People need a new level of support to maintain or regain mental wellness. And increasingly, people are looking to employers for solutions to reduce stress and find healthy perspectives.
Having a shoulder to lean on is invaluable in this age of uncertainty. But people find it hard to unburden themselves with someone who has been suffering through the same stress that they have. It helps to have a friendly, familiar face — a mentor or coach — to turn to in times like these. Businesses that have individualized coaching programs can easily pivot to turn those programs into mental wellness and counseling sessions. Self-reliance, empowerment and determination are all valuable leadership traits, but also vital in developing a sound mental perspective.
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Teams that experience coaching face less stigma around counseling
The return to normal in the workplace has been anything but. There seems to be a rush for the return to normalcy but "normal" is still a long way off for millions of American workers. A crushing demand for mental health services and solutions has made it hard for people to get the help they need. Others still cope with the stigma that surrounds counseling and mental health programs. The unique stressors facing employees — whether work-related or personal challenges — are only making things worse for people while the world scrambles to achieve a pre-pandemic state.
One thing is clear: people need a new level of support to maintain or regain mental wellness. And increasingly, people are looking to employers for solutions to reduce stress and find healthy perspectives.
Burnout is increasing
Mental health is one of the leading causes of long-term health leave in the workplace. According to a National Institute of Health study done before the pandemic, human capital loss to mental illness was estimated at $50 billion. The upheaval of the COVID-19 pandemic has led to a spike in anxiety and depression, making it vital for companies to engage in proactive measures to prevent burnout and stress from becoming a pandemic targeting the workforce.
Despite this, a stigma still exists around seeking help. Sometimes it's cultural. Organizations should not contribute to that stigma, however. The attitude of achievement that has driven so much of the workplace atmosphere left little room for vulnerability. Creating an accepting environment for everyone will help to eliminate—or at least reduce—that stigma around counseling in the workplace.
How coaching helps
For our purposes, it's important to think of coaching in the context of a one-on-one experience that is open to all employees. Traditional coaching sessions always relied on in-person formats, which are typically inflexible, time-consuming, and unscalable. They are too often directed solely at executives or sales teams and not people outside those groups.
The digitized workplace makes coaching more accessible to everyone. Organizations that incorporate coaching typically have a growth mindset that demonstrates the value they have for their employees and willingness to invest in their betterment.
The current climate has demonstrated that employees are clamoring for emotional and mental support now. Workplace burnout is real and it's not being adequately addressed by most organizations.
Make it personal
Employees participating in a personalized coaching program have a confidant. Their coach becomes a sounding board who allows them to analyze their situation without judgment and help them develop the tools they need to cope with the stress they are facing.
Some of the most impactful results of individual coaching include:
- A positive mindset — They learn the resilience needed to help positively reframe their situation, allowing them to live a better life and thrive in their job.
- More motivation — It becomes easier to achieve and more effective when it makes sense to the individual.
- Greater understanding — Personalized coaching allows for the creation of tailored, targeted strategies and information best suited for the "coachee" and their experience.
- Improved engagement — Individuals will see greater meaning in their work through self-reflection and positive reinforcement.
- Organizational improvement — 80% of employees using personal, digital coaching report an 18% reduction in stress. The improvement for employees also benefits their families which reduces stress, leads to greater productivity, higher retention, and overall organizational growth.
- Skill building — Coaching provides the opportunity for employees to build skills or learn new ones to fill positions that would otherwise go empty as the number of available positions outsrip the talent to take them.
Well-being is crucial
Having the necessary skills to successfully cope with the increased stress is more important than ever. It should be a priority for organizations to reassure their employees that help is available and they should take advantage of it.
Organizations need to emphasize what programs are available and make it a priority to everyone in the organization, from top to bottom. Managers and executives who feel the strain aren't doing themselves or their employees any good by ignoring their own needs or by "putting on a brave face."
They are already feeling the strain, responding to conflicting demands while attending to the needs of those they supervise. Encouraging engagement in well-being programs helps to maintain the gains made through individual coaching.
Yannis Niebelschütz is managing director and co-founder of CoachHub, a digital turnkey solution in learning and development democratizing coaching for employees of all career levels worldwide. He is a serial entrepreneur and former senior sales manager at LinkedIn. Yannis has more than 15 years of experience in New Work, startups and digital business building.
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