In today’s fast-paced corporate environment, employee engagement has emerged as a critical factor in organizational success. While traditional engagement strategies often focus on productivity metrics and performance incentives, forward-thinking companies are discovering the powerful impact of wellness coaching on both employee satisfaction and business outcomes.
Employers are well aware of the challenges of workplace engagement and the issue of escalating healthcare costs. For instance, the average annual deductible for single coverage increased by 47% in the past decade. In addition, the average family health premium jumped by 7% within the last year. The dual challenges of employee wellness and workplace engagement are connected, because wellness initiatives can reduce absenteeism, with meta-analyses suggesting absenteeism reductions of about 25%.
Part of this connection is because employees feel better when they proactively improve their daily habits. This can support a more positive attitude at work and fuels a positive gain spiral for their organizations. In other words, as employees thrive, their workplace engagement grows, benefiting the entire organization. What are the necessary elements for this positive achievement pattern? 
The return on investment for wellness coaching programs extends beyond improved employee engagement. Organizations implementing comprehensive wellness programs report reduced healthcare costs, lowered turnover rates, increased productivity, and better team collaboration. Beyond that, research consistently shows that employees who feel supported in their overall well-being are more likely to be engaged at work. A study by Gallup found that employees who report high levels of well-being are 27% more likely to report “excellent” performance in their jobs. This connection isn’t surprising when we consider that wellness encompasses physical health, mental resilience, emotional balance, and social connection. All factors that directly influence workplace performance and satisfaction.
As a highly personalized experience, wellness coaching helps employees keep healthy intentions top-of-mind while leveraging their mental strengths to reach their goals. This strength-based approach helps employees gain mastery over their lives, spilling over into how they engage at work.
Estimations of this engagement advantage compared employees who did and did not access wellness coaching after matching them by age, gender, and health status. Surveys of these employees indicate that their engagement was enhanced by coaching as they became more creative, collaborative, and productive. Accessing these resources was estimated to benefit the company’s bottom line by over $1,400 per employee per year, based on the engagement improvements.
These studies underscore the importance of personalized wellness experiences for your employees.
How can personal mastery create a gain spiral that leads to better workplace engagement? For many employees, the answer lies in their enhanced ability to cope with stress.
Wellness coaching holds special advantages for employees who are ready to redefine their relationship with stress. This common feeling of overwhelm and frustration often includes the symptoms of anxiety and depression. Studies demonstrate that unresolved anxiety and depression impair workplace productivity by 35%. For high-stress employees, exercise and sleep habits tend to be poor. Coaching helps them address these areas. This significantly reduces their overall perception of stress.
Further supporting the link between employee wellness and engagement, a 2024 study noted that health and wellness programs can improve presenteeism by 20%. Participants in this study included workers with mild symptoms of anxiety and depression. As daily habits improve, symptoms are eased, benefiting workplace engagement. This aligns with broader evidence linking reduced depressive and anxiety symptoms to enhanced workplace productivity.
By embedding wellness support programs into your benefits package, you can create employee-first cultures and attract and retain an engaged workforce. As the studies above attest, wellness coaching can be a strategic asset to your benefits mix. This gives employees a proactive path to improve how they feel and perform, and it’s personalized to what they want to address. Furthermore, a recent 2024 study by Gallup finds that a manager having one meaningful conversation per week with each team member develops high-performance relationships more than any other leadership activity.
As workplaces continue to evolve, wellness coaching will play an increasingly important role in employee engagement strategies. Organizations that invest in comprehensive wellness programs now will be better positioned to attract and retain top talent while building a more resilient and productive workforce.
The key to success lies in understanding that wellness coaching isn’t just another employee benefit. It’s a strategic investment in your organization’s most valuable asset: your people. By supporting employees in their journey toward overall well-being, organizations create a workplace culture that naturally fosters engagement, innovation, and sustainable success.
Our Certified Wellness Coaches empower individuals to address a wide range of habits, including sleep, nutrition, and physical activity. Research confirms a strong link between these habits and mood, and their impact on workplace performance.
The evidence is clear: wellness coaching can be integrated into your benefits package to support engagement at work. Treo can help your team access the resources that make healthier daily habits more achievable.
Curious about how we can help? Book a demo with us today or email info@treowellness.com to learn more.
As Treo’s Global Wellness Researcher, Karlie uses recent research findings to support healthier daily habits. Karlie earned her doctorate in Neuroscience and Behavior and bachelors in Health and Exercise Science.
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