Road-tests the appraisal tool StressScan

The tool

What is it?

StressScan is a comprehensive personal stress and health risk appraisal designed to facilitate lifestyle change, health and wellness. Together with Talent Accelerator, an integrated online stress/wellness planning and reminder system, it helps coaches to facilitate health-promoting behaviours that result in increased productivity and well-being for employees.

How does it work?

StressScan is a theory-based 123-item questionnaire that measures 14 factors associated with absenteeism, job burnout, physical health and psychological well-being, including work/life stress, exercise/physical activity, eating/nutrition, preventive practices, social support, cognitive hardiness, and psychological well-being.

The tool is administered and scored online and takes approximately 20 minutes to complete. The feedback includes suggestions for behaviour change and can be made available automatically to individuals when they have completed the questionnaire or electronically through Talent Accelerator. It can be used alongside other assessments within a coaching intervention.

For further information visit www.envisialearning.com

The administrator

Using the tool

At the Denver-based International Center for Performance and Health (www.ICPHbalance.com) we provide a comprehensive executive health programme called 360 Advantage SM to help business leaders perform at a higher level without cost to their health.

We use StressScan because it allows business leaders to rate themselves online, targeting 14 important stress and health areas that facilitate or hinder their effectiveness, well-being and productivity.

In combination with Talent Accelerator, our coaches can monitor and make suggestions for improvement in the areas that the executive would like to change.

The customisable goal-setting capabilities, combined with an extensive stress and health resource library mapped to each of the 14 areas, result in a comprehensive tool to educate clients and encourage them to take action on altering behaviours that are difficult to change.

Talent Accelerator permits the coach to see both the StressScan report and the wellness goals that are set by the client. Coaches can comment on the goals, provide feedback and make suggestions for refinement based on the coaching they are conducting with the client.

For phone-based coaching, Talent Accelerator provides a way to track and print coaching progress notes. The combination of this web-based program, data and report, and phone coaching all facilitate compliance to change and increase the likelihood of success in changing difficult behaviours.

The verdict

StressScan, together with the web-based Talent Accelerator, are integrated interactive tools that empower clients to take specific action on educating themselves in the areas that need to be improved. They also allow them to be self-directed in their stress management and wellness
change efforts.

The tool allows the coach to access client data and goals and provide feedback on those goals anytime, anywhere. This results in a high level of customer care and increases the client’s motivation to comply with goal attainment.

I work as a coach with leaders in highly demanding working environments who have high levels of stress and competitive mentalities. StressScan provides feedback that allows clients to consider other ways of being that could help them to lead more productive and healthier lives; both professionally and personally.

StressScan and Talent Accelerator make a positive difference to both the coaching and client experience.

Andrea Wieland is CEO of the International Center for Performance and Health.

The client

The experience

StressScan and Talent Accelerator proved to be effective measures and tools to help benchmark my progress in my recent journey towards self-development.

The StressScan was an informative and objective snapshot of my current mental state. It helped me to pinpoint specific areas that needed attention; and also highlighted areas that were stronger than others.

It took a lot of the emotion out of my self-discovery and made it possible to look at the results as facts that could be addressed and altered, rather than fragile emotions, which was all very revealing.

The application

Talent Accelerator is a creative goal-setting device that is easy to access, understand and stick to. The weekly reminders of my personal goals were always timely and effective. I believe all goals should be Smart – specific, measurable, attainable, realistic and timely. This tool set the foundation for just such a goal.

All of the targets that I set for myself had a timeline, which made them much more tangible and easier to complete. Sometimes it is tricky to work on intangible goals, such as “making more time for myself”, but when you have a reminder every week it keeps you on track.

The verdict

Since I completed StressScan, used Talent Accelerator and received focused coaching with the International Center for Performance and Health, my life has completed a 180-degree turn towards the light.

I am now aware of my thoughts, actions, strengths, beliefs and wellness risks every single day, and my self-discovery journey has become an integral part of my daily life – a game that I have grown truly to enjoy.

Annelise Loevlie is head of global sales and marketing for Denver-based firm Icelantic AT Boards.

StressScan: pros and cons

Upside

  • Measures well-known factors associated with job burnout, absenteeism and physical and psychological well-being
  • Offers insight into stress management, coping and lifestyle behaviours
  • Generates a comprehensive feedback report of health risks and resources
  • Supports coaching, stress management and staff wellness/health programmes
  • Integrated with an online wellness planning system and resource library

Downside

  • Requires time and willingness to reflect on the findings
  • Requires a facilitator to be knowledgeable about stress, coping and behaviour change
  • Asks personal questions about lifestyle
  • Making behavioural change is difficult
  • Outcomes depend on the client’s motivation and readiness to change

Volume 3, Issue 6