The benefits of mindfulness.

Mindfulness, or meditation, is all about paying close attention to what’s happening in the moment and being present. This forces our brain to calm down. As one of our Health Coaching Supervisors likes to say, “Mindfulness gives your brain a break. We have so many to-dos running through our heads and things we can’t forget. Practicing mindfulness gives our brains a little vacation, even if it’s for a moment.”

In addition to the mental benefits of reducing stress and decreasing anxiety, mindfulness also has physical benefits. Studies show that mindfulness could cut down on symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome and migraines. Mindfulness has also been associated with lower blood pressure and blood sugar, better heart health, and can even improve sleep quality.¹

Why our mindfulness attempts often fail.

In our society, we gravitate towards instant gratification. A Harvard Business Review article about mindfulness gives a good example of this attitude in action: when we work out, we feel tired and our muscles get sore, so we see this as an immediate sign that we are getting stronger. Mindfulness, however, takes time and a sustained commitment to see long-term results. People may give up because they don’t see positive impacts right away.

In the beginning, it may be hard to sit still and not be distracted by the thoughts running through your head or the noises around you. But, experts say this shows that you are on the right track and that your mind is in the process of learning how to calm down.

In the Harvard Business Review article, mindfulness expert Matthias Birk sums it up this way: “You have to do it, and you have to do it regularly — including when you don’t feel like it, so that over time your easily distractable mind learns to rest in open awareness, without constantly attaching to the next thought that comes by.”

Tips to make the mindfulness habit stick.

Mindfulness experts recommend these ways to make it a habit:

• Identify your “why.” It helps to pinpoint one reason why you’ve chosen to be mindful. Maybe you want to feel happier, calmer, be more focused or less stressed. Reminding yourself of this “why” can help you keep the commitment going.
• Set aside a designated time. As with most new habits, we need to commit to a particular time of day to engage in the practice. Just like with physical fitness, it’s good to block time on a calendar.
• Be OK with imperfection. Again, becoming mindful doesn’t happen overnight. When you first start out, you should expect your mind to be busy and easily distracted. That will lessen over time.
• Try not to judge. There is no such thing as good or bad meditation, or succeeding or failing. Even the sessions you feel “didn’t go well” are helping.
• Be patient. Meditation is a journey, not a sprint. The benefits will be realized gradually over time.

Benefits of mindfulness in the workplace.

Some of the benefits of mindfulness for the individual also translate to the workplace. When employees practice mindfulness, we often see:

• More empathetic leadership, a critical quality for leaders today. In “Why Leaders Need Meditation Now More Than Ever,” Matthias Birk reasons that “one of the most important advantages of meditation is that it allows us to step out of our own survival centric thinking and connect with others empathetically.”
• Better mental health. Recent data from the American Psychiatric Association finds 43% of U.S. adults felt more anxious in 2024 than they did the previous year, up from 37% in 2023.² Mindfulness has been shown to reduce anxiety and depression, so anything we can do to support employees’ mental wellness is a win.
• Improved productivity and creativity. Meditation improves focus, which leads to greater productivity and might even inspire creativity.
• Better teamwork. Studies show that meditation reduces aggression and irritability, which may improve our relationships at work.
• Greater employee engagement. Mindfulness is known to create feelings of happiness, which may, in turn, lead to greater satisfaction on the job and overall employee engagement.

We’ll leave you with some inspiration.

A WebMD Health Services health coach shares her own mindfulness practice and offers some encouragement for those just starting out:

“I like to give myself a mindfulness break first thing when I sit at my desk. I try to notice three things: something I see (like a bird outside), something I hear (like the coffee pot brewing), and something I can touch (like the softness of the sweater I am wearing). There are lots of ways to take these “brain breaks” of mindfulness—taking deep breaths, closing your eyes, and picturing a favorite spot. The key is to remember that mindfulness can be practiced anywhere and at any time. The more you take those breaks, the faster your body will accustom itself to letting your thoughts go, even for a few minutes.”

We’re feeling inspired already! If you are, too, then perhaps include an article about starting a mindfulness habit in your January employee well-being newsletter. Feel free to use these tips. It’s the perfect way to show your organization’s support for employee mental health.

Americans continue to struggle with their weight. According to the CDC, 42% of U.S. adults are obese.¹ The New England Journal of Medicine estimates that 1 in 2 adults will be obese by 2030; 1 in 4 will be severely obese by 2030.²

Many individuals have found support through prescription drugs that mimic the effects of a hormone that help people feel full. When used appropriately and in conjunction with lifestyle behavior modifications, these prescription medications can result in a significant amount of weight loss.

But, we are now seeing that when those lifestyle modifications and regular medication use are abandoned, weight loss may reverse. That’s why programs that teach participants how to manage the myriad lifestyle factors that can impact weight—like how well we sleep, our mental health, and stress levels—are so important.

Positively Me focuses on the whole person.

Our Positively Me program combines one-on-one coaching with education and clinically backed research to help participants learn mental, emotional, and physical strategies for living a healthier lifestyle based on their personal weight loss goals.

Positively Me was developed in conjunction with our Clinical Advisory Board and Diabetes Prevention Program guidelines to drive long-term positive outcomes through holistic, clinically backed methods. Michael Dansinger, MD, a nationally recognized authority on dietary and lifestyle counseling for weight loss and disease prevention and a member of our Clinical Advisory Board, explains how this program focuses on more than just weight loss:

“The Positively Me program is focused on the whole person, not just the scale. The coaches use clinically proven techniques to help participants make forward progress in their well-being in many different ways. Weight loss is just one of the many health benefits that come from working with inspirational behavior change experts that care about you and believe in your full potential.”

