Take the train and the coach

The training and development special report “Holding up well” (MW March 28) featured a quote from Sandra Warham of Somersault – “If you train people in isolation and then put them back into work they will fall back into old habits.” How true.

How many training manuals are gathering dust on people’s shelves? I’m not knocking training, I just want to highlight coaching, which is a growing area that was not featured in the article.

Coaching is the fastest-growing industry in the US after IT. Research by the Industrial Society shows people become 25 per cent more productive with training, but training plus coaching results in an 88 per cent increase in productivity. The reason for this is that coaching is tailored to an individual’s own needs and addresses real-time issues, which means people quickly create sustained change, including changing those ingrained habits for good.

In addition to individuals benefiting from greater confidence, better time-management and improved productivity, there is also growth in self-awareness and emotional intelligence. Staff feel more valued and company loyalty increases because people feel invested in and have been helped to grow and learn – at work with executive coaching but also across their lives as a whole.

Half an hour of coaching a week can create many saved hours to focus on the important things in life and business – increasing business profitability and personal fulfilment. The opportunity cost of losing good employees is high, not just in terms of recruitment but through the effect on colleagues, clients and speed to market in this ever faster-paced world.

It is worth looking at the big picture when cutting training budgets. A cut could save you money in the short term but it could have dire consequences longer term. So if you want to get ahead, don’t get a hat, get a coach.

Rachel Brushfield

Director

Energise Brand Communications

London W6