The basics of company-wide coaching in 2022

While the pandemic has redefined the ways people are working, it has also created a complex system wherein some employees work at the office, some remotely, and some in hybrid situations. In addition, this distributed workforce has accelerated digitization and automation across all industries, resulting in a slew of new technological tools that all need to be integrated, learned, and adopted. To say that HR professionals have been pivoting regularly to manage all the changes would be an understatement.

And then there’s the Great Resignation, which we like to refer to as the Great Reengagement here at Bravely. The result of all the reshuffling and reprioritizing seems almost like a constant game of whack-a-mole for HR departments. And, on top of this, a key to retaining top talent is to supply training–so, while trying to whack all those other moles, HR folks are also trying to figure out the best, most productive, most cost-effective, on-demand solutions for company-wide coaching. 

It’s overwhelming to process all at once, but at least some of these issues can be taken off an overworked HR team’s plate with the right approach. Namely, company-wide coaching  — and there’s even a complete guide we’ve created, dedicated to the topic.

What coaching is and isn’t

Rule #1: Coaching is not the same thing as therapy. Both coaching and therapy focus on obstacles to success and self-actualization in a person’s life, so it’s understandable that people may confuse them. But coaching is a more solution-oriented approach that, instead of seeking to understand the reasons for the problem, looks ahead towards desired outcomes. 

The collaborative process between the coach and the individual being coached involves identifying and developing solutions, strategies, and skills to enable a person to surge forward. Sometimes this involves getting “unstuck,” or it may include working towards a specific goal. It’s a deeply individualized process with concrete objectives at the core.

Why coaching is important for employees 

The idea that only top-level executives can benefit from coaching is rapidly becoming outdated; the new mindset is defined by the recognition that everyone, from entry-level employees to the top, can benefit from the coaching process.

Benefits to employees include:

• Increased confidence and motivation
• Lower stress
• Improved communication skills
• Great self-awareness and organizational awareness
• Better time-management
• Smarter goal-setting 
• Improved engagement and empowerment

With employee disengagement and burnout at an all-time high, implementing coaching is an excellent strategy for companies to simultaneously support and improve their employees’ happiness and productivity. 

How coaching supports your company

Companies that make the time and space to build a coaching culture reap a host of benefits. Some major takeaways:

• Companies that implement a strong coaching culture were 51% more likely to report revenue above that of their peer organizations
• Employees who receive coaching are more engaged, motivated, and productive
• Coaching is one of an arsenal of tools to hold onto “flight risks,” as employees who received coaching were more likely to stay.

Research shows that coaching delivers a fantastic ROI: a study by PWC demonstrated that 86% of companies that invested in coaching recouped their investment, while many saw ROIs of 10x-50x. 

One instructive way to look at it: if even one individual stays with the company due to receiving coaching, then a company has already recouped its investment.

But beyond that, offering a democratizing, flexible, and individualized way to allow your employees to feel safe and become the best versions of themselves is always a net win.

Coaching platforms 101

The coaching platform is whatever digital system or tool (such as an app or a dashboard) everyone will use to connect around coaching. Companies connect with the coaches (we call them Pros here at Bravely) they’ll be using, scheduling flows are managed, and participants receive timely and relevant content. 

On the coach’s side, this can involve managing one-on-one sessions, group sessions, workshops, etc., and dispensing relevant information to clients. Meanwhile, HR teams leverage these technologies to make coaching accessible and user-friendly for the employees who are participating in the program. 

Choosing the right platform

The right coaching software will be scalable to the size of the company and optimized to meet the needs of both the employees and the organization itself. Some essential questions to consider in choosing the best software for your company:

1. What are your employees’ needs?
2. What are your organizational needs? 
3. Are there any “must-have” features (desktop/mobile accessibility, languages, integrations with calendars, etc.)?
4. Can the provider show you testimonials from happy past users?
5. Is a free trial available?
6. Are internal stakeholders involved and on board with the adoption?
7. Are those stakeholders able to get involved in testing and feedback?

Dealing with each of these questions, and digging deeper, will enable you to select the software solution that best aligns with your company’s goals.

The future of coaching

The future of coaching is paradoxically both AI-driven and yet more human than ever. Technological tools are being leveraged with better and better outcomes to solve human problems with action–in this case, mindful coaching supports an employee emotionally and leads to an overall better workplace experience.

AI supports this process by collecting data, reporting insights, and reaching people in situations where they may previously have been inaccessible, or where coaching would’ve been unavailable. In short, AI drives quality in the world of coaching. 

Interested in learning more? We know you have a lot on your plate, and that’s why we hope our HR Guide will be helpful.

Take a look, and get in touch if you think we can help bring best-in-class coaching to you and your team.