How Apeel Sciences scaled coaching company-wide with Bravely

Employee needs have changed and are continuing to change. What they expect of employers — benefits, growth opportunities, professional development — is expanding. With talent very much in demand, it may come as no surprise that a recent study found 86% of professionals said that they would change jobs if a new company offered them more opportunities for professional development.*

Bravely Co-Founder & CEO Toby Hervey recently connected with James Bruce, Sr. Director of Learning and Development of Apeel Sciences, for a webinar entitled “How Apeel Sciences Accelerated Employee Development with Bravely.” During their discussion, James spoke of the changes facing his company, why he believed professional coaching to be core to learning and development (L&D), and how Bravely’s just-in-time coaching model offered crucial support during times of uncertainty and change.

Identifying the need and opportunity for change

Apeel Sciences is a food technology company committed to creating longer-lasting produce and reducing food waste. Earlier this year, the company experienced rapid growth and underwent a reorganization, changes that often come with their fair share of challenges. To support the growing organization and invest in its people, Apeel Sciences sought to expand L&D with a particular focus on supporting managers — the leaders who often have the greatest impact on the employee experience.

“In Q2, we did a reorg and again in July. We made sure that all of our key leaders had some sort of coaching support and Bravely was one of the key programs that we used during that time. Because of 1:1 coaching, we were able to accelerate the implementation of organizational change efforts by helping our employees become more successful change leaders.”

— James Bruce, Sr. Director of Learning and Development of Apeel Sciences

Having previously worked at a company focused on coaching, James knew the impact investing in a professional coaching solution could have on Apeel’s people. His intent was to develop a coaching mindset for everyone and for employees to have access to coaching through their educational stipend, a benefit that would be paired with other L&D opportunities.

Extending employee growth and development with Bravely

Apeel Sciences’ company-wide experiences of growth and change, all while continuing to adjust to the pandemic, led them to focus on employee development. Their goal was to provide individualized coaching to people at all levels, and so they partnered with Bravely. What stood out to the Apeel team about Bravely’s offering was the ease of access, scalability, and the opportunity for employees to try a coaching session before committing.

Within six months of partnering with Bravely, Apeel Sciences has seen over 25% of employees schedule at least two coaching sessions. As a result of the additional employee support provided, 89% of users report a more positive outlook on their situation, 92% shared they are more likely to address their situation, and 79% learned a new skill or strategy (e.g., communication, leadership, feedback, performance support, career management) they can apply.

Looking forward

Next up for Apeel Sciences is continuing to extend the reach of Bravely’s professional coaching services to even more team members within the organization. “Bravely’s 1:1 coaching is the key to development and long-term behavior change initiatives” that Apeel’s L&D team is working toward, says James. 

Interested in implementing a coaching solution for your organization? Book time with a Bravely expert who can answer all of your Q/As and/or try a free coaching session for yourself (or send to someone on your team).