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Guidance for Wellbeing Coaching Service.

Guidance for Wellbeing Coaching Service

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Policy and Key Information

Wellbeing coaching service for SME business
Coach training and induction to new service
1. Aims and objectives

By end of document and additional community training or practice sessions, coaches will be able to

  • Describe the coaching requirements of the new services and use of terms and language
  • Indicate the role of the wellbeing survey in triaging employee clients into a further exploratory coaching session to support self directed change and/or identify further help through supporting employee clients into further coaching or counselling with Atrium as part of joint PracticalHR pathway.
  • Indicate the process requirements of the new services and where to find out more
  • If interested, check appendix for more information on the survey and wellbeing partner communications
2. Terms and language- coaching and counselling

Both involve providing help and assistance to individuals and groups, to improve their wellbeing, performance or to help them in making changes to their lives. Some of the text below might help Atrium Wellbeing Specialists describe the service offer and their own expertise.

Counselling
Counselling in Atrium Clinic is a process of a helpful structured conversation that is conducted by professionals with mental health and therapy training, typically mental health nurses, psychologists and therapists with additional post graduate wellbeing training to support others. Only trained wellbeing specialists such as Atrium staff can work across the continuum of wellbeing up to the level of primary care with further referral to specialist mental health staff working with clients requiring specialist secondary level intervention. All Atrium staff are registered with appropriate professional bodies. Counselling employs different modalities but broadly works with clients on their pasts and present difficulties and can involve working within clinical diagnostic frameworks around depression, anxiety and emotional difficulties. Our Atrium practitioners typically work from an integrative stance employing Person centred, CBT, solution focused approaches which are also used in evidence based coaching. Some senior level coaching in some contracts may be described as Executive coaching and only those with the necessary training and experience will undertake the work.

Coaching for wellbeing
Coaching is a) linked to outline assessments which typically fall below a ‘clinical threshold’ (ie. if you used an established clinical mental health diagnostic tool, the client would not warrant professional clinical intervention in the main area of the presenting problem) and b) interventions that optimize positive thinking, motivation and strengths, goal setting, problem solving skills, client resourcing and up-skilling in cooperative work with the client, empower them to improve their lives. Wellbeing coaching works with the client to identify their problems and learn new ways to address them using existing and new resources/techniques/solutions to optimize their wellbeing and improve their functioning across work and home. A client may have a history of depression but their current presenting difficulties could be around colleague relationships for example.

At Atrium, our trained Wellbeing Specialists can work across the continuum of coaching and primary level counselling, providing a seamless helpful process to clients to address their wellbeing on the basis of their needs. All practitioners receive coaching supervision by a registered clinical supervisor, registered coaching and occupational psychologist and registered senior psychotherapist to have oversight of practice.

How we communicate the service
The project aims to de-stigmatise mental health and wellbeing with less focus on clinical language even if intervention strategies align with clinical interventions with focus on improving wellbeing rather than employing a diagnostic frame. Listen to the client and the language they use to describe their problems and needs. Are they happy with the term wellbeing coaching? Does that enable the client to engage more with improving their wellbeing or would counselling be something they prefer? Let the client be confident in your abilities to use evidence based coaching techniques goal setting, motivation, strengths based solutions, support network, action planning, further self directed resourcing or signposting and be prepared to use mental health based formulating and evidence based (treatment) models as required to meet client need. Atrium has resources on most areas of wellbeing from sleep to weight to exercise resources and many more available.

