Last year, Falck introduced career coaching as part of occupational health care. Coaching is about empowering employees to take responsibility for their own work situation. The effort is individualized and in many cases it is not about helping employees find a new job.
The goal of career coaching is for the employee to go from passive to active and thus become strengthened in taking responsibility for their situation and career. It doesn't have to be about changing jobs, but usually it's about reviewing the current situation and sometimes maybe even realizing that you're doing well where you are. Making an active decision to stay at your job can improve both performance and motivation as well as well-being.
– Work should not have to feel like a necessary evil. Perhaps new motivation is needed or that the role is adjusted to suit the employee better. By allowing the employee to reflect on who they are, what they can do and what they want, we help the person to put themselves in the driver's seat of their own work situation and thus find new motivation in the work, says Ulrika Eurén, Business Development Officer Career and Organization and Leadership at Falck.
Coaching as part of occupational health care
There is a clear correlation between employees' well-being and how well they enjoy their work. The labour market is characterised by major changes where jobs can quickly change and disappear at the same time as new roles become relevant. Not being aware of new technological advances and other new things that may be expected of you can lead to feelings of inadequacy.
– We saw a need to support employees in rapid transitions that affect the way we work and what jobs are available. We need to be able to adapt and keep up with developments and adapt our skills to a labour market that is changing at a rapid pace, says Ulrika Eurén.
Unfortunately, being dissatisfied with one's work life can lead to both poorer motivation and performance and, over time, also ill health.
– In the meeting with our customer employees, we can see that dissatisfaction with their work and the feeling of lock-in at work is widespread and contributes to health problems. This is also supported by research by working life researcher Gunnar Aronsson, which shows that 1 in 3 feel that they are in the wrong place, says Ulrika Eurén.
There are no wrong people - just the right person in the wrong place
Enables rapid response
By having career coaching in occupational health care, problems can be detected earlier so that employees who feel bad about their work can get the right help faster. Any problems can, for example, be identified as part of other investigations, and you can help employees earlier and in parallel with other things if it turns out that it is precisely career issues that are the basis for ill health.
– Traditionally, coaching has been separate from occupational health care, but we see great advantages in combining them. Since we meet employees and employers in different places and in different contexts, we can identify chafing earlier and take the right action. The hope is to be able to help people earlier and in parallel with any other interventions and thus reduce prolonged ill health, says Ulrika Eurén.
What to Expect from a Career Coach
Career coaching is used with advantage in situations where it is the work that creates chafing for the employee. Maybe the person is low on energy and has lost confidence in their role. It can be part of a rehab process and be used, for example, before returning to work after sick leave.
In conversations with a career coach, the employee is given the opportunity to reflect on themselves and their work. We always work towards clearly set goals and use tests, exercises and homework. The employee also gets access to an online platform with recorded lectures. In order for it to be a transparent and realistic process, we also like to see tripartite talks with the employer.
– Meeting with a coach means that you get support and guidance in achieving your goals, overcoming your obstacles and developing personally or professionally. The coach uses different methods, techniques and questions that help the employee explore their goals, identify their strengths and weaknesses, and create an action plan to achieve success, says Ulrika Eurén.
The coaching is individualized and can be anything from a conversation to a longer process.
Part of the new area Career and Transition
Career coaching is currently offered as the service Support conversations, career development and is part of the new service area Career and transition. As a customer, you can order the service yourself, both separately and as part of a larger effort. If we see that coaching can help the employee, we can also recommend the service.
