Coaching to become talent development mainstay, study suggests

Dive Brief:

Coaching will play a much bigger role in talent development programs in the near future, according to a Human Capital Institute and International Coach Federation study provided to HR Dive in an email.
More than 80% of organizations represented in the study said they plan to expand coaching use among leaders and managers over the next five years, and one quarter had already dedicated a line item to coaching in training budgets. Per the report, more than half (55%) of organizations in the study use coaching to train leadership.
The organizations noted some obstacles to expanding the coaching model, however. Fifty-two percent cited a lack of budget space for the programs as being a potential obstacle, while 45% cited limited support for coaching among senior leaders. The survey included 366 participants who work in either HR, learning and development, or talent management roles.

Dive Insight:

Coaching and one-on-one training have gained increased attention in recent years thanks in part to demand from younger employees. A March 2019 survey by InsideOut Development, for example, found 75% of Generation Z members wanted a boss who coaches employees.

But the trend isn't just generational in nature. Calls for a more personalized learning experience have become a fixture in the L&D space, and models that allow for coaching and mentorship — which fit under the broader umbrella of "knowledge sharing" — can allow organizations a low-cost path to a more hands-on approach. Embracing training relationships can also help to foster emotional connections between team members, experts previously told HR Dive, further boosting the cultural case for coaching.

It's not enough to tell managers and other leaders to share knowledge at will, however. Coaching programs require structure to succeed, and managers themselves have admitted in recent surveys that they don't receive enough training. That can be problematic for talent development programs that place managers in charge of coaching.

Manufacturer Mars Inc. addressed the issue by launching an individual coaching program for first-time managers. The program involves a heavy dose of feedback but also incorporates a tech solution for ease of access, according to officials. Such programs can help managers guide their careers while simultaneously assessing progress.