3. Introduction to wellbeing coaching services

The new service is either

  • i) In conjunction with Practical HR utilizing the Atrium wellbeing survey hosted by Practical HR. The coaching offer is described as ‘Your wellbeing partner’. More information of the employee client offer and survey in the appendix.
  • ii) A direct Atrium client where coaching interventions are part of a wellbeing toolkit to support employee wellbeing in bespoke company offers. Your pathway coordinator can guide you or share the company consultation document to explain how the service offer works for that company and their employees .
4. The PracticalHR and your Wellbeing Partner programmes
  • Atrium gets notification of client employee survey and sees a copy of survey to review; there are several sections.EG. financial, spiritual, physical and emotional etc.
  • Assessment of whether further coaching phone intervention required based on outline needs assessment.
Broad criteria for further intervention include but not exclusively
  • Indicator responses 1s and 2s ,’rarely and sometimes’ scoring either in totality or key concerning low rated items
  • Or some comments that are concerning eg. ‘low, depressed, anxious, withdrawn, isolated’ or that do not match numbers assigned
  • Or comments and numerical ratings that do not correspond eg. 4 ratings and comments which do not equate with that positivity.
  • Indicators that can be addressed by self directed resourcing through a coaching session to bring about improvement
  • Or a request for wellbeing coaching session in final questions
  • Or indicators that people might ‘not ask for help’ or isolation or indication of impact of reduced social connection or health deterioration or wellbeing decline, indication that they are nor resourced to meet demands of struggle .
  • Additionally in some companies an entitlement to a wellbeing check in is offered to all irrespective of whether the y are struggling.(Check with Pathway team if you are not sure)
  • Indication to employee client whether they are being offered wellbeing coaching or not and opportunity to seek assistance before next company survey.(Check company consultation document for template email responses and this stage is led by Atrium pathway coordination team and progress logged in the company activity spreadsheet/tracker; eg emails sent to whom and when)
  • Jemma/Clare to coordinate coaching appointments for Telephone wellbeing coaching for those identified and access given to practitioners or conversations on reasons from survey data. Basic intake GP and risk assessment completed by coordination team using GP CORE* so practitioner can optimize time with the client for goal focused work.(Unless there are risks and CORE 10 warranted)
  • The CORE record is set up. Please see CORE advice sheets on COP for further inofrmation
  • The contracted coaching session is 30 minute coaching session but it is about meeting client expectation primarily and should include a clinical note and further actions if any. If there are concerns that the employee client will need more help or further safeguarding, then the practitioner should by consent also do a further
  • CORE 10 (or CORE 34 if concerns for safety) and log on system to support request
    If the session goes over 30 minutes and by client agreement do continue up to 1 hour and put this in timesheet. Our aim is to offer an excellent service to the employee client. We typically pay practititioners their hourly rate for these sessions in anticipation of outline planning and signposting. Most coaching clients should also be advised routinely how to access the Atrium self monitoring resources for businesses and professional practices EG.Law Firms https://atriumclinic.co.uk/self-assessment-resources/

and for vulnerable clients from less well resourced pathways, we can encourage access to the Listening service via the office team.

There are two options at completion of the coaching session;

a) to indicate to the client that you both agree this has been a one off session, there is a plan for continued improvement and that there will be an opportunity for a further quick review within 7 days where another GPCORE and Service satisfaction information will be collected from one of the coordinating team. Someone will text or email the client to request that review. The information gathered will go on to GPCORE for client outcome reporting. The pathway team can reopen the case if required and reapply for further counselling or close.

b) the second option is an agreement that further help is required and no further GPCORE is required at this point but link with pathway team so approval from commissioner can be given to book further sessions. Explain the pathway coordinating team will be in touch with the client and will know any process for further approvals but clients are never named and the work is confidential.

  • Wellbeing coaching session aims to support employee client to self directed change. It employs a goal focused approach and is based on single session therapy model unless further support required and agreed by employee client. Further support needs to be coordinated with Jemma/Clare as employer approval required for additional sessions. The pathway team can update practitioners on process with each contract.
  • Safeguarding policy applies but if there is a benefit of work involvement to manage risk then employee client should be encouraged to agree consent for some relevant information to be shared with work.
  • Payment is managed between employer and project and employee does not need to pay anything.
5. Preparing for wellbeing coaching intervention by telephone (mainly)
  • Check CORE record, which will be under the client business sub-site….
  • Send an email and Zoom invitation at least 48 hours before the session if this media is being used.Ensure you prepare your workplace welcome communication Template available for email and powerpoint (in case of specific request for auditory Zoom) but most communication at this stage will be by telephone and services commissioned by telephone.
  • If your telephone connection is not good best to go auditory Zoom
  • Have you got a phone package that covers you for mobile calls? Remember 141 to hide your number on a landline.
  • Please set up your standard email signature for Workplace as Name, Wellbeing Specialist, Atrium Clinic logo/disclaimer. Add https://atriumclinic.co.uk/self-assessment-resources/

at the bottom of your email address. Do not put any confidential clinical data or personal information in emails.

