ShapeUp Adds Personalized Online Fitness Coaching To Employee Wellness Platform
ShapeUp is pleased to introduce Online Fitness Coaching, the newest addition to its suite of products and services available on its clinically-proven employee wellness platform. Coaching has been an effective wellness intervention for decades, but ShapeUp’s new offering improves upon this model, infusing the expertise of certified coaches with the social support and connectivity that is the backbone of its program. By leveraging social tools and online challenges, in conjunction with both individual and team coaching, ShapeUp’s approach drives dramatic increases in engagement rates at a lower cost than traditional coaching models.
To enroll in Online Fitness Coaching, participants select either a weight management or physical activity focus and then indicate their experience level. They are then assigned to a certified coach who immediately launches a multi-week curriculum designed to provide education, goal-setting guidance, personalized feedback, and suggestions for how to leverage friends and colleagues for social support. Together, these components increase exercise and weight loss outcomes, thus improving the overall health of employee populations, enhancing corporate culture, and reducing health care costs.
“People looking to change their lifestyle often need guidance on where to begin and how to stay motivated, and coaches can play an essential role in this endeavor,” said Dr. Rajiv Kumar, founder and CEO of ShapeUp. “Our model pairs certified wellness coaches with the proven power of social networking and social gaming, ensuring that participants have all the support they need to reach their goals.”
A successful, three-month pilot program took place within a large telecommunications company; ShapeUp’s Online Fitness Coaching program attracted thousands of participants, representing a 600% increase in engagement over a previous, year-long telephonic coaching program. In addition, ShapeUp’s platform fostered an overall engagement rate of 35% throughout the entire company, a dramatic improvement over previous engagement. After this and other successful pilots, ShapeUp’s Online Fitness Coaching is now being adopted by employers, including The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia.
“I believe coaching is a necessary component of a comprehensive wellness program,” said Dan Buckalew, Manager of Wellness and Work Life Services at The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. “Employees often need a confidential, unbiased partner to guide and motivate them to make difficult lifestyle changes. A coach’s ability to build rapport and trust with the participant is critical to their success.”
ShapeUp’s coaches are certified by Wellcoaches, a coach credentialing and training program endorsed by the American College of Sports Medicine. For more information about ShapeUp’s Online Fitness Coaching program, please watch our on-demand webinar or visit www.shapeup.com.
About ShapeUp
ShapeUp is the leading global provider of clinically-proven, social networking-based employee wellness programs. Founded in 2006 by two medical doctors, ShapeUp has pioneered an innovative approach to behavior change that uses social networking technology to reduce health care costs and improve the health of large populations through peer motivation, support, and accountability. ShapeUp’s evidence-based, clinically-proven social wellness platform covers more than two million lives and is used by more than 200 employers and health plans. For more information, visit www.shapeup.com and follow us on Twitter.