The Importance Of Managers Coaching Their Employees

May 17, 2022

Illustration of Carl the yeti standing by a computer desk with a hat that says coach.

There’s one thing that brings us all together in this great big world — meaningful relationships! Humans love to be supported, guided, and mentored by folks who care about their wellbeing, helping them become even greater versions of themselves.

When it comes to their profession, people are even more receptive to well-meaning instruction. More than 3 in 4 people say that getting feedback is valuable, while almost everyone (97%) says that mentorship is critical for workplace success. And in today’s era of meaningful work, one of the best ways to give support, feedback, and encouragement to employees is through the art of coaching!

Like Mr. Miyagi in Karate Kid, or Qui-Gon Jinn in The Phantom Menace, managers are responsible for training employees in the art of doing good. And all it takes is a little time and planning!

Strap in, folks, because we’re going in hot!

The benefits of coaching for managers

Coaching seems like a lot of work, you say. Is it really worth going through all that trouble?

image with text - More than 80% of people who receive coaching increase their self-confidence.

Survey says: absolutely!

Let’s dive in and talk about the amazing benefits that coaching can provide:

Did you know that coaching has an ROI of 221%? That’s more than doubling your previous investments, particularly on the human side of your business.
More than 80% of people who receive coaching increase their self-confidence. This helps to make employees happier, healthier, and even more satisfied in their roles!
Almost 9 in 10 companies recoup their costs from coaching programs. If you’re like most businesses, you literally have nothing to lose.
Employees that receive regular coaching are able to use their strengths and skills more effectively. And employees who are more familiar with their talents gain businesses a 29% increase in profit.

image with text - Employees who are more familiar with their talents gain businesses a 29% increase in profit.

Coaching is a big deal, no matter how you look at it! When done right, it could be a huge boon for yourself and your organization.

How to coach an employee

Coaching your employees is just like riding a bike. Once you get the basics down, you’ll get more comfortable, feel more confident, and start trying out new tricks (wheelies, anyone?).

Pour through all management resources provided to you, or create a coaching startup resource for your business.
Use the vision coaching method to create clear strategies, targets, and outcomes for individual employees (think SMART goals).
Don’t be a friend or a parent. Instead, take a holistic approach that shows genuine interest in employee success — even outside the workplace!

Coaching employees might feel awkward or weird at first, and that’s okay! But by stepping outside of your comfort zone with these tips, you’ll be well on your way to enhancing the careers of others.

Coaching ideas for managers

Still have some analysis paralysis? We get it. Kicking off a brand-new initiative can feel harried, if not a little stressful.

Here are a few ways to get started on a managerial coaching program:

Schedule feedback
Do what you can to help employees become self-aware of their progress, skills, and developmental opportunities. If you can, try to provide personalized feedback at least once per month.
Focus on employee development
Provide plenty of employee resources that help to enhance and identify employee skills, particularly as they move up in the company.
Always lean on recognition
Be ever-willing to give that pat on the back and make your employees feel appreciated, or use a tangible reward that really says ‘I appreciate you!’ Gift cards are always an option.

image with text - give that pat on the back and make your employees feel appreciated/

There are lots of other strategies you can use in an employee coaching program; it just depends on you! Feel free to experiment with options and goals, and look for innovation as you get more comfortable with the coaching process.

Tracking your coaching and performance management

Coaching has the opportunity to do some serious good for your business — but it won’t be easy to measure its impact without the right tools. Tracking coaching progress and benefits starts with identifying key KPIs, including methods of gathering data.

Major corporations lean on a variety of solutions:

eNPS surveys (employee set promoter scores) show how much employees love your business.
Check all major accomplishments or met goals by those being coached.
Monitor your internal promotion and retention rates (lower turnover).

Remember that these measured outcomes aren’t just to stroke your ego. See the changes, take notes, and optimize your strategy going forward. The more you refine your leadership tactics, the more impactful they will be!

How to coach your employees with Motivosity

Coaching employees isn’t just a nice thing to do. In a world where thousands of companies are dying to find and retain top talent, you owe it to yourself (and your business) to pour value into the workforce. One of the best ways to do this is with value-driven software, including the services offered by Motivosity.

We might be a little biased here, but at Motivosity, we genuinely believe in empowering the modern workforce with tangible value. Our engagement and recognition software makes it easy to connect with employees at any time, while listening programs and accessible dashboards allow you to measure progress in seconds. And did we mention everything’s adaptable to your needs?

Motivosity’s software is perfect for any and every coaching process — just book a free demo today to see how it works for yourself!