'It's about inclusion, curiosity, questions, joint solutions. So many existing leaders— trained and educated in a previous era—do not know how to deal with that'
Coaching is becoming increasingly vital for organisations seeking to adapt to the rapidly changing workplace, according to an expert.
This is true amid ongoing shifts in work environments, says Magdalena Nowicka Mook, CEO of the International Coaching Federation (ICF).
“We are observing five—some would argue seven—different generations in our place at the same time. Even if they have similar goals, the way they express themselves and the way that they want to be treated as employees are very different,” she tells Canadian HR Reporter.
“Not to be dismissed or missed is that, unfortunately, we are dealing with a mental well-being crisis of sorts, where people—especially younger people—are not sure how to deal with, at times, an overwhelming number of circumstances that they have to resolve, that being either in work or in life.”
Worse, many business leaders don’t know how to deal with the same issues, she says.
“It's more about inclusion, curiosity, questions, joint solutions. So many existing leaders—who are trained and educated in a previous era—do not know how to deal with that.”
Canadian companies, by and large, “spend less money on training for their entire employee base than our competitors” in other Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) nations, one expert previously told Canadian HR Reporter.
How to start a coaching program
Many organisations would also choose to develop their own internal coaching cadre, either people full-time responsible for coaching in the organisation, or managers and leaders who love coaching and would be trained, using part of their time, says Mook.
For employers looking to build their own coaching program, the strategic objectives of the business should be a guiding light, she says.
“It should not be just an add-on, a ‘nice to have’. It needs to be a part of a general strategy of the organisation.”
Employers should also have a way to measure the impact of coaching, bearing in mind that patience is an important ingredient.
“Coaching success doesn't happen overnight. It is a process. It is a journey. So one has to be patient to some extent and have reasonable expectations," says Mook.
“Typical coaching engagement takes at least six months, and the effects of it show even a little bit later. So it is important that the organisation has the realistic expectation of when to see sustainable, lasting impacts of coaching, and it is important to measure that from the very beginning.”
Employing the services of professional coaches would also help organisations, says Mook.
Recently, ICF signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Chartered Professionals in Human Resources Canada (CPHR Canada), which allows both organisations to engage in mutual cooperation to offer more enhanced services to members of each organisation.
With many employers struggling to find the talent they need—and employees increasingly seeking upskilling opportunities—organizations may benefit from exploring positive psychology coaching, according to another expert.