And it’s true. Positively Me can help participants sleep better, cope with triggers, ease high blood pressure, reduce the risk of developing diabetes, and feel healthier and happier overall, among other benefits.

Here’s how Positively Me works.

After an initial call to talk about goals and program structure, coaches and participants speak every two weeks about specific topics related to weight loss, including:

• Cognitive restructuring and positive thinking
• Environment and support
• Exercise
• Nutrition
• Sleep quality
• Time management
• Tracking food, exercise and sleep

After the first six months, coaches follow up monthly to revisit any topics previously discussed and help participants sustain healthy habits for the long-term.

Together, these topics allow participants to understand their individual relationship with weight and the steps they can take to lead a healthier overall lifestyle. By talking through the common physical and emotional barriers that people face when losing weight—including mindset, understanding and coping with triggers, and finding the time for fitness—participants learn how weight loss journeys include more than just exercising and eating right.

Coaches provide the right level of structure and support.

WebMD Health Coaches are trained in a variety of techniques—such as SMART goal setting, motivational interviewing, social cognitive theory, and more—to help participants break their goals into small, actionable steps they can easily achieve. All coaches are required to attend additional training on the Positively Me program and are certified by the American Council on Exercise (ACE).

Text check-ins twice a week deliver the motivation and consistency to keep participants engaged. They can also reach a coach by phone, online, or even at the workplace if a client has WebMD Dedicated Well-Being Staff.

Positively Me integrates seamlessly into WebMD ONE.

Participants who sign up for Positively Me see all their data right on the WebMD ONE dashboard, so there’s no need to engage with an outside weight management program. And, it’s free for WebMD ONE users. From logging weight to tracking exercise to customized weight loss tips, it’s easy to stay connected and see progress.

Here’s what a few participants have to say about their experience with Positively Me:

“I am now sleeping at least 7 hours per night and I feel so much better. I have more energy and a better attitude which helps me be more productive at work.”

“I’m finally starting to feel like eating healthy is the norm and when I eat unhealthy it feels strange.”

“When I started, I weighed 330 pounds. It was time to change and it is nice to have someone calling and motivating me. I lost 44 pounds and hope to run a marathon. It is good to have someone to ask questions.”

“My A1c went from 10.4 to 7.7 and I lost 5 pounds. The best part is I am happy. I love the food I’m eating and I have energy again.”

“We’ve worked on customizing something that will work for me. The coaches are very good at figuring out what works for me personally.”

Health experts agree: it’s not that weight doesn’t matter, it’s just not the only thing that matters. From better sleep, to being more alert on the job, to just feeling happier, losing any amount of weight has positive side effects. Positively Me teaches that weight is more than just a number on the scale, and that feeling healthy is possible at any size.

Creating a culture of well-being.

Companies with a robust culture of well-being know that it’s about more than offering a meditation app or an onsite fitness center. A true well-being culture includes support for multiple aspects of employees’ lives, including mental health, family and caregiving responsibilities, financial wellness, social connections, and managing chronic conditions, among others. As a recent Harvard Business Review article stated, “Organizations can’t function effectively — let alone, adapt, compete, and win — with struggling and suffering workers.”

Organizations that place a priority on employee well-being reap the benefits. Research shows that there’s a strong, positive correlation between well-being, productivity, and organizational performance.¹ And, Gallup recently found that teams who feel their organization cares about their well-being achieve higher customer engagement, profitability and productivity, lower turnover, and fewer safety incidents.

So, what can we do to help employees with well-being?

First, it’s important to acknowledge that well-being is not a one-time event. It’s an ongoing practice of small, daily acts that allow people to manage stress, be more productive, and feel happier and healthier. And, most importantly, it’s about creating a corporate environment that openly supports employees taking time to look after their health and wellness.

Here are some ideas for how to infuse well-being into the workplace.

Embrace a self-care mindset.

At its core, self-care focuses on sleep, proper nutrition and exercise, and layers on care for our mental state, like actively managing stress, practicing self-compassion, and engaging in mindfulness or meditation. There is now widespread acceptance in the wellness community that practicing self-care is no longer a nice-to-have, selfish indulgence, but absolutely critical to our well-being. And it’s even more important for caregivers, who must take care of themselves in order to take care of others.

Let employees know that spending time focusing on their own well-being is something the organization supports. Perhaps most important, make sure managers and leaders visibly practice self-care themselves. That way, employees can see that the organization truly cares about well-being, and will take the time to focus on their own self-care, too.

Encourage employees to engage in physical activity during the workday.

Exercise has traditionally been something employers expected workers to do on their own time. Now, we realize that incorporating bursts of movement during the workday is essential. If possible, it’s even better for employees to step outside the office for the activity. Offer ways for employees to move more at work—including walking meetings, lunchtime strolls, steps challenges, rewards for not using the elevator, things like that. Remote workers should also be encouraged to take a break during the day for at least a 20-minute walk to refresh before jumping back into productivity mode.

Make sure the physical workplace reflects a commitment to wellness.

As many employees head back to the office, employers should ensure that the workspace has kept pace with what’s now important to people. For example, new spaces that make people feel welcome; places for collaboration as well as focused work; floor plans that can be manipulated for collaboration; creating a relaxing atmosphere with biophilia—plants, greenery, and fountains—and natural lighting will be key to supporting employees who are returning to the office after a long period away.

