Part 2: How to Elevate Employee Retention and Loyalty
Coaching is associated with many benefits, including the ability to communicate more effectively, harness greater levels of confidence, see challenges through alternative perspectives, and enhance critical thinking skills. The International Coaching Federation found that 96% of coaching client survey respondents said they would repeat the process, and 99% shared they were either “somewhat” or “very” satisfied with their overall experiences. This is likely because of the impressive return on investment when it comes to coaching. It is evident that people are happier, less stressed, and more motivated when the many roles they perform in life are in harmony with one another.
Based on participant interviews and surveys conducted by Activate 180, we’ve compiled a list of the top six reasons your company should invest in an employee coaching program. Below are three of the most important aspects from an employee perspective. To learn more, read part one about how coaching affects a company’s bottom line.
1. Strategic professional development
Short- and long-term professional growth can be difficult to navigate. Yet, over half of the interviewees mentioned that they have seen tangible results of career coaching, having received at least one promotion since beginning their journeys. Sessions are uniquely fitted to individuals’ goals and experience levels, allowing them to focus on areas that make the strongest impact for them.
One interviewee explained that their “consulting abilities have been enhanced tremendously” since working one-on-one with a coach. After just four months in the program, Liquid I.V. employees reported being 26% more certain about their professional goals over the next five years. World View participants reported a 23% increase in their professional growth in just four months of coaching.
2. A culture of growth and feedback
100% of respondents reported they have a good connection with their coaches. Because of these connections, one-on-one coaching sessions, group workshops, and culture audits offer comfortable ways for companies to genuinely gauge their employees’ contentment. Personal coaching sessions help employees work on confidence, communication, and time-management skills. Group sessions offer a safe space for associates to speak about their personal and professional lives, relate to their peers, and learn common language to support transparent feedback and growth. Culture audits are an anonymous way for organizations to learn where there is room for improvement, according to employees.
One tool, in particular, has changed the game for clients: clearing conversations. Because these discussions are structured to establish mutual trust and allow employees to be direct about their concerns in a considerate manner, clearing conversations bring individuals closer together, creating cohesion and synergy. Overall, interviewees reported that they felt more comfortable speaking candidly and being their authentic selves in the judgment-free zones their organizations have established with the help of the coaching program.
3. Preventing and reducing burnout
Because of the many tools provided by coaches, employees have started to divide their time more efficiently based on their priorities, set clear but respectful boundaries, and better separate their professional and personal lives, effectively reducing the incidence of burnout.
Since working with coaches, employees at all levels of organizations have reported an enhanced ability to “let go and check out of work more readily” when they clock out for the day, which has become increasingly difficult as a result of hybrid and virtual work environments. Additionally, associates across various organizations have mentioned that the free time which has resulted from their work-life harmony has helped them develop healthier habits, stronger relationships, and happier lives, all of which allow them to show up as their strongest selves at work and home.
Reducing burnout also means learning how to cope with each element of an individual’s life crossing over into the other, sometimes in stressful, emotionally dominating manners. One interviewee explained that their partner of over 30 years was diagnosed with breast cancer during the pandemic, adding that they struggled to manage this knowledge and the fears associated with it while quarantining. Their coach helped them cope and find more comfort living their day-to-day life until their partner began remission. The tools offered to this employee enabled them to be more present in both their personal and professional lives, which overlapped in an overwhelming manner during this period due to restrictions that required employees to work from home and quarantine full-time.
Is coaching right for you?
If you still aren’t sure if coaching is right for you, consider that about 99% of all coaching participants think that Activate 180 positively impacted their performance across various areas of their lives. When companies invest in coaching for their workforce, it makes employees feel valued; the American Psychological Association found that 93% of employee survey respondents who reported feeling valued were inspired to perform at their peak and 88% reported increased professional engagement. People show up better and grow immensely as a result of their coaching experiences. If you are looking to enhance the professional and personal aspects of your life, Activate 180 is here to help. After all, coaching is not just another expense, but an investment that your company can make to assist its people in their growth.