Benefits of using coaching and feedback in the workplace

University of California, Berkeley, People and Culture Department, sheds some light on the importance of coaching interventions from HR and P&C experts' point of view: "Coaching is a method of strengthening communication between you and the employee, and can be used during check-in sessions. Coaching helps to shape performance and increase the likelihood that the employee's results will meet your expectations. Coaching sessions provide you and the employee the opportunity to discuss progress toward meeting mutually established standards and objectives."

The Harvard case study solution to address lack of adequate feedback provided to front line food service workers was the implementation of a 2+2 Coaching & Feedback model. The 2 x 2 Coaching & Feedback model is based on a fifteen-minute conversation, ideally once each quarter, during which the manager and employee discuss two things the employee is doing well and two things the employee could be doing more or less of to enhance or improve performance or career growth. The conversation concludes with the manager and employee agreeing to specific actions and next steps, including a plan for follow-up.

The 2+2 conversations work because they’re short, simple and scripted. This approach incorporates concrete feedback, thereby making easier what might otherwise be a difficult conversation.

In order to increase the success of the developed coaching intervention researchers incorporated the following essential elements that were considered critical to the success of the coaching intervention:

1. Leadership commitment:We had buy-in from HR leadership to use the 2+2 Coaching & Feedback model with employees, based on its use for providing coaching and feedback to managers.
2. Communication: 2+2 Coaching & Feedback encourages short, frequent conversations between managers and workers – aligned with senior management’s goal of enhanced communication.
3. Organizational fit: 2+2 Coaching & Feedback had previously been used in other parts of the organization and at different levels, so was already aligned with the organization’s culture.
4. Teamwork/worker input: 2+2 Coaching & Feedback encourages improved two-way discussions and invites employee participation and input.

The benefits of coaching interventions, and in their most effective form, 360 degree feedback interventions, are many. For example, Institute of Coaching (an affiliate of Harvard Medical School) summarises the personal benefits of coaching as below:

• Establish and take action towards achieving goals
• Become more self-reliant
• Gain more job and life satisfaction
• Contribute more effectively to the team and the organization
• Take greater responsibility and accountability for actions and commitments
• Work more easily and productively with others (boss, direct reports, peers)
• Communicate more effectively

Similarly, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) HR Department points out to an important benefit of coaching from organisational perspective and indicates that two-way conversations about performance and development create shared responsibility and accelerate employee growth and impact.

Here at Wellesta, we would be honoured to embark on a partnership with you and your organisation to provide advisory services in relation to building coaching capacity and creating a culture of coaching within your organisation, departments and teams. We are also Human Synergistics accredited coaches and expert organisational psychology practitioners providing coaching consultations and solution-oriented organisational and employee coaching services to elevate workplace wellbeing, organisational performance, employee performance and job satisfaction in your organisation.