6. Session Single session Therapy (SST) broad format – What session covers
  • Introduction and confidentiality –anything changed from the intake risk assessment and information? Quick wellbeing 0-10? Do you feel there is cause to do another GPCORE or CORE 10 to support further intervention request? Either beginning or end of session.
  • Wellbeing survey reflection together – Where were you pleased? Less pleased? Did it reflect what you thought prior to survey?
  • What are the problem areas? Practitioner adds or questions. Miracle question. If your problem went away; how would you know? What would it look like…feel like? What would you notice? Have you ever been able to manage this situation well before? When was this and what was the situation? What did you do? The aim is to identify transferable strategies and skills.
  • What is your goal for our call today? (Most important question that you can ask). SMART goals (specific, measurable, achievable, realistic and time limited.)
  • Motivation to change – What would happen if you did not make a change? Why now to make the change? What are the barriers to change? What keeps the status quo running? Is this a realistic goal?
  • Areas of difficulty and areas of strength and resourcefulness – loosely survey based if client wants to steer it that way but you can ask them what they thought because survey is merely starter and you don’t want to waste call reviewing what they have written.
  • Goals for improvement – what current strengths can client employ to address goal area, improvement focus, further signposting and resources (we could send resources in follow up if required) in action plan. How will client know if successful? What little changes will they notice? Who else can help? Can you make strategies and action concrete and specific? What is the plan for practice starting with easiest situations and working up to hardest? Who can support? Have you identified barriers to putting plans into action?
  • Identification of further help required beyond self – directed support and action planning, existing family /friends support, safety planning interim action planning, work conversation helpful or unhelpful?, process for work approval for further sessions and what happens next
  • Collect satisfaction data – Ask the client ‘Just before we go, can you rate the service you have had tonight? Please use the following ratings where 4= excellent, 3 good 2= adequate and 1=poor
  • How would you rate the help from the practitioner?
  • How would you rate your preparation for moving forward with your next steps?

Practitioner sends feedback to office Jemma.Paxman@atriumclinic.co.uk.

  • Brief notes -follow up? Include additional GPCORE or CORE 10 results if required but it may be that there will be another review with listening team. Coordination with pathway team as required
  • Go to clinical case support contact Sara (lead) and or coordination support contact Jemma and Clare.
7. Atrium direct clients ,none currently

There are a developing number of direct employer wellbeing coaching contracts. These do not undertake the wellbeing survey currently.

The pathway coordinators can advise whether a first wellbeing coaching session is 30 minutes or an hour for the coaching but most will be an hour.

As before the CORE 10 will have been done in triage to save the wellbeing practitioner time so you can just do a quick recap so most time is spent on a goal focused session.

There are two options at completion of the coaching session;

a) to indicate to the client that you both agree this has been a one off session, there is a plan and that there will be an opportunity for a further quick review within 7 days where another CORE 10 and Service Satisfaction information will be collected from one of the coordinating team. Someone will text or email the client to request that review. The information gathered in the review will go on to CORE for client outcome reporting. The pathway team can reopen the case if required and reapply for further counselling or close.

b) the second option is an agreement that further help is required and no further CORE 10 is required at this point but link with pathway team so approval from business commissioner can be given to book further sessions. Explain the pathway coordinating team will be I touch with the client but you may wish to make a provisional booking. In further sessions if applicable continue to do the CORE 10 at the start of the session.

Further reading and additional role play practice encouraged

Handout on workplace counselling

Wellbeing at work –guidance for workplace psychologists

Previous document on single session therapy.

Appendix
  • Practical HR communications of process and access to Wellbeing Partner
Practical HR pathway: Your Wellbeing Partner

Every employer has a legal responsibility to look after their employees’ health and safety. Since COVID this has become even more difficult because the world of work has changed! From the home working revolution through to the need to make sure that workplaces are ‘COVID proof’.

This brings new challenges for health and safety, particularity in the area of employee wellbeing.

While some of those working from home are thriving, others are finding it less than easy. They miss the human interaction that the workplace provides, and some even miss the routine of travelling to and from work and the clear dividing line this gives them between work life and home life.

For those attending the workplace there is increased worry and anxiety created by COVID.

All of this can have a negative effect on wellbeing.

So how can organisations be proactive and support employee wellbeing and fulfil their legal obligations under health and safety?

Your Wellbeing Partner

This is where Your Wellbeing Partner comes in. Developed in collaboration with HR, Health and Safety, doctors and clinical psychologists, this service aims to provide the human interaction needed to proactively help manage wellbeing for your people.

It provides a targeted approach by identifying those individuals who may be struggling with an area of their wellbeing (not necessarily related to work). It then offers confidential wellbeing check-ins and coaching from professionals directly to those employees who may need support.

Because the service is external and confidential, your employees are more likely and willing to ask for the help they may need. The focus is on coaching and giving people tools they can use and avoiding the stigma that may be associated with talking about mental health.

Intervention by professionals can have significant benefits and prevent problems escalating, helping to avoid absence or performance and productivity problems which can be a side effect of poor wellbeing.

Here’s how it works:

Being clear about objectives and outcomes

There is an initial consultation with an occupational psychologist to discuss any particular areas of concern you have. Key objectives and outcomes will be discussed as well as how often you want to measure wellbeing.

You can choose to provide a wellbeing coaching session to all employees, or just targeted intervention where a need it identified.

