As any company expands, unexpected growing pains will inevitably emerge within its culture. According to the Harvard Division of Continuing Education, lack of individual respect, mistrust among colleagues, weak communication from leaders, and increased stress levels are all factors in creating a toxic work environment as a company grows. How do employers minimize these risks and ensure consistent and enhanced employee performance? One method is through employee coaching, which is a powerful and necessary tool for the modern-day company.

Now more than ever, businesses require forward-thinking leadership as we forge into an unknown future. But in an age where many work from home, where our work lives seamlessly seep into our personal lives, and where the average worker is afraid of being replaced by AI, the responsibilities a company has to its employees expand beyond the traditional workplace. Therefore, employee coaching requires a much more holistic approach.

We can no longer separate our work life from our home life, nor can we compartmentalize emotional stress about our rapidly changing world. We intuitively understand that what influences the employer directly impacts the employee, what impairs the individual harms the team, and if we are unhappy at home, then how can we possibly be happy at work? A new kind of employee coaching is needed.

Giving Power to the People

As we continue to evolve as a society, there is a deeper understanding that no group is a monolith, and that includes a team of employees working under the same company. This is precisely why the best employee coaching is tailored toward the individual. When a company grows rapidly and broadens its vision, many individual contributors can feel lost due to resistance to change among senior employees, splintered departments, and an increasing sense of isolation within a larger, impersonal system. This is precisely why a one-on-one approach to coaching is much more compelling than a one-size-fits-all approach.

A private setting for employee coaching also allows the employee to feel more empowered to disclose their personal setbacks as well as hone their strengths in order to have a more fruitful life as a whole, thus becoming a more successful member of the company. Another essential component of successful workplace cultures is DEIB initiatives, and in this new landscape, employees have a safe place to air their grievances, allay their fears, learn, and ultimately empower themselves.

If the People Are Happy, the Leaders Are Happy

Rick Meekins makes a convincing argument for true leadership. Leaders are not only the gatekeepers and the dream makers; leaders are everyone who takes full ownership of themselves and therefore a deep responsibility for their actions and work. This profound realization is the kind that might be attained through tailored employee coaching. Of course, CEOs and anyone else in a more traditional leadership role have many benefits to this ongoing practice as well. Employee engagement and workflow, as well as a diminished employee turnover rate, are just two benefits of having a culture that prioritizes the health and well-being of every employee.

The Bottom Line

Let’s be realistic: if utilizing employee coaching were not a financially savvy action to take, no company would be moving in this direction. At the end of the day, it’s all about the bottom line, and while we all might condone a whole-person approach to improving careers and prioritizing mental well-being, when it comes to work, if it doesn’t put cash in our pockets, do we care enough to make this a priority? And let’s be clear—this is not a one-time fix. This is an ongoing practice that involves culture building and trust extension, with the goal of empowering humans in the technological age. Thankfully, employee coaching yields income as well. So, the word is finally out: happy employees are successful employees.