Offer more support for caregiving.

Increasingly, employees cite family and caregiving responsibilities as a significant contributor to stress in their lives. Evaluate your caregiving policies and determine whether you can provide additional support through onsite childcare, stipends, and/or leave.

Provide help for financial wellness.

Finances are also a significant source of stress. Consider ways to alleviate some of it by implementing programs that help with student loan debt repayment, monthly budgeting, or saving for a significant purchase. Alternative pay cycles—like those that allow people to be paid daily or weekly—can also help.

Encourage water consumption.

Water is essential for hydrating the body for optimal functioning, improving the look and quality of skin, energizing muscles, and controlling calories. Make it easy for employees to drink water throughout the day with conveniently-located water coolers. You could also host a wellness challenge around increasing water consumption and give a free water bottle away as an incentive. For employees who work remotely, consider subsidizing a monthly water service.

Lean into meditation.

Meditation trains the brain and body to relax and focus on the present instead of all the “chatter” in our heads. Even five minutes a day can be helpful. But meditation can be daunting for employees to start on their own. A discounted subscription to a meditation app can help. If space allows, transform a vacant office into a meditation space for employees to use throughout the day. If you have a dispersed workforce, consider sending calendar invites that allow people to participate in a virtual company-wide meditation together.

Make it easier to focus on nutrition.

Your employees likely have good intentions about eating better, but the busyness of life can interfere. Some suggestions for helping employees focus on nutrition include healthy, grab-and-go dinners from the cafeteria, a discount on a meal kit service, a lunch-and-learn about how to meal prep on the weekend, or even a voucher for a local fresh produce market or monthly Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) share. 

Incorporate stretching.

We all need to stretch to counteract the effects of the day, whether we’ve been sitting at a desk for hours, working on our feet, or simply trying to overcome all the stress we’ve taken in. It may feel silly at first but if you’re holding a long meeting, build in some group stretch breaks. Or, as part of a wellness update, suggest stretches and yoga poses employees can do on their own time. Better yet, offer a free yoga class virtually or in-person to reap the centuries-old benefits that yoga offers—calming the mind, lowering blood pressure, and slowing the heart rate.

Give permission to disconnect and set boundaries. 

Technology makes it possible to work anywhere at any time, but the downside is that many employees don’t take the time to disconnect. Employers should encourage employees to set times when they shut down for the day and establish hours when they do not respond to emails. Similarly, make sure employees know it’s important and ok to use their paid time off. Even if they don’t have a vacation planned, time spent away from work is restorative.

Explore gratitude and positivity.

Psychologists have documented the positive effects of practicing gratitude on our emotional and physical health. Employers can support this practice by giving employees a small notebook to record the things they’re grateful for or providing a link to a gratitude meditation. You could also encourage employees to focus on one good thing that happens every day. Doing this daily can retrain the brain to switch directions, so that when setbacks do occur, we recover more quickly.

Surprise employees with a company-wide paid day off.

Employees report that they are burned out and need a break. In fact, in a Paychex/Future Workforce study, 35% of respondents cited additional time off as the number one action that would improve their well-being.² If your organization and industry allow, try offering employees a surprise company-wide day off. Encourage people to put work away and resist the urge to check emails during the break.

Give a small token of appreciation.

Recognition and feeling appreciated are key employee engagement factors. Whether mailed to homes or desk-dropped, employees will appreciate a gift of self-care like candles, essential oils and diffusers, stress balls, healthy snacks, loose leaf tea, a gift card to a bookstore, a journal, chocolates—get creative!

We spend most of our waking hours on the job, so it makes sense that looking after our well-being is something that we can and should attend to throughout the workday. August’s National Wellness Month is a great time to start sending that message. Employers who do so will reap the benefits of a healthier and more engaged workforce all year long.

How to celebrate Stress Awareness Month in the workplace.

Let’s face it. Life is stressful. And while small perks or events won’t “cure” stress at work, they do tend to boost morale and make people happier. Here are a few ideas for what to do for Stress Awareness Month:

Surprise employees with a company-wide paid day off.

Employees are asking for a break. In fact, in a Paychex/Future Workforce study, 35% of respondents cited additional time off as the number one action that would improve their well-being. If your organization and industry allow, try offering employees a surprise company-wide day off. Encourage people to stay away from work and resist the urge to check emails during the break.

Send out self-care kits.

Gifting employees with a self-care kit can help them manage their stress—all while sending the signal that you care about their well-being and encourage them to take the time to manage their health. Whether mailed to homes or desk-dropped, employees will appreciate a gift of self-care like candles, essential oils and diffusers, stress balls, healthy snacks, loose leaf tea, a gift card to a bookstore, a journal, chocolates—get creative!

Provide meditation tutorials.

Meditation can be a daunting thing to start on your own, so offer employees a discounted subscription to a meditation app. If space allows, transform a vacant office into a meditation space for employees to use throughout the day. If you have a dispersed workforce, consider sending calendar invites that allow people to participate in a company-wide meditation together.

Offer healthy lunch on the house.

Everybody loves a free lunch, right? Make it even more impactful by pairing it with a Lunch & Learn on stress management. Tip: deliver lunch to remote employees and have them join via video.

Invite employees to yoga classes.

Yoga can help relax both the mind and the body. Entice employees to take a yoga class at work or virtually by raffling off a yoga mat and accessories. If you can, host the class outside or encourage virtual employees to participate in a yoga session outdoors to get a double boost to mental health.

