Coaching : does it play a strategic role in today's organisation

Abstract

The author researches the current activity levels of coaching in ten organisations. The findings demonstrate that levels of coaching are taking place in organisations however, methods of evaluation are scarce. Recent literature highlighting the business benefits of coaching is analysed and discussed. The literature also suggests that coaching is relatively new and not fully embedded yet in organisations. It also suggests that there are a large number of benefits both to individuals and oragnisations. Additionally, the challenges involved in coaching are discussed. As part of the research, representatives from ten companies were interviewed about their knowledge of coaching and the levels at which it is taking place. It was found that 80% of organisations have coaching as part of their HR/Training Strategy. In addition, most organisations struggle to evaluate the effectiveness of coaching. The author discusses the implications and relevance of these findings as well as the challenges and future trends in coaching.