Measuring Wellbeing

Employees are asked to complete an online wellbeing questionnaire. This is confidential and responses are sent directly to Your Wellbeing Partner.

The questionnaire not only covers work, but also asks about emotional, physical, financial, social, and spiritual wellbeing, as any of these can have a direct impact on how your people perform at work.

Questionnaires are then reviewed by wellbeing specialist who identify individuals they believe would benefit from an intervention. Those individuals are then contacted for a wellbeing coaching session.

In addition, our wellbeing specialists will provide a report to the organisation with the results of the survey (maintaining individual confidentiality) giving an overall measure of wellbeing across the business. This may also have recommendations or observations aimed at improving overall wellbeing.

Additional Support

Where it is identified that someone may need additional support, this can be provided by Your Wellbeing Partner (by qualified experts) and/or we can signpost employees to other professional organisations.

The Plan

Setting up Your Wellbeing Partner is easy, and we will take care of most of it. All you need to do is tell us when you want to start. Here’s what the initial plan looks like once you have signed off on the proposal.

Step 1

Meeting with occupational psychologist

We’ll arrange a meeting (by Zoom) with our occupational psychologies to discuss your needs. They will also run through some option and discuss how often you want to run the wellbeing survey. We’ll provide you with communications for your staff to tell them about the project and collect names and email addresses for all the employees who will be participating.

Step 2

Asking your employees to complete the questionnaire.

We’ll send your employees an email (which you will approve in advance) giving them links and logins to the wellbeing platform and asking them to complete the questionnaire. Once completed this will be assessed by wellbeing experts and they will carry out wellbeing coaching.

We will also collate all the feedback and provide a report on how your organisation measures in terms of wellbeing.

Step 3

Checking in with you

We’ll check in with you and discuss the report and any recommendations and the next survey.

  • Survey and learning activity
  • What does the PracticalHR survey report look like?

It is divided into sections and an example fictitious wellbeing survey is below where ratings – 4 refers to always,3 refers to most of the time, 2 some of the time and 1 refers to rarely