Support healthy eating and exercise.

When people eat better, they feel better. And working out can also improve moods and help people relax. Offer a healthy meal service discount, small gift cards to a health food store, or a personal training session with an onsite health coach.

Get inspired by nature.

Spending time in nature reduces stress, so why not bring nature into the work environment? A plant for a desk or home office, a soothing desktop water fountain, or even a small lightbox that replicates natural daylight are all great ideas that can help ease stress and improve moods. Also, encourage managers to take meetings with their team members outside. Walk-and-talks are a great opportunity to take a break from your desk and get some fresh air during the workday.

Give away gratitude journals.

Psychologists have documented the positive effects of practicing gratitude on our emotional and physical health. Give everyone a small notebook to record the things they’re grateful for. At the end of the month, you could create a gratitude wall—in-person or virtual—that allows participants to share entries if they want to.

How to help employees manage stress all year long.

Once National Stress Awareness Month is over, take a look at the programs and resources you offer to help with reducing stress in the workplace year-round. Chances are, you already have many of the building blocks in place. You may just need to promote these resources more and make it easy for employees to access them.

Employee Assistance Program (EAP).

EAPs offer a great deal of help for stress, yet they’re among the most underutilized benefits employers provide.¹ In addition to connecting employees with mental health professionals, EAPs can help people with the things that cause stress in life—like marriage and relationship concerns, lack of sleep, finances, legal issues, trauma and loss, and life transitions.

Stress management and resilience training.

These programs help people learn strategies to manage emotions, react to stressful situations, and adapt to change. They also teach resilience, which is critical to our ability to deal with adversity and recover quickly after a challenge. Check out our webinar and discover tools that will help you become a resilient employee and help build a strategy to empower your teams.

Mental health benefits.

Whether you provide mental health support through the EAP, tele-mental health, text/chat apps, or even onsite mental health counselors, make sure employees know exactly what’s available. For example, many employees have no idea that most EAPs offer a generous number of free, confidential visits with a counselor. Employees also need to know that they don’t need to be experiencing a full-blown crisis to use these services—they’re available for the daily stressors of life, too.

Paid time off and leaves.

Encourage employees to take advantage of vacation and leave benefits to recharge and refresh. Develop a plan to temporarily restructure responsibilities so they don’t return to a mountain of work. Company-wide three-day weekends, mandated week-long shutdowns, holiday closings, and time off to volunteer are also good policies to implement to reduce workplace stress and burnout.

How to establish a supportive workplace culture.

When asked about what’s causing so much stress at work, employees cite unrealistic expectations, lack of transparency and communication, and lack of support and recognition as the major causes. In addition, stressors in people’s personal lives understandably tend to spill over into the workplace.

So, while stress management programs and meditation apps are helpful components of a well-rounded approach to reducing employee stress in the workplace, they often treat the symptoms, not the cause.

What has a more lasting effect on stress is taking a critical look at workplace culture and the subtle signals around work expectations. Employers also need to assess whether they provide enough support for certain aspects of their lives outside of work that contributes to stress.

Here are a few things to consider in your organization:

Flexibility.

Employees want the freedom to structure their work schedule to reduce stress in their life. This might mean a compressed workweek or alternate work hours. Work location is also key—many employees say they would like to continue working remotely indefinitely, and that this flexibility would be a massive factor in deciding to stay with a current job or take a new one.

Permission to set boundaries.

One of the great lessons of the pandemic—which we truly needed to learn a long time ago—is that we need to set boundaries for our mental health. This means hours when we don’t respond to email, a set time for logging off, and maybe even a block of time during the workday when we engage in self-care, like a walk or meditation. Most importantly, leaders and managers need to model these behaviors, which effectively “grants” employees permission to do the same.

Recognition.

If you don’t have an employee recognition program, it may be time to start one. Publicly recognizing the hard work and contributions of team members decreases stress and increases feelings of connection and belonging.² There are many ways to recognize employees—from formal recognition platforms to simple handwritten notes. The important thing is to make it a regular part of the culture.

Support for caregiving.

Child and elder care are huge sources of stress for employees, so let them know the EAP helps to locate providers. Also, explore solutions that bring care to the office—like onsite daycare—or add benefits like childcare allowances or backup childcare. Allow flexibility and time off to care for and attend doctor appointments with older family members.

Financial wellness support.

Financial stress is real: over half of respondents (53%) in a 2021 survey conducted by FINRA said that thinking about their finances makes them anxious, and 44% said that discussing their finances is stressful. Employers can alleviate some of this stress by offering financial wellness in the workplace like repayment programs for student loan debt, financial education to help with managing debt and creating a budget, savings programs, and financial counseling.

There are lots of different strategies for reducing stress in the workplace. Our best advice is to offer a robust array of benefits and programs that can help employees manage stress in the moment, but more importantly, to strive toward a workplace culture that seeks to reduce stress at its source. For help managing stress in your organization, visit our website or contact us at connect@webmd.net.

Many well-being programs offer health coaching as part of their platform. We like to think that our health coaching services are different. What sets our Health Coaches apart?

 1. We consider the whole person.

Participants often come to a Health Coach with a specific health goal in mind—for example, become more active. And while we’re happy to offer a plan to increase physical activity, our Health Coaches first take time to understand all aspects of the participant’s life—work, hobbies, home life, family—that might impact their ability to improve fitness. This way, the coach can develop a realistic plan that’s tailored to the participant’s unique life circumstances.

