At my work, we recently had a visit from the Career Mum where she extolled the virtues of coaching and mentoring. My workplace has invested in training eleven new coaches to join the ten it has already has to form a coaching community to benefit its staff. Institutions as we know don’t often put their money where their mouth is so it’s a pleasant surprise to see this happen.
There are numerous blogs, articles and websites about how coaching can benefit the individual to gain clarity, find their purpose and create a plan to reach their goals; however, when writing my assignments for my coaching qualification I didn’t find as much aimed at institutions. Those who hold the purse-strings in organisations can make a big difference to people’s lives through the choices they make so, based on the Institute of Leadership and Management’s (ILM) recent White Paper, Cracking Coaching: Five ways to make an impact at work, here are a few reasons why companies should invest in coaching communities:
1. Coaching increases engagement and productivity:
According to the ILM’s Whitepaper, coaching helps increase engagement and boost productivity, especially in new joiners and those returning to work. It states workers who experience coaching have ‘improved confidence, performance and productivity’ all which improve life for the individual. In turn, reduced sickness, absence and lateness rates boosts the organisation's performance as a whole.
2. Coaching can reduce uncertainty:
Technology increase and uncertainty regarding the political landscape means individuals must learn to adapt and be flexible so they can manage change effectively and with the least amount of mental pain as possible. They may find their roles have changed or disappeared altogether; however, according to the ILM, ‘four fifths (79%) of those surveyed believe coaching can help teams when adopting new technology and different ways of working’. As a result, coaching can help to improve the resilience of individuals. Additionally, the organisation can spend fewer resources on training people to fill the skills gaps created by such changes.
3. Coaching can improve confidence and reduce conflict:
‘58% said they felt more confident after coaching’. The ILM states ‘Coaching makes individuals feel valued and promotes a more inclusive culture within the organisation’. This should mean a reduction in stress and an increase in motivation and self-esteem. There is an argument to suggest coaching could help reduce conflict as staff become more open and solution-focussed – leading to fewer disciplinary issues.
4. Coaching can ease the transition back to work:
The report argues a drop in ‘morale, engagement and motivation’ will lead to a reduction in productivity for the organisation. This is especially pertinent for those undergoing a transition back to work, either moving into a new role or returning from parental or long-term sick leave. Coaching would reduce the amount of lost productivity as they ‘find their feet’ and a resulting low attrition rate would mean fewer costly recruitment processes.
5. Coaching can help future leaders:
Coaching can have a positive effect on the confidence of those leading or managing others, with ‘67% of those surveyed agree coaching would make them feel good about managing others’. It promotes the idea that the organisation is investing in its employees which would encourage employees to stay. A significant majority (84%) of leaders reported ‘coaching would have helped them in periods when they struggled to manage an individual’.
If you’ve ever received, or would like to receive, coaching at work, I’d love to hear about your experiences. What impact did it have on you and your work or home life?
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