The Dire Need For Accountability In Employee Coaching

The shared responsibility of coaches and organizations and identifying impactful coaching programs with clear ROI

By Jim Frawley, Bellwether

Thecoaching industry has often been criticized or speculated to be lawless, uncharted territory. There are very few rules and measures of accountability for both the coaches and those receiving the coaching. Still – when qualified people implement the right method, coaching can be an invaluable tool; it is simply suffering from a poor reputation and collateral damage due to overly ambitious expansion and commoditization of the art.

It is a tale as old as time –expand or grow too quickly, and the entire operation and integrity of the work are compromised. While great coaches are making positive contributions to various companies around the world, there is a clear difference between good coaching and bad coaching. And as an unfortunate result of the latter, many organizations are starting to pull back on their learning and development budgets due to a total lack of understanding of the return on investment.

In order to drive better results from coaching efforts, there have to be clear milestones or data points that make it possible to measure the impact of any program or individual coach. Most people would probably agree that coaching and development are crucial to an individual’s growth, but may also struggle to articulate exactly why or how. So the task at hand becomes identifying tangible and measurable outcomes that clearly showcase the benefits of coaching in order to hold all involved parties accountable: the coaches and the participants.

There are a few consistent themes that surface when employees articulate their development demands: they are seeking clarity and advice on what their next step should be –usually pertaining to a career path and growth; they are seeking a safe, judgment-free place to voice frustrations and productively ask questions; and they are seeking more regularity in their feedback cadence.

Productive and effective coaching is heavily dependent on employee input of this nature in order to outline a program that addresses these pain points in conjunction with the needs of the business. From here, a coach can establish clear targets and measurable data points that help drive momentum through the program. These might include productivity evaluations that help attribute ownership to what a specific employee is responsible for creating or executing, or even measurements of time saved thanks to technology innovation that can be restructured for creativity and collaboration.

Measuring employee engagement proves to be the best evaluation tool for coaching practices. Gallup has been conducting research surrounding employee engagement for over a decade, surveying upwards of 15,000 full and part-time employees each quarter, and recently reported the greatest decline since 2013.

Contributing to this decline, employees are lacking clarity of expectations, a connection to the company mission, and opportunities to learn and grow. There is an industry-wide call for immediate implementation of development practices, such as weekly conversations between employees and managers to explore goals, and well-being, and provide recognition.

Effective coaching takes work. First and foremost, there must be a clearly articulated process, one that outlines the expectations of the program and its participants through targeted, measurable goals. Typically these are built around employee engagement, productivity, and turnover, and implement consistent feedback methods to ensure supportive and constructive communication is a consistent component of company culture.

A good coach delivers on the responsibility of working these metrics into their program –again, to reinforce the return on investment (ROI) and program benefits. There is, however, a shared responsibility in the efficacy of any coaching program – one that falls mostly on the shoulders of the organization to hold the coach accountable for delivering clear ROI, which is typically executed through a service-level agreement that places a justifiable pressure on the coach to develop employees and executives in a meaningful, time-effective manner.

Identifying an impactful coach and program really comes down to a clear ROI on the development of those being coached. Is there a measurable increase in employee engagement, as demonstrated by attendance, responsiveness, and job satisfaction? Is there a shift in historical negative trends when it comes to employee turnover and retention? Has productivity increased as a result of a boost in employee engagement? The answers lie in a coach’s ability to answer to the needs and demands of those receiving the coaching.

Despite the state of the industry battlefield, LinkedIn reported 78% of top companies in the U.S. in 2022 invested in coaching for their employees – including big names like Amazon, Deloitte, and Apple. These and similar organizations are scrambling to offer valuable development opportunities for their employees that may aid in boosting retention.

There is a long way to go as the coaching industry grows and evolves, and organizations must keep that in mind when making investments in learning and development. Coaching programs must answer to the same level of accountability expected from any investment – whether that is technology, materials, or personnel. Start by prioritizing measurable outcomes when vetting coaches. While there is a need for structure and standards amongst coaches, there is just as much of an obligation for organizations to do due diligence when implementing development initiatives for their employees.

Jim Frawley is a coach, consultant, and the CEO and founder of Bellwether, an executive development firm. He specializes in helping corporations maximize their efficiency and enhance their growth.

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