In a bid to boost service and productivity levels Friends Provident is offering employees access to Wellkom's self-diagnostic work-life balance and wellbeing tools with follow-up coaching.

The trial of Workwell is taking place among the new business development teams based at the pension and insurance provider's Manchester and Salisbury offices. If the scheme is successful, Friends Provident will consider rolling it out across the organisation.

The online self-diagnostic tool enables users to determine whether their job and life outside of work are being affected by lack of sleep or exercise, stress, or a poor diet. Michael Hampton, director of business services, said: "It helps to diagnose what it is that people have as issues day-to-day, [both in or out of] work, that cause them to underperform or create stress [which] projects itself into the workplace."

The diagnostic results are confidential between the employee and provider WellKom. Team managers also receive one-to-one lifestyle coaching sessions.

Friends Provident is currently working out how the Workwell programme is affecting service and productivity levels. "We recognise that service is [a] key differentiator [within] the life industry," added Hampton.