False Accounting leads to sub-standard performance and productivity

False Accounting leads to sub-standard performance and productivity

3 out of 4 (74%) employees prefer one-to-one coaching, yet nearly two thirds (63%) admit that their employers don’t provide any at all.

The research by Bute Coaching Ltd, a leading expert in business and management coaching, is based on a detailed online survey with business professionals from over 50 businesses. These have been drawn from across the UK and from a mix of sectors, and a range of company sizes, with almost half (45%) employing over 50 people.

When asked what describes their board’s attitude to training/coaching, nearly two thirds (61%) said the board encourages training and coaching with the organisation as much as possible, with 58% then going on to say that their board would always go for group training when given a choice because it is more cost effective.

Margo Manning, MD of Bute Coachingcomments:

“Group coaching and one-to-one coaching both have their plus points, and it’s interesting to see that when given the choice most employees prefer one-to-one coaching, yet companies do not provide this.  It is often false accounting to believe it is more cost effective to develop a group or team than to develop individuals.”

Margo continues: “Group development generally takes on the guise of a 1 or 2 day training workshop.  This works well when delivered correctly and followed up.  For most HR/Training departments, they simply do not have the resources to carry out this additional task. It would also be hoped that the group development also increases staff morale.  And so the group training workshop often induces ‘Workshop Bliss’ amongst the delegates.  You have a group who come back from their development workshop all fired up and feeling positive.  Within three months, the individuals are back to pre-workshop mode, doing the same old thing as before and gaining the same old results. Reasons for this is the workshop did not address the individuals own concerns and make them accountable for the solution. One-to-one coaching on the other hand has proven time and time again, that it delivers long term, consistent performance improvements.”

Indeed, and when asked what was the most influential factor on employee morale at their company, coming joint top with ‘pay’ (19%), was ‘feeling part of a team’ (19%) closely followed by Job Security (17%). With nearly a third (31%) saying that encouraging greater teamwork was a key HR challenge for their company at the moment, along with up-skilling the workforce (31%).

Margo adds: “With the strong focus on the economy at the moment, job security and pay are high in people priorities.  With no company able to guarantee job security now and the constant threat of redundancies; morale can be low.  One area that people are looking to strengthen is the team spirit. Having the feeling that we belong in a team, that we are all in this together strengthens our bond within the group.  If this team bond is managed correctly this can have a very positive effect on performance and productivity.  Managers can make or break the team spirit.  Many managers don’t understand what is needed or simply don’t have the time to focus on this area”.

When asked what they thought were the major development priorities for their company at the moment nearly half (48%) said that developing the leadership skills of the senior team was a major priority, with 1 in 5 (17%) also going on to say that their company’s leadership is poor.

Margo comments: “This is where one-to-one coaching really comes into its own. Today’s senior team members need to own a wide range of diverse skills and attributes to be displayed in their roles. It is now expected that today’s Manager has all the leadership and management skills, technical skills, behavioural traits and more readily available for the job. The reality is for most they don’t.  Being able to hone in on the individuals requirements and concerns; discuss solutions that work; put in place a plan to deliver, own the outcome and have the support of a coach over a period of time, ticks all the boxes. One-to-one coaching delivers that. ”