2. We help people connect the well-being dots.

Coaches increase participants’ awareness that everything we experience in our bodies—both physically and mentally—is connected. Say a participant comes to a Health Coach struggling to lose weight. Our Health Coaches will naturally ask about eating and exercise habits, but they’ll also ask the participant about sleep, given the connection between poor sleep and increased eating throughout the day. If it turns out that sleep is an issue, they can review sleep routines and offer a plan to begin improving sleep quality—in addition to any diet and activity recommendations.

3. We help participants identify their “why.”

The science of behavior change teaches us that it’s critical for participants to articulate exactly what they want to change about their health and “why.” We use motivational interviewing techniques to uncover what will spur and sustain behavior change. For example, a coach might ask a participant how their life might be different if they quit smoking. Responses might include: “I’ll have more stamina to play with my kids,” or “I’ll be able to take the stairs without stopping to rest.” This technique taps into intrinsic motivation, which leads to greater behavior change than extrinsic motivation, i.e., having someone say “You need to quit smoking.”

4. We offer support for mental and emotional health.

Huge numbers of American workers are suffering from mental health concerns like stress, anxiety, depression and burnout. Making matters worse, there’s also a dire shortage of mental health providers. We recently launched a new coaching offering that provides much-needed support for mental and emotional health. And while our Mental Health Coaching is not a substitute for therapy, it can get people on the path to better mental health while they wait to see a therapist. Our Health Coaches are equipped to direct people to the best type of therapy for their concern, and help them navigate their employer’s mental health resources, like Employee Assistance Programs and our WebMD ONE Daily Habits Plans.

5. We provide support for women’s hormonal health and menopause.

Despite the fact that all women will go through menopause at some point, there is very little discussion of and support for it, especially in the workplace. At WebMD, our Health Coaches are ready to help this critical segment of the workforce stay productive and healthy during this phase of their life. All of our WebMD lifestyle management Health Coaches have undergone training on women’s hormonal health and menopause and can provide counseling and support strategies for common menopausal symptoms like weight gain, sleep issues, brain fog, mental health concerns and hot flashes or night sweats.

6. We become trusted partners to our clients.

Changing health behaviors is hard work, and few people can do it all on their own. WebMD Health Coaches form true partnerships with participants and provide the emotional support and accountability that making health improvements requires. The relationship is similar to a professional mentor, sports team coach, personal trainer, or even a financial advisor. Whether it’s a few words of encouragement to push past a plateau or just a listening ear, our coaches are there to support participants however they need it.

7. We make it easy to engage with a Health Coach.

Coaching is available in person, over the phone, through text, via Coach Connect online messaging, and as a group session, allowing participants to interact with WebMD Health Coaches at the times and in the places that are most convenient for them.

That’s not all….

You’d be surprised at the breadth of support we offer. Here is just a sampling of the kinds of non-traditional whole-person support our coaches have provided to participants:

• Alcohol and drug abuse or addiction
• Bereavement, grief, or loss
• Coping with the pressures of being a manager
• Depression and anxiety
• Emotional eating
• Incorporating mindfulness into daily life
• Managing chronic conditions like diabetes, COPD, and high blood pressure
• Marital and relationship conflict
• Medication adherence
• Quitting vaping or smoking
• Setting boundaries between work and life
• Stress management, including workplace stress
• Trauma recovery
• Understanding how to access company benefits, like Employee Assistance Programs or mental health resources

Combining education, experience, and motivational training, every WebMD Health Coach is a teacher, trusted partner, and well-being expert. Their whole-person approach to health helps participants achieve well-being goals across multiple aspects of their lives. If you’re interested in optimizing health coaching in the workplace, contact us at connect@webmd.net.

Experts have been sounding the alarm on the need to focus on our mental health for years now.

But it took a pandemic to really bring the importance of mental health to the forefront. And while the acute phase of the pandemic is over, the effects on our collective mental health are still lingering.

Research conducted by the American Psychological Association (APA) in 2023 found:

• Adults ages 35 to 44 have experienced the highest increase in mental health diagnoses—from 31% reported in 2019 to 45% in 2023.
• Adults ages 18 to 34 reported the highest rate of mental illnesses at 50%.

When it comes to support for mental health concerns, the APA found:

• Nearly half said they wish they had someone to help them manage their stress.
• 66% said they could have used more emotional support than they received in the last 12 months.
• More than half said they wish they had someone to turn to for advice and/or support.¹

But the reality is there are just not enough professionals to meet the growing need for mental health support.

Psychology Today notes that approximately 47% of the U.S. population (158 million people) live in a mental health “desert.”² The scarcity of providers is particularly bad in rural and lower socioeconomic areas. In many parts of the country, it can take between two and five months to see a therapist.

That’s where WebMD’s Mental Health Coaching services come in.

While our Mental Health Coaching is not a substitute for therapy, it can get people on the path to better mental health while they wait to see a therapist. Coaches can direct people to the best type of therapy for their concern, and help them navigate your company’s mental health resources, like Employee Assistance Programs and our WebMD ONE Daily Habits Plans. They can even help employees explore mental health resources that are offered in their community.

Mental Health Coaches can help with:

• Alcohol and drug abuse or addiction
• Bereavement, grief, or loss
• Coping with chronic conditions
• Depression and anxiety
• Emotional eating
• Marital and relationship conflict
• Stress management, including workplace stress (this could be particularly helpful for managers who are experiencing unprecedented levels of stress)
• Trauma recovery

Our coaches know their stuff.

