47% higher engagement, 90% satisfaction, 5.8 sessions per person — TIAA’s coaching program turned a small segment into outsized workforce impact.
TIAA needed a scalable way to move 17,600 employees from knowing what to do to actually doing it. By pairing employees with dedicated board-certified coaches — available in person, by phone, or messaging — they built lasting relationships that drove behavior change across lifestyle, mental health, and chronic condition management. 70% of coached members maintained low biometric risk year over year.
TIAA
Challenges & Goals
As TIAA worked to build a sustainable culture of Living Well, financial wellbeing and mental health emerged as top priorities. To support employees effectively, TIAA needed a way to increase engagement in wellbeing support, help employees move from knowing what to do to actually doing it, and address both lifestyle improvement and condition management—without overwhelming participants.
With a diverse, hybrid workforce navigating ongoing stress, life transitions, and competing priorities, TIAA needed a scalable way to provide guidance, accountability, and human support—without adding complexity or burden.
Strategy
To support this approach, TIAA implemented Personify Health’s Coaching solution, including Total Population Coaching supported by three dedicated Workplace Coaches. Through personalized, relationship‑based coaching, employees could engage with their dedicated coach either in person at eligible locations or on their own time via phone or messaging. This flexible model enables employees to build an ongoing relationship with the same coach and focus on goals most meaningful to them—from lifestyle habits and mental health to chronic condition support.
TIAA’s coaching program is built on a primary coach model, pairing employees with nationally board-certified coaches representing diverse clinical backgrounds. Coaches serve as trusted guides—helping employees navigate lifestyle change, mental health needs, chronic conditions, and available benefits, while integrating seamlessly with on-site and virtual care resources.
By integrating live coaching within a personalized health platform, TIAA created an intuitive experience that made taking action easier and more natural for employees.
Results & Impact
TIAA’s investment in coaching delivered meaningful engagement and measurable outcomes—demonstrating that a smaller segment of participants can drive outsized impact across the workforce.
Engagement & Commitment
- Coaching represented 7.2% of overall platform engagement, a smaller but high‑impact segment
- 47% higher engagement among members who participated in coaching compared to nonparticipants
- Coached members averaged 5.8 sessions per person, exceeding enterprise benchmarks of 4.2
- 67% of coached members completed 3+ sessions
- 46% completed 6+ sessions, nearly 2× the benchmark
- Coaching participation spanned age and gender groups, indicating broad workforce relevance
Beyond the metrics, coaching helped employees build lasting skills—from self-efficacy and resilience to accountability and confidence—supporting behavior change even during periods of stress, illness, and major life transition.
These results reflect TIAA’s strong commitment to delivering a high-quality member experience—earning the organization the Experience Award at the Thrive Summit 2023 Client Awards. Collectively, the outcomes reinforce a culture where employees are supported as whole people, driving healthier habits, stronger engagement, and long‑term wellbeing.
“Coaching brought sunshine into my darkness. This program changed my life.”
“Thanks to my coach, I was able to slowly get my confidence and strength back. When using the resources in the office, I am liking it and I enjoy going to the stretch class, therapy, and the gym. It’s like I am getting paid to take care of myself now and I love it.”
“From start to finish, coaching has helped me pinpoint what I was struggling with. I didn’t think I was struggling until we started talking about it. Talking face to face is so different than the telephone or via an app. Being able to discuss it more helped me with accountability and being able to talk about wins and celebrate them kept me motivated. I will miss coaching and have learned so much from it.”
“I appreciate the support, even when my day does not allow much time to chat. I need to be accountable, and my coach helps me keep myself and goals in check”