Why on-demand coaching should be central to your people strategy

As we move into a new year and another lockdown, it’s no surprise that employees, leaders and managers are facing new and ongoing challenges as they navigate the uncertainties of the pandemic. With many of us now almost a year into remote working, leaders can’t afford to let their workforces stagnate, and instead, must ensure they continue to provide ongoing learning and development opportunities.

And with 9 in 10 employees seeking learning and development opportunities in their role, on-demand coaching is becoming increasingly popular – with 57% of L&D professionals predicting increased spend on their online learning programmes.

Right Management are expanding access to coaching through our RightCoach platform; providing busy professionals with topic-focussed, online skill-building coaching sessions with a qualified coach, when and where they need it.

Reengage the unengaged

Transitioning straight from the Christmas break into another lockdown means a different start to the new year than many of us had hoped. Employees may be feeling disconnected from the organisation and struggling to gain momentum with their work. And with numerous organisations yet to make plans to return to the workplace, it’s likely that many are finding the situation both stale and demotivating.

On-demand coaching provides an immediate, impartial outlet for working through these challenges, but it also empowers individuals to take a self-directed approach to development, enabling them to take greater control and build skills that will help drive future career goals. Having more independence can also help to reengage those who may be struggling for motivation with their work as they identify new ways in which they can have an impact on the business. And with 94% of employees saying they’d stay at a company longer if it invested in their development, on-demand coaching also supports retention of top talent.

Plan and build for the future

Following the decision to enter another lockdown, with workforces remaining at home where possible, it may be tempting for business leaders to go back into ‘survival mode’; reverting to the practices they know to have previously worked and losing sight of longer-term strategic workforce plans. Abandoning development initiatives may seem like the best course of action in the short-term, but organisations who invest in their people now will reap the benefits with a workforce that’s adaptable, resilient and best-placed to take on the challenges of 2021.

RightCoach enhances the development of high-potential employees and mid-level leaders, thus building up the organisational pipeline of future senior leaders. Developing a pipeline of future leaders can help to accelerate succession planning by increasing individuals’ readiness to excel in expanded and/or new roles, enabling organisations to implement a robust and comprehensive long-term strategic vision in the knowledge that they have the required skills and personnel to reach these goals.

Increased employee efficiency and effectiveness

For many companies the pandemic has accelerated growth, with workforces rapidly expected to do more with less. These increased expectations mean that many individuals are taking on new and challenging responsibilities – needing extra support to ensure that they can manage their workloads sustainably.

RightCoach is designed to help individuals deal with specific work-related challenges via focused conversations with qualified coaches. Being able to talk through a situation or problem that’s top-of-mind, at any time, means that employees can overcome obstacles sooner and more efficiently. This in turn generates a more productive and resourceful workforce, capable of maintaining high levels of output in the moment, while simultaneously developing skills needed for future success as their roles continue to adapt.

Supports busy managers

The impact of Covid-19 and multiple lockdowns has made the job of the manager even more challenging. With increased workloads, dispersed teams and 55% of organisations reporting an accelerated digitisation of their products/services; organisations may require a more flexible alternative to traditional long-term coaching as employees try to get to grips with new software and adopt new responsibilities at a rapid rate.

RightCoach provides managers with immediate support; whether they need help building a relationship with a new virtually recruited colleague, are seeking advice on supporting a struggling team member, or require inspiration on how to increase collaboration within their remote team. The agility of on-demand coaching empowers managers to overcome challenges quickly, whilst at the same time building skills for the future.
Find out more about how Right Management’s RightCoach platform can support your business here.