All of our coaches hold bachelor’s or master’s degrees in psychology, human services, counseling or social work, and maintain expertise and advanced training in stress management strategies, including meditation, relaxation, breathing, yoga and mindfulness. Many have additional certifications or licenses in counseling and addiction treatment.

How to access Mental Health Coaching.

Employees can access mental health support in one of two ways:

• By completing the ONE Assessment (health assessment), which may flag them as high risk in areas that impact emotional health, like alcohol use, anxiety, depression, stress, life satisfaction and/or social connectedness. In this case, the individual will be directly referred to a coach on the Mental Health Team.
• Employees can also self-refer for Mental Health Coaching by giving us a call and indicating that they want to focus on their mental health.

Today’s employees expect employers to provide support for all aspects of well-being, particularly mental health. WebMD Health Services’ Mental Health Coaching can help you address the need for more mental health support in your population. If you’d like more information on our Mental Health Coaching services, contact us at connect@webmd.net.

Loneliness was a concern long before the pandemic.

It’s easy to think that loneliness in our society results from the isolation of the recent pandemic. But statistics show that even before 2020, about half of U.S. adults reported experiencing measurable levels of loneliness.¹ According to a late 2021 Cigna survey, nearly 61% of American adults still report feeling lonely.²

Loneliness can be attributed to a number of things, including the erosion of community bonds, increased use of social media and technology, and a reduction in face-to-face interactions. It’s important to realize that even though we may interact with people in our daily lives or have close relationships, it’s still possible to feel lonely. That’s because loneliness results from the gap between our desire for social connection and our actual experiences of that connection.³

In a report about this growing problem, U.S. Surgeon General, Dr. Vivek Murthy, discusses how loneliness can significantly impact not only our mental health, but our physical health, too. He has long maintained that a lack of meaningful social connection in our lives can increase the risk of premature death, similar to a daily smoking habit.

The workplace can be a significant source of loneliness and feelings of isolation.

We spend the majority of our waking hours working. So when our relationships and feelings of belonging and inclusion at work don’t match our expectations, it’s quite possible to interact with co-workers all day long and still feel lonely—much like it does with our personal relationships. According to a 2023 study done by the Society for Human Resources Management (SHRM), 38% of employees say they’re lonely on the job.

What can contribute to loneliness at work?

• Feeling like you don’t belong or can’t be your authentic self;
• Lack of psychological safety, including not being comfortable speaking up or sharing your opinion;
• Not being properly onboarded or made to feel welcome as a new hire;
• Remote work—though some studies have pointed out that remote workers do not feel any more isolated or lonely than in-person workers; and
• Lack of inclusivity—which might be due to discrimination, microaggressions, or biases based on age, gender, race, or other factors.

Generational and demographic differences may also play a role in workplace isolation.

We now have three different generations in the workplace, all with their own unique work preferences and communication styles. This can often lead to misunderstandings and disconnects that heighten feelings of isolation.

Younger workers, many of whom graduated and took their first professional positions during the pandemic, are feeling workplace isolation most acutely. According to a study by Cigna, about 75% of millennial and Gen Z workers feel lonely and isolated at work. This may result from the “heightened importance” of workplace interactions for this age group, as well as the general decline in their mental health. Remote work is also likely a factor.

Older generations who have more professional experience and established connections in the workplace do not feel as great a sense of isolation. But, a survey by EY found that 42% of Gen Xers and 31% of Baby Boomers would still likely leave an employer if they felt lonely.

What happens when employees feel isolated?

Over time, employee isolation can lead to reduced engagement, increased turnover, lower productivity and higher presenteeism/absenteeism in an organization. The converse is also true: research from BetterUp found that feelings of high belonging in organizations were linked to a 56% increase in job performance, a 50% drop in turnover risk, and a 75% reduction in sick days. Employees in these organizations were also more likely to recommend their employer to others and receive more promotions.

8 things employers can do to help reduce feelings of isolation in the workplace.

1. Make well-being a priority.

Younger generations increasingly expect employers to provide support for their mental and physical well-being. Mental well-being offerings like access to counseling, meditation, and stress management/resilience programs can help employees cope with feelings of isolation. Providing resources to boost physical health—including exercise and nutrition—can also help to stave off depression that can lead to loneliness.

2. Foster a culture of inclusion and belonging.

According to Dr. Murthy, workplace cultures that promote belonging can serve as a “protective force against bias, discrimination, and exclusion in the workplace.” And, when employees feel valued and seen for who they are as unique human beings, they’re more likely to be engaged, have better mental health, and be more productive.

3. Be intentional about creating team connections.

Managers can help teams feel more connected by fostering open, frequent communication; providing tools for easy collaboration; and making the most of in-person office time. It’s also important to set guidelines around communication, as members of different generations may differ in their expectations. Teambuilding events, joint volunteering and wellness challenges can also bring teams closer together.

 4. Ensure a top-notch onboarding experience. Welcome new employees into the organization with intentional activities designed to create connection. Schedule coffee chats or lunch with a different team member each day during their first week, or send a personal note from a senior leader welcoming them to the organization. The goal is to make the new employee feel like they’ve joined a caring, supportive community from day one.

5. Connect each employee with a mentor.

Mentors help people connect to the organization by serving as a trusted ally. They can be sounding boards, share personal experiences of how they’ve coped with workplace challenges and give sage advice. Mentoring is also a great way to bridge the generational gap.

