Case study: Large health insurer investing in employees’ social wellbeing

We recently worked with a large health insurance company, and in support of their Q1 focus on social wellbeing, armed their employees with practical and evidence-based ways to create stronger and more fulfilling connections with the people in their lives.

This company had offered programs focused on connection within teams and in the workplace in the past, but never anything around personal relationships. Here’s what they told us:

“We felt like we had a gap in our program. We felt that this year, after all the lockdowns and isolation, that it was the right time.

“The whole process with The Intime Collective was very thorough, easy, and the whole team that we interacted with were warm and engaging and professional. A strength was the collaboration beforehand, as Louise took the time to understand and appreciate what’s going on within our organisation and the outcomes we wanted to achieve from the sessions.

“The content was well considered, and the sessions were really engaging. The content was spot on – it was exactly what we were wanting.

“Louise is a great facilitator and the sessions offer very practical tips and techniques that anyone can apply, both personally and professionally, around what could be done better or differently. It definitely changed my perspective on a couple of things.”

Personal relationships affect professional performance

When looking at ways to improve organisational performance, helping employees to strengthen their personal and intimate relationships might not be the first thing that comes to mind.

We’re talking about the workplace, not their personal lives, right?

But that’s where we go wrong. Relationships are everything – a thread that runs through every aspect of our lives. And the evidence is clear that the quality of our relationships at home not only affects our wellbeing, but also our engagement and performance at work.

In fact, it’s the reason I initially launched The Intime Collective and our flagship program Better Together – to provide working parents the elements needed to sustain intimacy, and the practical tools working parents can apply for greater wellbeing.

Research shows that 2 in 3 couples are unsatisfied in their relationship with each other after they have children. That’s a lot of unhappy parents – and I would know, I was one of them. When a relationship is strained, it impacts your personal wellbeing, children’s development, and also engagement and performance at work.

But the relationship between parents is just one kind of relationship. While the Better Together program remains in-demand, our focus quickly expanded to relationships of all kinds.

You might be single, in an intimate relationship or relationships, or have a close friend in your home life or at work. At The Intime Collective we acknowledge all types of relationships – and the fact we don’t even have the language yet to describe some types of relationships that will become better understood over the next few years.

All of these kinds of personal relationships affect our engagement and our performance at work.  

In fact, so many of our clients tell us that relationship issues are one of the top three reasons people seek support from their Employee Assistance Program.

Culture of care: the evidence is clear

“The best companies in the world take an active, supportive interest in the person as a whole, and that changes everything” – Patrick Lencioni

In this current climate of ‘the great resignation’ and as many organisations struggle with employee retention – as well as battling competition to attract new talent – supporting employee wellbeing not only improves performance but is an opportunity to stand out.

Employees are up to 8 times more likely to be engaged when wellbeing is a priority in their workplace. And 64% of employees who take a favourable view on their workplace’s commitment to wellbeing indicate they are likely to stay for the next five years. (World Economic Forum, 2010)

On the flipside, unhappy relationships lead to stress, which correlates to more sick days. In fact, an unhappy marriage can increase your chances of getting sick by roughly 35%. (Lois Verbrugge and James House, University of Michigan)

The evidence is clear. Having a culture of care is no longer a ‘nice to have’ – it’s vital.

What are you waiting for: it’s time to be proactive

Prevention works. Prevention workshops, where people learn evidence-based skills to better their relationship before conflict begins taking a toll, are 3 times more effective than workshops designed for couples who are already troubled. (The Gottman Institute)

The Intime Collective leverages the latest positive psychology and relationship science to provide the practical skills needed for stronger relationships – of all kinds.

Louise combines her passion for wellbeing with decades of experience and education in positive psychology and change management – with a few of her own real-life stories thrown in – to deliver interactive and engaging masterclasses and keynote addresses.

If your organisation is ready to stand out from the crowd and support employee wellbeing, download our masterclass brochure here to learn more about how The Intime Collective can help.

Or if you’re ready to cut to the chase, book in a time with Louise here so she can understand your needs.