Coaching in the Workplace
Published November 2021Coaching in the workplace: Is it a worthwhile approach for effective management?
Coaching can have a profound impact on the success of your business and the wellbeing of your staff.
With the popularity of workplace coaching and mentoring growing rapidly in organisations worldwide, it’s worth investigating the benefits of this approach for both staff development and performance management.
Here, we focus on how coaching can benefit everyone in the workplace and the overall productivity and profitability of an organisation.
We Cover:
- What is coaching in the workplace?
- 5 benefits of coaching in the workplace for an organisation
- 5 benefits of coaching in the workplace for individuals
- Why is coaching in the workplace more important now than ever before?
- How can you begin to introduce a coaching culture in your organisation?
- Get advice on coaching
More Details About Management Coaching
Learn more about coaching skills for managers and how you can begin to master them in our 17-page PDF brochure.
Find out why coaching is important for all managers and get details on achieving a QQI coaching certification.
Get BrochureWhat is coaching in the workplace?
Coaching is a more collaborative, empowering way to support your team in achieving their optimum potential.
When coaching a member of their team, managers provide information and support to help the coachee find the best possible path to expanding their skills and knowledge.
Coaching is ongoing, a continuous improvement project between the coach (manager, supervisor, or team leader) and the coachee (the person who is being coached).
Integral’s excellent article on this subject notes that while it does draw on pre-existing management skills, “Coaching is not management skills re-packaged”. (Source)
It is consistently focused on encouraging and supporting employee growth and potential.
Need to brush up on your management skills?
We run management courses every month throughout the year. These practical courses are suited to managers of all levels, from every background.
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5 benefits of coaching in the workplace for an organisation
How does a coaching approach benefit a business? Let's take a look at 5 benefits to the business and 5 benefits to employees...
1. Improved Morale
The encouragement and targeted advice that happen as a result of coaching are incredibly supportive for all involved.
Through taking the time to coach, rather than simply “manage” your team, each team member will feel valued and more confident within their role.
2. Overcome Barriers
Coaching sessions are ideal settings for overcoming barriers to communication or productivity.
Within the safe, encouraging setting of a 1-to-1 coaching session, you can work to solve any sensitive issues that crop up.
3. Performance Management
Coaching is a not-so-secret weapon for great performance management.
Throughout your coaching sessions, you’ll be working with each team member to identify gaps, set goals, and create action plans to achieving those goals.
4. More Pro-activity
This new level of confidence and time devoted to developing their skills will inspire staff to create solutions or tackle more tasks without needing to be asked.
When you coach members of your team consistently, you can expect to hear more bright ideas and generally get more done.
5. Better Retention
As you may imagine from reading the benefits for individuals below, employees working within a management coaching culture feel better about their workplace.
Adopting a coaching approach to management demonstrates support for your employees. They feel valued and, as a result of the coaching sessions, more engaged with their work.
This greater level of job satisfaction tends to make people want to stick around. It stands to reason that employees who feel valued and supported are the most loyal employees.
5 benefits of coaching in the workplace for individuals
1. A Higher Level of Personal Effectiveness
Coaching in the workplace is all about personal and professional growth. Each coaching session is focused on supporting the coachee to reach their potential best.
As a result of coaching sessions, the coachee will gain confidence in their ability to ace their tasks and embrace stepping outside their comfort zone to achieve even better results.
2. Greater Job Satisfaction
Being able to do more and achieve higher levels of performance is a win-win situation for both the organisation and the individual.
At a basic human level, we need a sense of purpose and fulfilment. Getting more from our day to day work contributes greatly to meeting that need.
3. Expansion of Capabilities
As you progress in coaching sessions, your coachees will inevitably begin to explore and develop new skills and abilities within their existing roles.
Again, this benefits both the individual and the organisation in finding new and better ways to do things.
4. A Greater Sense of Support
The safe space and open channel of communication with management that coaching provides are of huge importance to employees.
This outlet offers them a way to address challenges and work through potential obstacles before they become a major problem or impact an employee’s wellbeing.
5. Continued Personal and Professional Development
Working hand in hand with training, coaching within the workplace is a wonderful way to keep each team member’s skill set current and continually developing.
During coaching sessions, the coach and coachee work together to find the most meaningful next steps for training and development.
Why is coaching in the workplace more important now than ever before?
Coaching is more important than ever.
The impact Covid-19 has had – and continues to have – on how we work together is still unfolding.
With the many changes the pandemic has brought, both professional and personal, the support and engagement coaching in the workplace provides plays a more crucial role than ever before.
As the Harvard Business Review put it in March 2021, “With employees concerned about an evolving workplace, it is imperative that leaders be better equipped to address real anxieties." (source).
Coaching is an invaluable tool for doing just that. As a leader, coaching skills can support you as you seek to guide and reassure your team.
How can you begin to introduce a coaching culture in your organisation?
The first step in developing a management coaching style is to gain the skills and understanding you need in order to coach others successfully.
Our 4-day QQI Management Coaching Course is designed specifically for those who want to coach others in the workplace.
This 4-day course includes a QQI certification in Coaching Models of Practice.
If you would prefer to gain management coaching skills and understanding without certification, our 3-day Coaching Skills for Managers is an excellent choice.
For individual managers
If you are seeking to develop your own management coaching abilities, take a look at our public QQI Management Coaching Course, which has dates available throughout the year.
For teams and organisations
If you would like to begin creating a consistent culture of coaching across your management team or teams, we recommend a custom, in-company programme.
- We can come to you or deliver live, virtual training online.
- You choose the training dates that suit your business schedule.
- We will tailor the content to centre on your organisation’s challenges and goals.
Get Advice on Coaching
If you would like guidance on whether coaching is the right fit for you or your business, we are happy to help.
Get in touch with our team by phone (Freephone 1800 910 810) or online using the Ask a Question button below.
