Background

In today’s digital-first world, video communication has become the cornerstone of professional and personal interactions. For Headspace, a leader in the wellness industry, empowering their video coaches with effective communication skills is critical to building rapport, fostering trust, and ensuring impactful coaching sessions, human-to-human.

To achieve these goals, Headspace partnered with Virtual Sapiens, using our Presence Portal, a cutting-edge AI-powered solution designed to enhance virtual presence and communication effectiveness while providing realistic Role Plays for coaching interaction practice. 

Objectives

To assess the impact of the Presence Portal on Headspace’s video coaches and Headspace Training Institute (HTI), our platform:

  1. Measured improvement in virtual presence scores.
  2. Analyzed usage patterns through assessments completed.
  3. Certified coaches who demonstrated mastery in virtual communication.

Partnership Overview

The project involved an even distribution of coaches across the following groups:

  • Headspace Video Coaches: Experienced professionals conducting virtual coaching sessions at Headspace.
  • Coaches-in-Training (HTI): Individuals training to become certified health and wellness coaches across the globe.

Each participant engaged with the Presence Portal across a period of 2.5 months. They were instructed to obtain their Certificate of Virtual Presence Readiness which involves scoring ‘high’ in every behavioral metric via repeated Video Q&A and Role Play practice sessions. 

Included in their analysis were nonverbal, vocal and verbal metrics that influence perceived trustworthiness, rapport building, energy, expression and authority. 

Results

Engagement and Impact:

  • Total Registered Users: Both groups fully engaged, 97% of users had repeated attempts and practice sessions, improving their scores. 
  • Assessments Completed: On average, 6.6 assessments were completed per coach, with the highest number being 19.
  • Average Improvement: Both groups achieved an average improvement of 15% in their virtual presence scores from their initial to final assessments.

Certified Coaches: By the end of the pilot, 80% of Video Coaches had achieved certification, highlighting the readiness of the video coaches and the potential for growth and ongoing improvement required among coaches-in-training.

Insights

The results underscore the critical role of continuous skill development in virtual communication. Key takeaways include:

  1. Engagement Drives Improvement: Higher usage of the platform correlated with greater improvements in virtual presence, as evidenced by Video Coaches’ increased assessments and higher scores.
  2. Training Bridges the Gap: Coaches-in-training showed significant progress, moving closer to the benchmarks set by experienced video coaches.
  3. Certification Validates Expertise: The certification process provided a clear pathway for participants to demonstrate their proficiency and readiness to excel in virtual coaching roles.

Importance of Effective Communication for Video Coaches

Video coaches serve as the face of Headspace, connecting with clients to deliver meaningful guidance and support. Effective communication skills are vital for:

  • Building Rapport: Establishing trust and connection in a virtual setting.
  • Maintaining Engagement: Ensuring clients feel heard and valued throughout sessions.

Demonstrating Adaptability: Thinking on their feet to respond to client needs dynamically and authentically.

Conclusion

This partnership with Headspace demonstrates the transformative potential of Virtual Sapiens’ Presence Portal for Coach training. By equipping video coaches with the tools to refine their virtual communication skills, Headspace has reinforced its commitment to delivering exceptional, human experiences in an age of proliferating AI. 

If you lead a coaching program and are interested in supporting your coaches with personalized coaching and practice opportunities, please get in touch!