Impact of Employee Wellness Programming with Health and Wellness Coaching on Health Status

Abstract

The positive effects of employee wellness programs are well documented but how those “at-risk” adapt compared to low-risk participants when exposed to different levels of health and wellness coaching is unknown. PURPOSE: Examine effects on wellness programming on health status of risk-stratified employees after adding various doses of health and wellness coaching (HWC). METHODS: After risk stratification using ASCM standards, more than 300 volunteers were randomly assigned to one of three levels of telephonic HWC or a control. Assessments of blood pressure, resting heart rate, body weight, health risk appraisal, LDL-C, and glucose were completed at baseline, three and six months. RESULTS: For all participants, most outcome variables positively responded to wellness programming with participant blood pressure, resting heart rate and weight becoming significantly (p < .05) lower while health risk appraisal was significantly (p < .05) improved by the end of six months. Circulating LDL-C and glucose were not affected by treatment. A 2 (risk) x 4 (coaching) x 3 (time) repeated measures ANOVA revealed only systolic blood pressure to be positively affected (p < .05) by health coaching and risk stratification. CONCLUSIONS: College employees in a well-orchestrated wellness initiative respond equally well, improving health status, regardless of risk stratification or level of HWC. In this population (well-informed, supported, and great access to wellness programming), those “at risk” and “low risk” experience a limited yet valuable benefit from health coaching on systolic blood pressure. Much of the potential impact of HWC may be lost to the random assignment process as participants with little desire to be coached are sometimes assigned to HWC. It is informative to know that all levels of risk stratification respond favorably to wellness programming. Supported by Institute of Coaching at McLean Hospital, a Harvard Medical School affiliate