6. Increase psychological safety.

Create an environment where employees feel comfortable taking risks, speaking up, admitting mistakes, and offering ideas. This kind of environment fosters a sense of belonging and inclusion and can be a powerful force against loneliness.

7. Enlist the support of leadership.

Encourage leaders to build trust with employees by listening to their concerns, candidly explaining business decisions, and modeling authenticity and empathy. Also consider asking leadership to include relationship-building activities as part of employees’ performance objectives.

8. Get to know people on a more personal level.

Our experience with the pandemic taught us that connection is key, and getting to know coworkers on a more personal level is essential to combatting loneliness in the workplace. Schedule time during meetings to find out what’s going on in employees’ lives and include time for non-work connection, too, through social events and community service.

Workplace isolation is one of the signs of the broader issue of loneliness we face in society. Employers can help to combat loneliness and isolation by focusing on creating a connected, inclusive workplace that values employees as people and is invested in their well-being. For help creating a healthy workplace, contact us at connect@webmd.net.

Collectively, our 90 Health Coaches have over 1,125 years of WebMD service. This is not only a rarity in our industry, but it also means our coaches have been around long enough to know exactly what it takes to help participants make long-lasting changes to their health and well-being. In a recent video, several coaches discussed how an individualized approach to health coaching can bring long-lasting benefits to the participant and the organization they’re a part of.

An individualized approach.

Well-being is personal, which is why our coaches take the time to get to know each participant’s unique needs, circumstances and preferences. Coaches help participants identify their “why”—an effective tool for tapping into the intrinsic motivation needed to keep people engaged and create meaningful behavioral change. Armed with this knowledge, coaches can create goals that are realistic and specific for each person’s lifestyle.

Our coaches also meet participants wherever they are in their well-being journey. As Coach Thad likes to say, “We walk beside people and help them reach their health and well-being goals.” Some may be just starting out and need a simple plan to garner a few small wins—like walking every day or cutting down on processed foods. Others may have been working on nutrition and physical activity, but need to shake up their routine to move past a plateau. Still others may need specific support, like coping with anxiety.

Our coaches have training and certifications in numerous fields—such as nutrition, exercise, diabetes management, tobacco cessation and mental health—so they’re ready to jump in with whatever type of individualized support a person needs.

Benefits for the participant and the organization.

As Coach Anu shares, Health Coaching has the potential to create positive change not only for individuals’ health but also for the health of the organization. Coach Todd talks about the “ripple effect” that occurs when employees work with a Health Coach. They feel better at home and this improved outlook spills over into the workplace leading to greater satisfaction and engagement.

In fact, organizations that use Health Coaches as part of their well-being program often see higher engagement and retention rates. In the words of Coach Thad, “It’s a win for participants and for their company.”

In recent years, employees have come to expect employers to provide more support for their overall well-being. Offering Health Coaching to your employees is a great way to demonstrate this commitment. As one of our coaching participants shared, “This is more than just ‘Health Coaching.’ This is an organization making good on a promise to support and take care of their employees.”

To hear more from our Health Coaches on how your organization can benefit from coaching services, check out this short video.

Our amazing accomplishments.

Since we started tracking health outcomes in 2011, our six million coaching sessions have helped participants:

• Lose over 1.6 million pounds;
• Increase exercise by 10.5 million minutes per week;
• Decrease cigarettes smoked by 58 thousand per day;
• Increase fruit and vegetable consumption by 243 thousand servings per day;
• And so much more…..

But don’t just take our word for it. Check out the experiences of Walter and Kessler, who share how working with a WebMD Health Coach helped them learn healthy habits for life.

About our coaching staff:

• Our over 90 Health Coaches have training and certifications in a number of fields—such as nutrition, exercise, diabetes management, tobacco cessation and mental health.
• Collectively, our Health Coaches have 1,125 years of WebMD service, a rarity in our industry.
• Health Coaches are matched with participants based on their individual needs and health goals.
• Coaching is available in person, over the phone, through text, via Coach Connect online messaging and as a group session. This allows participants to interact with WebMD Health Coaches in times and places that are most convenient for them.

How our coaching staff has adapted to a new environment.

Since our last milestone in 2017, so much has happened: a pandemic, the rise of remote work, an increased need for mental health help, and new thinking about diet and exercise. Here’s how our staff has continued to evolve and grow to meet these new needs:

The pandemic.

None of us will soon forget the day in March 2020 when in-office workers, including many of our clients, were suddenly sent home because of the pandemic. Little did we know at the time that remote work would persist for several years, requiring major changes in how our Health Coaches served clients.

• Connecting via telephone. We quickly increased our telephonic coaching services, which allowed participants to continue to connect with coaches during a time when everyone needed a little extra support. In some ways, the pandemic humanized us all and the connections we made with our participants grew that much stronger.
• Increased breadth of services. The pandemic gave us the chance to increase our skills and development on topics such as resilience, loneliness, and social connectedness. We bolstered our services in this arena, creating webinars that could be easily accessed by a larger population.
• The rise of Group Coaching. Participants began to express interest in connecting on a personal level with others who shared similar interests, so we created Group Coaching by WebMD. Group Coaching is typically conducted via live video with 10 to 20 participants. We’ve found that this format is a great way for participants to become more engaged in their health and fulfill the all-important need for community and social interaction.
• Exercising from home. With gyms and other public locations closed, we had to help our participants quickly adapt to working out from home. We tapped into our creativity to offer fitness classes with little to no equipment, using bodyweight and common household items. We also increased our “Coaching U” videos on the WebMD portal that participants could access on their own time.

