Business coaching has emerged as a precious solution for companies looking to improve the performance and potential of their employees. In recent years, the rise of online coaching has further democratized the coaching world, making business coaching accessible to a broader range of people. Let us explore business coaching, how it can benefit organizations, and why online business coaching is a particularly effective solution for the hybrid workplace.
The COVID-19 pandemic and the rise of the hybrid workplace have turned the coaching industry upside down and led to the final breakthrough of online coaching. According to the International Coaching Federations’s study “COVID-19 and the Coaching Industry” (ICF 2020 Global Coaching Study) with over 10,000 participants from 140 countries, the amount of coaching via video and audio platforms has increased by 74%.
What is business coaching?
Business coaching is a partnership between a coach and a coachee, where the coach supports the coachee in creating a better version of themselves by maximizing their personal and professional potential. The International Coaching Federation (ICF) defines coaching as “a thought-provoking and creative process that inspires a person to maximize their personal and professional potential.” Unlike mentoring, which is based on expertise, or training, which is based on repeating specific techniques, business coaching is based on partnership, and the coach helps the coachee find their own answers and solutions.
The definition of online business coaching
Online business coaching, as the name suggests, uses digital technologies, such as video conferencing, messaging apps, and email, to deliver coaching services. The purpose of online business coaching is to support and improve individual performance and, ultimately, the entire organization’s performance. By unlocking new sources of imagination, productivity, and leadership, online business coaching helps coachees achieve their goals and reach their full potential.
The key benefits of online business coaching include accessibility and convenience, flexibility, cost-effectiveness, scalability, and the ability to leverage technology to deliver better results. With digital business coaching, individuals and companies can access coaching services from anywhere, at any time, and in a manner that fits their schedule and needs. This eliminates the need for physical coaching sessions, which can be time-consuming, expensive, and inconvenient.
Online business coaching also offers a high level of flexibility, as coaches can provide coaching sessions to multiple individuals and companies simultaneously without the need for them to be physically present. Additionally, digital coaching eliminates travel and accommodation costs, making it a cost-effective solution for businesses and individuals seeking to develop their skills and achieve their goals.
In addition, online business coaching is scalable, allowing businesses to expand their coaching programs to reach more employees, teams, and customers. With technology, companies can quickly and easily develop coaching programs to meet the growing demand for professional development services.
Finally, online business coaching leverages technology to deliver better results. With advanced data analytics, machine learning, and artificial intelligence, coaches can provide customized coaching services tailored to their clients’ needs. This level of personalization and precision allows coaches to deliver coaching services that are more effective, efficient, and impactful.
How to Make Online Business Coaching Work for Your Organization
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Business coaching vs. mentoring, training, and therapy
There is often confusion between business coaching and mentoring, training, and therapy. Mentoring involves an expert guiding someone based on their experience, while training requires someone with knowledge teaching someone else. In contrast, coaching is a partnership between equals, where the coach helps the coachee find their own answers and solutions.
Coaching should not be confused with therapy, either. If a person suffers from psychological or emotional issues, they should seek treatment before pursuing coaching.
The importance of certification in online business coaching
While the concept of coaching is not new, it has become increasingly important with the digitalization of coaching to find coaches who are certified and have the skills and expertise to deliver effective results.
Certified coaches bring credibility and professionalism to the table, as they have undergone rigorous training and have demonstrated their mastery of the coaching process and techniques. They have also been evaluated by recognized organizations, such as the International Coaching Federation (ICF), the European Mentoring & Coaching Council (EMCC), and the Worldwide Association of Business Coaches (WABC), ensuring that they have met high standards of practice and ethics.
A certified coach brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to the table, and can help businesses understand and address complex issues, such as leadership development, team building, and change management. They are equipped with a range of tools and techniques that can be tailored to meet the specific needs of the company and its employees, ensuring that coaching programs are relevant and effective.
Another important aspect of certified coaches is that they adhere to strict ethical guidelines, ensuring that they maintain a professional and confidential relationship with their clients. This is crucial in building trust and establishing a strong working relationship, which is essential for the success of any online coaching program.
The benefits of online business coaching
Studies have shown that coaching positively impacts performance and satisfaction, with 80% of coachees reporting improved self-regulation. Furthermore, compared to training, coaching has the advantage of helping individuals translate what they learn into improved performance in practice. Online business coaching provides HR and L&D managers a flexible, cost-effective, and scalable solution for offering professional development opportunities to their employees. With a wide range of services and access to qualified coaches, companies can support their employees in reaching their full potential and achieving their career goals. As the workplace continues to evolve and becomes more hybrid, online coaching will play an increasingly important role in supporting the development and growth of employees and organizations alike.
Here are our five top benefits of Digital Business Coaching.
- Convenience and fexibility: Digital business coaching allows HR and L&D managers to offer professional development opportunities to their employees without needing physical meetings. Coaching sessions can be scheduled at a convenient time and place for both the coach and the coachee, making it ideal for busy employees with limited time and resources.
- Customizable and scalable: Digital coaching is easily scalable, making it ideal for companies with large numbers of employees. The coaching process can be tailored to the specific needs of each employee, ensuring that they receive a personalized experience that meets their individual goals and objectives.
- Cost-effective: Digital coaching eliminates the need for travel costs and expenses associated with in-person coaching. This makes it an economical solution for companies, especially those with limited budgets or with employees in remote locations.
- Wide range of services: Digital business coaching offers a wide range of services, including executive coaching, team coaching, and career coaching. This allows companies to choose the type of coaching that best fits the needs of their employees and their organization.
- Access to qualified coaches: Digital coaching provides HR, and L&D managers access a global pool of qualified and experienced coaches. This allows companies to choose the best coach for their employees, ensuring they receive high-quality coaching services that support their personal and professional development.
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Online business coaching with Speexx
Online business coaching is a powerful tool for organizations looking to improve the performance and potential of their employees. Online coaching is a particularly effective solution for the hybrid workplace, offering the flexibility and convenience of remote access. By working with a certified coach, organizations can ensure the quality and effectiveness of their coaching efforts.
Speexx accompanies the entire coaching process, starting with a detailed needs analysis of the employee’s goals and development opportunities and selecting a perfect matching coach. In the process, the coachee is introduced to three coaches initially who match the needs and personal goals. Further options are offered if this does not result in a suitable match.
Based on the references and the profile of the proposed coaches, managers and employees choose who fits best and with whom they can imagine working together. A coachee meets the personal coach via video on the Speexx platform. In the first session, personal goals are set, and they work towards these goals together in the following sessions.
The process is designed to be as user-friendly as possible for both the coach and the coachee. After all, technology should not be a distraction from the coaching process. For the coaching session, the coaching clients open the app on their mobile phone or desktop and meet their coach face to face.
Coachees can access a comprehensive library of microlearning materials between coaching sessions, including videos and other content, to reflect on their issues, get new food for thought and enhance their personal and professional development.
Speexx Coaching™ uses content preferences and ratings to help coaches provide their clients the most effective personal coaching experience.
As in every learning and self-awareness process, feedback and achieving goals and milestones are essential motivations in coaching. This is supported by powerful KPIs that coaches and clients can view directly in the app.
For HR, Speexx Manager provides all the information and tools to track the development of coachees and coached teams and to manage invoices and licenses. Speexx Manager is fully integrated into the Corporate Learning Management technology.
Read more about online business coaching
Josh Bersin: Online Coaching
International Coaching Federation: All Things Coaching
