What is the role of a wellness coach?
Wellness coaches help small business owners with unique and personal business challenges, needs and opportunities in a free one-on-one, supportive environment.
Wellness coaches are available to work with you or any of your family members who are employed in your business.
A coach can help you find the right service available and also refer you to a specialist service provider for support to reduce stress, improve wellbeing and provide flexible business support.
A wellness coach is most suited for support for prevention, and planning for early risks of mental illness/ hardship.
Spectrum of suitable mental health support for small business.
Example of wellness programs and activities facilitated by wellness coaches
Wellness coaches practice a combination of positive psychology, stress management techniques, mindfulness and workplace mindset.
Common issues addressed by wellness coaches for businesses are:
- Staff mindset and workplace wellness: how to manage communications and conflicts issues. How to communicate efficiently in situations of hardship.
- Productivity: addressing meaningful work and workplace performance
- Mental wellbeing: stress management, trauma and hardship support
Wellness coaches address more than just coaching services. They are professionals that are available to provide support, secondary opinions and advice in cases of:
- Navigating changes and uncertainty (disasters, accidents or changing workplace environment)
- Burnout and fatigue
- Organisational culture and communication
- Dealing with stress and anxiety
Access to free wellness coaching
Wellbeing for Small Business funded by the Queensland Government
Small business wellness coaches are available for free for sole traders, micro-businesses and small businesses in Queensland through this program funded by the Queensland Government. The coaches will work with the Rural, Small Business and Tourism Financial Counsellors Network across Queensland to work with you and your business.
Wellness coaches under this program are available across Queensland. To find a coach based on your location, or find more information on eligibility criteria, please click here.
Location
Wellness coaches are available across Queensland. They are located in:
No matter where you live in Queensland, support is available. If the wellness coaches aren’t located nearby, virtual support is available.
Eligibility criteria
To be eligible to access a coach, your small business must (at the time of applying):
- have fewer than 20 employees (full-time equivalents) and less than $10 million in annual turnover
- have an active Australian Business Number (ABN)
- have your small business as your primary income source (i.e. 50% or more of the total income), or you must have a recent record of it being your primary income source and the potential to do so again (as determined by the Network coach or counsellor)
- be based in Queensland
- have owners/directors that are not insolvent or are an undischarged bankrupt.
Microbusinesses and sole traders are eligible to access a coach.
Financial counselling funded by the Queensland Government
Free financial counselling service for small business
Research has shown that financial stress is closely related to mental health stress. If you or businesses in your community are facing financial stress, you can access the free financial counselling services for small business in Queensland. Your business wellness coach may refer you to these services too.
Small business financial counselling service (SBFCS) provides free, impartial and confidential planning and support services to small businesses in Queensland. Different support is available to businesses, depending on their location, such as rural and regional Queensland, or metropolitan areas.
Common areas of support available for businesses are:
- Improve understanding of financial position and managing your finance
- Access to government assistance
- Identifying financial risks
- Dealing with debts and negotiate a manageable solution
- Referral and access support to networks of professional services, government grants and other assistance schemes.
Wellness coaches under this program are available across Queensland. To find a coach based in your location, or find more information on eligibility criteria, visit the Business Queensland website.
Location
Small business financial counsellors are available across Queensland.
To find a counsellor in your region, please pick one of the following regions:
North Queensland
Southern Queensland
No matter where you live in Queensland, support is available. If the wellness coaches aren’t located nearby, virtual support is available.
Other support services
If you have other financial help and financial counselling, the National Debt Helpline provides free, independent and confidential service for businesses.
1800 007 007
Or visit the website https://ndh.org.au/about-national-debt-helpline/