A majority of mid-level employees are dissatisfied with the results of coaching by managers, according to a survey by BlessingWhite.
Of the 677 employees in North America, Europe and Asia who were surveyed, 60 percent said coaching had a slight, little or no impact on job performance.
Three percent said coaching had a negative impact on job performance, and 23 percent said it made a significant contribution.
In regard to job satisfaction, 54 percent of respondents reported slight, little or no impact from coaching. Ten percent said coaching had a negative impact, and 20 percent said it made a significant contribution.
Christopher Rice, BlessingWhite CEO, said the survey results reflect the potential of coaching to affect an organization either positively or negatively.
“What we learned about coaching’s impact has real consequences for organizations concerned with employee performance,” he said.
Additionally, Rice said the survey results should serve as a jumping-off point for developing coaching by managers at companies.
“The findings should prompt management to address the evident shortcomings of coaching by managers, make them more accountable, do more to reinforce it and even offer tangible incentives,” he said.
One way to improve this process, Rice said, is to focus on the personal aspect of coaching – that is, managers must be attuned to employees’ unique coaching needs.
“Managers need to establish individual partnerships with the employees they’re coaching,” he said. “Each person is motivated by a unique set of values, attitudes, skills and goals, and great coaching must be based on a clear understanding of what these are.”
Additionally, Rice said coaching can remedy or head off potential challenges, and the results of the survey demonstrate that coaching’s potential is not being maximized.
“We see missed opportunities to use coaching to boost performance, leverage individual contribution and align employees with business goals,” he said.
