Digital coaching to enable careers – 5 reasons your business needs to democratise coaching

A privilege historically only available to the elite, coaching is quickly becoming a career tool for employees at all levels of business. In light of the Covid-19 pandemic and changing employee expectations, coaching is now more accessible than ever through digital platforms, and acts as a key driver of sustained business success and talent retention.

But having the technology alone is not the answer. The coaching market is full of sub-par practitioners, and so it’s important that business and HR leaders making the decision to invest in coaching do their research and ensure their workforce has access to highly qualified professionals, capable of engaging and supporting their employees with the daily challenges of working life.

With the right coaches in place, businesses can expect between 4-8 times the return on their investment. And when you look at the wider benefits of providing access to this ongoing support, the democratisation of coaching becomes a shrewd business decision.

1. Fosters a culture of growth – By investing in the development of people at all levels through coaching, leaders can begin to foster a culture of individual and organisational development. Ongoing learning and growth becomes ingrained within the company’s DNA, meaning the entire workforce can continuously up- and re-skill to meet changing priorities wherever and whenever it’s needed. Development areas can then be identified and addressed more seamlessly, thus helping to maintain business performance even during times of change.
2. Encourages autonomy and freedom – Employees want to do their jobs in a way that works for them, while feeling as if their employer trusts and supports them in their endeavours. By providing access to ongoing coaching support, businesses can ensure each employee feels empowered to advance their career in ways and at times that suit them. Having flexibility to learn on-demand can encourage greater autonomy when it comes to employees managing their career, and foster higher levels of trust through the freedom of individually-driven learning.
3. Supports employee satisfaction and retention – When employees feel as if their learning and development has been invested in, loyalty and job satisfaction rise accordingly. 89% of workers who receive training and skills development say it has improved their sense of job satisfaction and contentedness at work, while 74% of employees that have been career coached plan to stay with their organisation. And with every business still in the throes of the talent shortage, business leaders simply cannot ignore a direct correlation between coaching support and talent retention.
4. Drives increased productivity – Having highly qualified practitioners available via a digital platform makes coaching support increasingly responsive to challenges being faced in the moment. Experts can offer timely advice that helps alleviate potential career and learning barriers, as and when they arise. This ensures each employee is able to get straight to the crux of a problem and continue delivering high-impact results without delay, which is why 67% of workers who’ve had training or skills coaching say it has improved their overall job performance.
5. Contributes towards DEIB – Employees want to know they’re being treated fairly and are highly valued by their employer. And when every employee has access to the same learning and development support, a greater sense of equity can be felt throughout an organisation. By having expert coaches available to help drive the ongoing development of an entire workforce, each individual will know they’re being invested in and that their employer sees a place for them within the organisation, long-term – thus creating a greater sense of belonging at every level of the business.

Despite all this, 3 in 10 employees still aren’t being offered any kind of coaching support by their employer. What are they missing out on?

While Lynsey, one of our RightCoach coaches believes:

If you’d like to see the real impact that 30-minute coaching sessions can have on your business and people, get in touch today.