Coaching Employees to Improve Performance

It's common to find great coaches on the playing field – but what about in the workplace? Coaching employees to improve performance starts with effective leadership.

Good managers are skilled in coaching employees. Employees respond best to motivation, positivity, and support – not micromanagement or intimidation.

Did you know that coaching employees can actually boost productivity and create more positive morale?

Here we'll describe and define the purpose of workplace coaching and share tips on how you can start coaching employees to improve performance.

Characteristics of a Good Coach in the Workplace

You can effectively coach employees in a variety of ways. A good coach is available, transparent, and encouraging.

Here are a few more employee coaching techniques to try.

Offer Consistent Feedback

It's difficult for employees to improve performance without detailed feedback on a regular basis. Begin scheduling time to meet with employees individually.

Use an actionable coaching approach when providing constructive feedback in the workplace.

First, acknowledge the areas they're excelling in. Then, identify the specific areas that need improvement. When coaching employees to improve performance, always leave them with a plan of action after identifying gaps.

When you're pointing out flaws or a specific skill that needs work, lead with encouragement. This helps employees stay motivated and feel invested in the success of the company and their role in it.

The importance of feedback in coaching isn't one-sided. Empower the whole team to practice positive feedback, not just management.

Employees should point out when they notice a coworker performing well and offer advice or guidance if they see someone struggling. Create a feeling of mutual respect among your staff and soon they'll be rooting for one another to succeed.

Push Employees Outside Their Comfort Zone

Without putting too much pressure on employees, as a coach, it's your job to help them move outside their comfort zone. When you see potential in an employee, challenge them! Offer them a more important role in the office or put them in charge of a special project.

Capitalize on your team’s skill sets and past experiences. Assign individual tasks that help employees strengthen and refine technical skills and soft skills, or challenge them to grow in new ones.

Always be available to answer questions and lend support during the process.

Welcome Employee Opinions and Ideas

Nothing makes employees feel more valued and appreciated than an open line of communication with their superiors. One way to do this is by welcoming their ideas and opinions.

Ask your staff what they think about recent changes, updates, or a new project. Practice active listening and be receptive to their comments or concerns. When employees are able to express their opinions and offer feedback, they feel like their contribution matters.

Employees who feel respected, heard, and valued are more invested and committed to the company. Leaders can inspire employees to engage by rallying them around a shared goal. Be inclusive when setting goals. Ask employees to participate in the goal setting process and motivate them to accomplish it as a team.

Encourage Collaboration

Just like the coach of a sports team needs to unify players, coaching employees means helping your staff work better together. Take things one step further by encouraging employees to collaborate in the workplace.

Every employee brings a unique set of skills to the table. When team members collaborate regularly, they can learn different approaches and techniques. This strengthens both the individual and the team.

Coworker collaboration also builds company morale, which is essential. Encouraging strong relationships at work creates a more positive and productive environment for everyone.

Additionally, collaboration helps employees lead up by learning from how their coaches interact with everyone to create unity.

Lead By Example

The mark of any good leader or mentor leads by example. Avoid swooping in and completing a project or task for employees. They will learn more through trial and error. Instead, prepare them with comprehensive onboarding training then let them try.

Make sure to use a supportive and positive tone when correcting employees. Don't be condescending or impatient as you demonstrate how you want things done.

Taking a few extra minutes, or even days, to show an employee the right way to do things will save you both time and frustration in the future. It also strengthens the employee's skills and boosts their confidence.

Do you regularly assess employees to identify progress and gaps? Coach better with Hub360. Modernize your employee coaching tool and improve the results of even the lowest-performing employees.

Help Build Employee Confidence

One of the most important parts of coaching employees is building their confidence both professionally and personally. Instill newfound confidence in employees is by recognizing and rewarding their accomplishments.

During your feedback sessions or employee reviews, highlight the great work they've done. Use specific examples to personalize your compliments.

Point out exactly what you liked about how they handled a certain situation. Always acknowledge when an employee goes above and beyond their job description. Boosting employee confidence not only makes your staff feel good, but it keeps them motivated to keep working hard.

Accept Failure Once in a While

Failure to talk about failure erodes a culture of growth.
While it's not in your best interest to condone failure, accepting failure as a part of life helps take the pressure off your employees and yourself.

Failure itself is like a coach — reminding employees what not to do next time.

The way you respond to employee mistakes or shortcomings makes all the difference. Avoid belittling team members or overreacting. Instead, ask the employee what went wrong and how they could've handled it differently. Then, make a plan for addressing issues like this in the future.

On the other hand, don't let mistakes or failures go unnoticed. This lowers job performance standards and expectations. Foster a culture of growth by acknowledging failure, using it as a coachable moment.

Support Employee Training and Career Development

One of the best employee coaching techniques to use is ongoing employee training and management development. You can accomplish this by creating a roadmap for each individual’s career development.

Well-rounded training gives employees confidence in their job duties. But the goal is not to have an employee be great at one aspect of their job. Cast a wide-angle view of how their training and development plays into the bigger picture.

Sit down with each employee and help them set goals for personal and professional development. When employees have a plan, they begin to see themselves grow within the company, which lowers turnover.

Engage employees for the long haul by coaching them into leaders, not followers.

Effective Coaching in the Workplace

When coaching employees to improve performance, tracking your coaching relationships is best done through a coaching software. Effective coaching in the workplace takes a healthy balance of holding employees accountable and offering guidance and encouragement.

These key techniques will help you create a healthier coaching process in the workplace. Start engaging employees with training, assessments, and professional development for their future success.

How are you coaching employees to improve performance? Are you looking for more ways to train, motivate, and coach your team?

Download the Coach Tool product overview to begin coaching better, today!

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