Getting into the corporate wellness coaching business is an attractive way to grow your health and wellness practice. However, it’s important to understand what you’re entering into before making the move.
A corporate wellness coach works with a client in their employer’s workplace to inspire and support them to make healthier choices. This may be done through a program that is part of their benefits package, such as a personalized wellness assessment and goal-setting session. It can also be done as a one-on-one coaching experience.
The coaching sessions are often focused on helping the client achieve their personal wellness goals through a variety of techniques such as motivational interviewing and behavior modification. The programs are designed to help clients overcome challenges that may be hindering their success, such as poor eating habits, stress management and inactivity. Typically, the corporate wellness program includes a wellness assessment, a goal setting session and six coaching sessions over a period of three months. Often, a follow up meeting is scheduled to determine progress and discuss next steps.
While the goal of a corporate wellness program is to improve employee health and productivity, the programs must be data driven in order to prove the return on investment. This is why it’s so important for a corporate wellness coach to be knowledgeable in how to interpret the data and how to present the results in an effective manner.
To do this, a corporate wellness coach should have experience using polling, questionnaires, risk assessments and other measurement tools in their work. This will help them to design and deliver the best program for their client’s needs. This is especially important if the client is paying for the program through their health insurance or other third-party.
Alison Brehme, founder of Virtual Corporate Wellness and a health coach in Exude’s immersion program, says that the first step to becoming a corporate wellness coach is to find out if your expertise is needed. She suggests reaching out to local businesses and asking if they are looking for someone to lead a wellness program or if they have already started one.
If the answer is yes, she recommends starting small and focusing on a single company. Once you have a foot in the door, she suggests doing free workshops or lunch and learns.
Once you have a steady stream of clients, she advises creating a website and social media page that showcases your work. It’s also important to network with community groups and professional networking groups. Finally, she recommends putting together a toolkit of materials, such as wellness assessments, educational materials and workshop topics, that you can use when pitching yourself to a potential client.
Erin Foushee is a nutritionist who specializes in worksite wellness. She says that when you’re getting into the corporate wellness space, it can take a long time to get established. However, she advises not giving up. You might have to approach ten different businesses before you get a yes.corporate wellness coaches