First Name: sara

Surname: Ireland Practice Training Case

Email Address: ireland2si@aol.co.uk

Department: Practice Case

Company: Atrium Training 4 coaches

Contact number: 01954267427

Physical and emotional
  • I maintain a desirable weight:1
  • I engage in vigorous exercises for over 30 minutes a day (i.e. brisk walking, cycling) up to 5 times a week and strengthening exercises 2 or more days a week.:1
  • I get 7-8 hours of sleep each night and awake feeling refreshed.:2
  • I listen to my body; when there is something wrong, I seek professional advice.:3
  • I abstain from harmful drug use and excessive alcohol. (i.e. staying within government guidelines and healthy drinking practices eg. avoiding binge drinking and drink driving).:3
  • I know about my underlying health conditions and take responsibility for their management:2
  • I am able to ask for assistance when I need it, from either friends and family, or professionals.:1
  • I am able to recognise the stressors in my life and have ways to reduce those stressors.:2
  • I am able to set priorities.:2
  • I am free of chronic worry:2
  • I feel good about myself and believe others like me for who I am.:3
  • I am flexible and adapt or adjust to life’s challenges in a positive way.:2
  • I can express all ranges of feelings (i.e. hurt, sadness, fear, anger, and joy) and manage related behaviours in a healthy way.:3
  • I do not let my emotions get the better of me and I think before I act.:3
  • My mood and energy support me in what I want to do.:2
  • I know how to change my mindset if my wellbeing starts to decrease:2
  • Do you have any comments about your physical or emotional wellbeing?:In lockdown eating and drinking more and exercising less
Section 2 Work engagement/health
  • First Name: sara
  • Surname: Ireland Practice case
  • Email Address: ireland2si@aol.co.uk
  • Department: Practice for coaches
  • Company: Atrium training
  • Contact number: 01954267427
  • I manage my work-life balance. :2
  • I take advantage of opportunities to learn new skills, which improve my work and future employment possibilities. :2
  • I know what skills are necessary for the work I do and am interested in. :2
  • I strive to develop good work habits. (Examples: punctuality, dependability, and initiative). :3
  • I know the parts of my job that I enjoy most and my strengths at work. :3
  • I work effectively with others. :3
  • I am developing the necessary skills to achieve my work and career goals. :3
  • I have confidence in myself and my employability. :2
  • I value my colleagues and work relationships. :4
  • I can see the value of my work. :2
  • I find the work engages me mentally at the right level (neither too hard or too easy).:2
  • The workload is about right for me.:2
  • I know the expectations of me at work.:3
  • I have the right resources to do the job.:3
  • I get to deploy my knowledge and skills every day.:3
  • I have received praise for my work in the last week.:3
  • My manager cares for me as a person.:3
  • My manager shows an interest in my development.:3
  • I feel that my job counts at work.:3
  • I have at least one friend at work.:3
  • I am made to feel that my opinion matters.:3
  • My manager talks to me about my progress.:3
  • I continue to learn and grow in my work.:3
  • Do you have any comments about your wellbeing at work or engagement?:Manager good and people nice but too much chopping and changing right now
Section 3 Remote working
  • First Name: sara
  • Surname: Ireland Case practice
  • Email Address: ireland2si@aol.co.uk
  • Department: Atrium Training for coaches
  • Company: Atrium
  • Contact number: 01954267427
  • I do not work from home:No
  • I know the expectations of my manager for my working from home. :2
  • I stay connected to colleagues.:2
  • I structure and manage my time to get the work done.:1
  • My home environment is conducive to work.:2
  • My broadband and equipment is fit for work.:2
  • My home-based workstation supports my health and safety eg vision/neck, back,wrists health and safely.:3
  • I take breaks from work at home.:2
  • I optimise my flexible working at home.:1
  • I feel supported in my home working.:3
  • My wellbeing is consistent for me when remote working.:1
  • Do you have any comments about your wellbeing while working from home?:It is really hard to stay focused on work and then also to turn off at end of day
Section 4 Social and spiritual wellbeing
  • First Name: sara
  • Surname: Ireland
  • Email Address: ireland2si@aol.co.uk
  • Department: Atrium Training for coaches
  • Company: Atrium Training
  • Contact number: 01954267427
  • I respect the diversity of others(i.e., race, ethnicity, religion, gender, ability, or sexual orientation). :3
  • I give priority to my own needs by saying ‘no’ to others’ requests of me when applicable. :1
  • I participate in social activities including online. :1
  • I try to be a better person and work on behaviours that have caused problems in my interactions with others.:2
  • I have someone I can talk to about my private feelings. :2
  • I consider how what I say might be perceived by others before I speak. :4
  • I give and take equally in cooperative relationships. :2
  • I believe most people have good intentions.:4
  • I am curious and positive about meeting new people but also look after my own safety. :2
  • I balance my needs for social contact with my self -care and requirement to have time for myself. :2
  • I have a deep appreciation for the depth of life and understanding universal human connection. :2
  • I like being in nature and outside.:3
  • I integrate my values within everyday life of work, family and relationships.:2
  • I make time for relaxation and pleasure in my day. :1
  • I take time alone to think about what’s important in life – who I am, what I value, where I fit in, and where I’m going. :2
  • I have faith in a greater power, be it a God-like force, or something else.:2
  • I work on my own inner calm.:2
  • My values guide my decisions and actions.:3
  • I have a sense of purpose in my life. :3
  • I am accepting of the views of others.:2
  • Do you have any comments about your social or spiritual wellbeing?:Not much social stuff in lockdown and no point in dwelling on the meaning of life right now?
Section 5 Financial wellbeing and Final Questions
  • First Name: sara
  • Surname: Ireland
  • Email Address: ireland2si@aol.co.uk
  • Department: Atrium Training for coaches
  • Company: Atrium training
  • Contact number: 01954267427
  • I deal with bills when they arrive. :2
  • I budget weekly or monthly. :2
  • I know my outgoings. :2
  • I check my bank account regularly to monitor patterns of outgoings and spending.:1
  • I seek professional advice in the event of financial difficulties. :1
  • I am in control of my own finances.:2
  • I plan for financial setbacks. :1
  • I know my legal rights if financial matters put my home at risk. :2
  • I can enjoy simple things without spending money.:1
  • I address financial struggles quickly.:2
  • Do you have any comments about your financial wellbeing?:We should be saving money right now but comfort shopping online!
  • Which areas your wellbeing could you improve?:Lack of social areas make me feel down; finances not as good as should be; should do more exercise and eat less snacks
  • Which areas of your wellbeing are going ok?:Still getting work done
  • Which areas of your wellbeing are going well?:I am enjoying cooking meals more and taking time to do that
  • What would improve in your working life? Is there anything the Company can do to help improve your wellbeing at work?:I am struggling with flexibility working from home- feel guilty if I start late etc. And get emails very late from others and feel guilty if I don’t reply then and there.
    Do you wish to request a coaching session to review your survey? Yes
  • Do you have any final comments about any aspect of wellbeing or work?:I think rules and expectations for remote working could be clearer.
Learning activity

On what criteria would you consider this employee for a coaching intervention?

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