Employee Coaching: 4 Commitments

Employee coaching is on the rise, according to a recent study by Bersin & Associates.  Business results (defined as a combination of market share, costs and financial performance) were 21 percent higher for companies whose executive leadership embraced coaching and actively coached others.  When businesses reported “excellent cultural support for coaching”, employee results (a combination of employee productivity, engagement and customer satisfaction) were 39 percent stronger. 

The report indicates most organizations do not understand that coaching “is the number 1 performance-management challenge” and refrain from using it because they aren’t sure how to change people’s behaviors.  To begin forming a culture of coaching, four things need to happen:

1. Top management has to embrace coaching and make sure it encompasses accountability measures.
2. Advocates need to “evangelize” coaching by beginning performance-based programs.
3. Managers must understand the impact of coaching and learn critical coaching skills.
4. Human resources should create a supportive environment that measures and teaches coaching.

The power of coaching is that it “gets people to look forward”, versus exclusively looking backward at past behaviors.  Employees become engaged in their potential for success, and thus become more productive.