Why a Coaching Culture Is Integral to the Hybrid Working Model

By Trayton Vance, CEO & Founder of Coaching Focus

The business landscape as we know has shifted dramatically, with businesses facing pressures, choices, changes, and challenges which many weren’t expecting or prepared for. The same can be said for employees during the last two years, millions of workers have changed work patterns and routines, focusing far more on home working, flexible hours, using technology to communicate with colleagues, and staying in touch with day-to-day business.

Whilst there are some occupations that are – and for the foreseeable future will remain – hands-on, most employees have shown that working remotely is a flexible, successful, and highly cost-effective way of operating, given appropriate technological support.

Huge numbers of organisations are adopting hybrid working as the model for the workplace. The hybrid model varies from organisation to organisation and sector to sector, but the key theme is the same – work from home for some or even all your working day. Employers and employees are now evaluating the huge significance of this rapid change.

So, what role can and should coaching play in this new movement as we continue this transition into the new normal?

One size does not fit all

Put simply, there is no one route to success. However, one thing we are seeing is that instead of employees working for organisations, we need organisations that are working for their employees. We need leaders who are in service to their staff, who are great listeners, and who are innovative and agile in their thinking.

Organisations with absolute clarity on their vision and purpose and who can communicate that with energy and passion to every employee. Managers who encourage new thinking, innovation, and measured risk-taking and individuals who feel encouraged, empowered, and self-motivated. If this is to happen – and happen it must for organisational survival – then now is the time to consider introducing a coaching style of leadership into your organisation.

Why coaching and why now?

Coaching is a highly relational activity, requiring focussed and appreciative listening, an open mind, and a belief in the potential and capability of others. There has never been a more important time for organisations to adopt a coaching culture, especially transition coaching, to help staff move through the curve of hybrid working and the changes that brings with it. The relational and communication skills used in coaching are capabilities that underpin empathic, trusting, and appreciative workplace relationships.

Managers and leaders will find their role as motivators and communicators more important than ever as the hybrid workplace becomes the norm, and coaching will be essential to achieving this. By adopting a coaching style of management, people will feel listened to, appreciated, self-motivated and get the sense that the organisation cares about them. They will almost certainly be more engaged, perform better and will have a sense of achievement that is so important when potentially isolated from work colleagues.

Ultimately, coaching is about learning – as an individual, as a team, and strategically as an organisation – and right now, post-Covid, we are all learning more than ever. The transition to a hybrid world of work will present immense challenges that must be met with rapid learning and agile action. Coaching can help organisations embrace the challenge of developing a culture of learning, encourage innovation and growth, deepen relationship-building capacity, and demonstrate care and appreciation at all levels in the organisation.

Implementing a Coaching Culture

Any company no matter the size or sector is defined by its culture. The way that underlying assumptions, beliefs, and values shape how people behave and interact with each other. A recent ICF survey of over 500 (paywall) of the largest companies in the USA found that those with a strong and consistent coaching culture tended to have much higher employee engagement and better revenue growth than those without. In short, a coaching culture helps facilitate sustainable organisational performance.

Implementing a coaching culture and mindset will fundamentally change an entire organisation – from how managers give feedback to their employees, how employees engage with one another and how employees interact with clients or customers. Since the pandemic the balance of power has shifted back toward that of the employee. Remote working is now very much the norm, meaning that an employees need to live and work in the same location are no longer an issue.

This has led to what we now call ‘The Great Resignation’, where we have seen around a third to half of the employees say they are considering leaving their current employment in the next year. With this shift in power, an organisation’s culture and purpose, whether that be ESG practices, diversity & inclusion, or a coaching culture, companies must think really carefully now about how to retain their talent.

A coaching culture, or culture of open conversations, is integral to this flip; a culture where people genuinely engage with one another to understand what others want and what challenges they face, creating a sense of wellbeing and belonging.

Traditional incentives, like bonuses or gym memberships, are not cutting it. These commodified rewards don’t meet the needs of today’s workforce, made up of people craving a deeper sense of purpose and a deeper emotional connection with the organisations they’re part of.

In these uncertain and challenging times, fresh thinking is required among leaders; thinking which includes a will to inspire trust, credibility, compassion, stability, and hope. Creating a coaching culture, which revolves around openness, engagement, empathy, and ultimately an investment in people, will ensure that businesses can retain talent, clients and ultimately prosper.