The Benefits of Coaching in the Workplace
Photo by Christina Morillo
Leaders who excel in the workplace know how to activate the power within their teams. Workplace coaching is one way to do that.
Coaching is the process of making sure your team has the information, tools, and opportunities needed to become their best, according to "The Importance of Coaching in the Workplace."
The benefits of organizational coaching include increased:
Employee engagement
Retention
Performance and productivity
Team bonds
Employee feelings of empowerment
Here are three areas where coaching can happen for employees:
Manager to Employee
Managers can coach their employees through performance reviews and one-on-one meetings. As mentioned in our article, "How to Give Constructive Feedback," providing evidence-based feedback creates a space for managers to nurture employee growth and development.
Managers who coach employees use their experience to help solve issues, provide support, and develop skills. These managers also help employees through a reflective process that helps them draw conclusions and determine their next steps for improved performance and success.
Marquette University's Business blog offers examples of coaching in the workplace and different coaching styles.
Peer Coaching
Peer coaching provides a unique opportunity for all participants to grow, according to Allaya Cooks-Campbell. Same-level teammates share insights, immediate feedback, challenges, and best practices based on their similar contexts and positioning within the organization.
These partnerships foster relationship-building and encourage collaboration. Peer coaching can occur informally, become part of the company culture, and support higher performance levels. Peer coaching groups can be as small as two people or a team led by a same-level coach.
Coaching Programs
There are coaching programs that allow for structured and formal approaches to nurturing the growth of employees and teams. Torch allows organization leaders to scale coaching by combining "1:1 coaching with curated, science-backed content recommendations to help participants become more effective individual contributors, managers, and leaders." Chronus and Mentorloop also offer mentoring services based on your organization's needs.