TM - January 2008 - (Page 33)

coaching. Further, the vast majority of the participants stay engaged for up to one year, also contributing to more long-term behavior change. Such programs benefit from the unique nature of online delivery. When participants are dealing with personal topics, the anonymity of online coaching — through e-mail or instant messaging — encourages more honest feedback and self-reporting, contributing to higher success rates. There is frequently an immediacy of communication rather than waiting for a scheduled call. Often the process of composing and make efforts to reduce health risk. Most commonly, an employer will shift premium costs up but allow employees to reduce their premium back to original levels by participating in wellness programs or, in some cases, achieving predetermined goals with a coach. Certain companies have embraced a total wellness philosophy that may even include employees’ participation in wellness programs as part of their performance review process. Clearly, a company’s environment must support the philosophy — it can’t just declare itself a healthy workplace. Innovative companies understand that attracting employees with health-related benefits is just part of the appeal. The greater attraction, and challenge, is creating a culture of wellness. A wellness culture can’t be mandated. It requires buy-in from top executives who not only champion but participate in company health initiatives. This also requires that a company evolve to support employees making lifestyle changes, such as quitting smoking or losing weight. For instance, companies can work with food services to ease into healthier offerings. They can encourage smokers to participate in smoking cessation programs, such as those offered by the American Cancer Society, Free & Clear and other providers. Innovative companies understand that attracting employees with health-related benefits is just part of the appeal. The greater attraction, and challenge, is creating a culture of wellness. A wellness culture can’t be mandated. It requires buy-in from top executives who not only champion but participate in company health initiatives. their thoughts in an e-mail to the coach helps provide participants some sense of relief, even if the response comes the next morning. Significantly, an independent analysis by a Fortune 500 company projected the use of this kind of coaching to account for a 41 percent quit rate in smoking after 12 months, and a projected 23 percent decrease in medical costs. These types of online coaching services can be delivered at a cost that is typically 50 percent less than other programs. Another wellness trend among employers provides incentives for workers to take charge of their health Employees who see senior management supporting the walking program, playing volleyball and taking the stairs will benefit from the role-modeling. Meaningful culture change also can come from the ranks. Employees who feel empowered by a flexible work schedule may feel less stress, work smarter and be happier at work. The SHRM benefit survey indicates four-day work weeks have gone up in the last two years, a clear sign more employers understand workers desire a work-life balance and are offering such scheduling benefits to attract and keep them satisfied. As the labor shortage increases, workers will judge potential employers on far more than pay and the usual benefits. Forward-thinking companies will continue to watch for and adopt emerging trends in benefit expectations to attract and keep the best employees. Sean Slovenski is chief executive officer and president of Hummingbird Coaching Services in Cincinnati. He is recognized as a health care industry expert with more than 15 years’ experience in prevention and wellness. He can be reached at editor@TalentMgt.com. talent management magazine www.TalentMgt.com 33 January 2008 http://www.TalentMgt.com

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of TM - January 2008

TM - January 2008 Editor's Letter Contents Learning Connections: Working With Those People Leading Edge: Hub Caps for a Buggy Human Performance: Hawthorne Effect Revisited Beyond Affirmative Action: The Changing Face of Recruitment Assessment Centers in Talent Management: Strategies, Use and Value Nontraditional Benefits- How to Hook the Best Talent Intersection of Web 2.0 and Talent Management Cross-Training for Workforce Agility Mapping Talent Among Younger Workers Dashboard: Using Personality Data to Identify and Develop High-Potential Leaders Application: Shaffer Title Uses Myers-Briggs to Develop Common Corporate Language, Jump-Start Growth Insight: Dreier, Stein & Kahan LLP: Using Strategy to Bring Back the Law Profession Advertisers' Index Editorial Resources Full Potential: Stop in the Name of Leadership

TM - January 2008

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