While many of our clients have returned to some form of in-person work, some have not, so the remote solutions we created are still useful. Check out this blog for additional ways our coaches pivoted quickly from delivering well-being solutions in-person to a remote environment.

The increased need for mental health support.

One of the silver linings of the pandemic is that it allowed people to more openly share their challenges, including mental health struggles that had not always been openly discussed. We found that more and more participants wanted Health Coaches who could provide support with mental health concerns, particularly anxiety and depression. In response, we added a Mental Health Coaching Team, which offers mental health and lifestyle stress coaching.

We continue to develop a more robust mental health program to better help participants manage stress, learn new skills, and pursue enhanced mental health and emotional wellness. Offerings include mindfulness and meditation videos, webinars, and group coaching classes focused on stress-busting techniques.

New thinking around weight loss.

A few years ago, in response to new research about weight loss, we changed the name of our specialty coaching program from the “Weight Management” program to the “Positively Me” program. Losing weight is still part of the program, but it is certainly not the only focus. Using multiple strategies, we don’t just focus on pounds lost, but rather on being healthy at any size and zeroing in on what “healthy” means to participants. For example, coaches focus on healthy eating versus dieting, including ways to include more of the foods that support good health versus restrictive eating or fad dieting. This focus on the whole person helps participants make small changes, one step at a time.

We’re so proud of the way our coaching team responded to the challenges of the past few years and we’re looking forward to continuing to serve clients as their well-being needs evolve. To find out how your employees and members can benefit from the amazing support and guidance our Health Coaches provide, contact us at connect@webmd.net.

Finding good, reliable childcare is difficult during the school year, and even more so lately due to the current childcare crisis in the U.S. But when summer comes, parents must find care not for just a few hours in the mornings or afternoons, but for the entire day!

Coordinating camps, sitters, varying pick-up times, and those weeks at the beginning and end of summer when options are limited can lead to added stress and lower productivity for parents. However, with a little flexibility and some practical solutions employers can help parents make it through the summer in a less stressful way.

How employers can support parents

Be flexible. Just as we did during the pandemic, it’s important to offer employees flexibility in working hours. This might mean alternate start and stop times, compressed workweeks, or the freedom to leave for a short period of time to pick children up. Urge leaders and managers to be extra flexible during this time and accommodate any reasonable requests.

Promote the Employee Assistance Program’s (EAP) services. Most EAPs offer parenting resources as well as help with child and elder care referrals, so be sure to publicize this information on your intranet, on workplace social media and in team meetings. Also ensure employees know about the mental health resources the EAP offers that could help during this time. The EAP’s financial wellness services also might provide assistance in how to budget for summer camps and activities.

Expand childcare options. Ensure onsite daycare centers offer summer care for school age kids. Or, consider subsidizing care at an offsite daycare center that offers a summer program.

Consider summer hours or a reduced workload. If possible, you may choose to reduce overall work hours for the summer months, or institute Friday afternoons off to allow parents a bit more breathing room. Non-parents will also appreciate this! Many companies also close at noon the day before a holiday or a long weekend to give employees a head start on travel.

Allow parents to use leave creatively. If you have generous family leave policies, let parents tap into this time off, especially during times when there are fewer care options available.

Provide a forum for sharing. If you have an Employee Resource Group for parents, set up sessions to bring parents together to share resources and tips for the summer. Plan a mid-summer check-in so parents can find support in one another.

Remind employees of flexible spending account benefits. Camps and other types of care are expensive, so make sure employees know they can use their tax-free Dependent Care Flexible Spending Account dollars towards the cost.

How parents can support themselves

Parents also need to be savvy about setting the right boundaries and engaging in healthy behaviors for themselves—both with family and with managers and coworkers. Here are some tips you can share with employees before summer is in full swing:

Have a discussion with your manager and coworkers. Be honest with your supervisor about what the summer looks like for you. Do you need to leave early to pick kids up or work staggered hours to better align with kids’ schedules? Clearly outline the type of flexibility you’re looking for, while assuring your boss that your work will get done no matter what. Also, let your coworkers in on your schedule to avoid misunderstandings.

Establish boundaries with children. If children will be at home during some or all of the work day, be sure they know when you are “at work” and when you can be interrupted. Some parents learned during the pandemic that signals like a closed door or “headphones on” work wonders for keeping interruptions to a minimum. The same tricks work for partners!

Lean into mornings. Mornings may offer some quiet time, so consider getting up a bit earlier to do focused work. With a couple of hours under your belt, you’ll feel better about leaving to drop everyone where they need to be.

Use PTO strategically. Would your employer be open to your taking PTO on Fridays during the summer months, or taking more half days? Most companies tend to slow down over the summer, and many people take vacation, so it might be the perfect time to use PTO smartly.

Take time for self-care. The best way to avoid burnout is to manage workload and expectations with your manager. But it’s also important to devote some time to yourself in these summer months. This could mean taking those half-day Fridays to do something for you or a mental health day every now and then. At the very least, stepping away from your desk for a real lunch and going outside for a daily walk can help keep things in balance.

Perhaps the most important thing an employer can do to support working parents over the summer is to keep the lines of communication open. Now is the time to ask employees about the individual challenges they’re facing and how you can work together to find a mutually agreeable solution. If you’d like to help your employees navigate work and life integration, contact us at connect@webmd.net.