational workplaces. Back in June, we had the fortunate opportunity to speak with Microsoft’s Global Wellness and Benefits Manager, Celeste Harrington (you can check out a partial recap of that conversation here!).
Among the many interesting insights Celeste shared was highlighting a growing need to adapt health & wellbeing benefits so they address evolving needs of multiple generations, from Gen Z to Millennials, Gen X and beyond. This is something we’re seeing only become more pronounced as new generations, like Gen Z enter the workforce with new expectations, perspectives and requirements. And we only expect this to continue over time. In today’s blog, we begin to examine some suggested shifts to workplace health & wellbeing benefits and how health coaching might hold the key to this success.
Take stock of what current and potential future employees value when it comes to health & wellbeing benefits.
It’s not news that different generations have varying expectations at work. We’ve been seeing much conversation surrounding Gen Z’s increased emphasis on mental health & wellbeing in the workplace plus generationally different views surrounding in-office requirements. That said, take a moment to consider your current workforce and the talent you’d like to attract. If possible, try to source anonymized survey information that might help give you a better idea of how your employees appreciate current benefits and get a window into the types of new benefits they’d consider valuable. Are you being future-forward?
Not only are health & wellbeing benefits important to retaining top talent, but they’re also a primary factor potential employees keep in mind when evaluating new job opportunities. Both health & wellbeing benefits and wellness at work are some of the key factors employees keep in mind when it comes to their job. It’s an imperative that every employer remains competitive by providing health & wellbeing benefits with value for a multigenerational workforce.
Consider your in-office requirements and how you’re supporting employees through shifting mandates.
As mentioned, return to office is likely one of the topics that differs the most across employees. While it’s not always possible to flex return-to-office mandates, it is more than possible to provide employees with resources that help them better adapt to hybrid, fully remote, or fully in-office shifts. Health coaches play a huge role in these transitions, helping employees build goals around how to better structure schedules and achieve productivity in new or flexing job environments. In fact, we’ve already worked closely with employees across organizations to face these changes head-on and maintain health & wellbeing, happiness and productivity both in and out of the workforce.
Deliver benefits that can easily provide adaptable value across generations.
Generational needs will continue to flex with time. One of the most strategic decisions employers can make is to offer health & wellbeing benefits that provide adaptable value to a wide range of individuals with evolving needs. REAL and impactful health coaching is one of the best examples of these sorts of benefits. Health coaches are meant to meet employees where they are while flexing ongoing programs to keep pace with their shifting goals. While some health coaches might specialize in a given area – for example, some have particular experience helping with the transition through menopause and others might be adept at supporting employees through diabetes management or cancer treatment – there’s always a coach in our cohort who’s able to address any health & wellbeing goal.
At YourCoach, we work closely with employers to provide their workforce with dedicated and diverse health & wellbeing coaches who’ve been validated, verified and up-skilled by our team. They’ve worked with individuals across generations on a wide range of focus areas, tailoring health & wellbeing programs to help them achieve their goals in the short- and long-term. If you’re interested in learning more about how we can partner with your organization to deliver health coaching to your evolving workforce, send us a note to team@yourcoach.health