Intervention > Corporate Coaching


What is Corporate Coaching?
Corporate coaching is a dynamic and continuos two-way process between an individual and a neutral third person, called the coach. The coach aims to empower, encourage and motivate the individual into re-establishing their life purpose and to plan, set and achieve realistic and desirable career and personal goals.

Essentially, corporate coaching is about assisting people to get the most out of their jobs and personal lives.

How does Corporate Coaching Work?
Corporate coaching is a dynamic and continuos two-way process between an individual and a neutral third person, called the coach. The coach aims to empower, encourage and motivate the individual into re-establishing their life purpose and to plan, set and achieve realistic and desirable career and personal goals.

Essentially, corporate coaching is about assisting people to get the most out of their jobs and personal lives.
aCorporate coaching for employees in the workplace involves a series of meetings between an employee and a coach. The coach is experienced in organisational change and committed to helping the staff member set and achieve goals that complement their abilities, skills and personality and also meets the needs of their employer. Professional coaches generally have backgrounds in psychology and/or commerce and business with excellent people-handling skills.

Before engagement with an employee the consulting coaches meet with organisational decision-makers. The purpose of these meetings is to assist the coaches understand the objectives and complexities of the business, become familiar with the organisational climate and culture and to understand what is expected of them. Equipped with this knowledge, meetings are then scheduled with individual employees.

While coaching sessions are voluntary for employees, the first session is generally a discussion between the staff member and coach where they talk about the employee’s work history and other factors, such as personal background, likes, dislikes and dreams. This is mostly a face-to-face meeting. The employee may also be asked to complete psychometric assessments that measure their aptitude, abilities, skills and motivational factors. The coach will also make observations, such as monitoring the employee’s interpersonal skills, energy, stress tolerance, conceptual breadth and creativity.

The second meeting involves a discussion of the results of the employee’s psychometric assessments that have been interpreted by skilled psychologists and presented in a final report. This report may also be submitted to the employee’s manager or the organisation’s human resource department if requested by the employee. It covers all the major areas of the assessment, including cognitive abilities, influencing ability, personality characteristics, motivation/needs, leadership profile and an analysis of issues which may be considered problematic. The report also includes a summary of the employee’s work history and a page outlining strengths and limitations. The report concludes with developmental/coaching recommendations.

The subsequent sessions can be face-to-face, over the telephone and/or via email. The specific combination depends on what the coach and employee decide between them, however regularity is important to ensure that the employee remains motivated.

The number of coaching sessions with employees last anywhere between 30 and 60 minutes and take place on a weekly, fortnightly, or monthly basis, depending on the employee’s needs. At the beginning, meetings tend to be more frequent.

Coaching is not a quick solution to current personal and professional dilemmas, even if employees receive tangible benefits after the first session. The average duration of a coaching relationship is between three and six months, yet can last up to two years. Development maintenance plans are scheduled to take place every year.

Coaching is an effective way of helping people or yourself re-assess and restructure areas of their working lives that are causing them dissatisfaction or confusion and helps them
to develop strategies for turning plans into actions within stated time frames.

Is Corporate Coaching for You?
Corporate Coaching services are used by employers, employees and other individuals seeking to further their careers.

Employers often request the services of corporate coaches for staff who are seen to be key players in the organisation, yet require on-going stimulation to prevent them from resigning. Coaching is also used for staff members who appear to have stagnated or lost their enthusiasm for work. With these employees, it is possible that minimal support and coaching will reignite interest in their workplaces or may be at a time when a change of job is required.

Employees and other individuals who seek the services of corporate coaches want someone who:
• is independent, qualified and experienced in corporate coaching
• is easy to talk to
• will listen to ideas, yet also challenge concepts and thinking
• knows how to help people set and achieve career goals
• can assist in reducing stress
• understands workplace challenges
• can identify weaknesses in people and suggest change strategies in a constructive and diplomatic manner (eg listening skills in the workplace)
• provides advice, and views on situations, dilemmas and opportunities
• understands risk
• addresses the importance of life-work balance
• is satisfied and enthused at seeing other people achieve major successes
• is secure in themselves.

What are the Benefits?
ITIM’s professional Corporate Coaching service provides a range of benefits for employers and employees.

Benefits for employers are:
• matches organisational positions with employees’ career goals and preferences
• retains valuable staff by empowering and motivating them to achieve organisational objectives that complement their own career paths
• helps to reaffirm the organisation’s goals and strategies in the minds of employees
• the development and maintenance of an effective succession plan
• increase in workplace productivity and safety
• boosts workplace morale
• provides managers and employees with a ‘safe’ environment where they can talk in confidence with a neutral and impartial third party who does not work in the same organisations
• develops an ‘employer of choice’ corporate culture
• improves managers’ leadership skills and effectiveness (eg better manage conflicts)
• effective response to staff who fear they are being deskilled

Benefits for employees and other individuals include:
• provision of the option to build or recapture one’s life purpose
• opportunity to refocus on one’s career and personal life and implementing strategies to improve and enhance both
• reinforcement of the importance of a healthy work-personal life balance
• the ability and confidence to take advantage of opportunities
• ability to remain focused on one’s needs, values and visions
• improvement in relationships with workplace colleagues and personal friends
• improvement in physical and emotional fitness
• increased concentration and productivity
• boost to morale and commitment to career and workplace
• becoming aware of one’s strengths and how to use them to advantage
• identifying the need for further training and development in a positive manner
• being better equipped to turn obstacles into opportunities
• becoming more aware of how one thinks and makes decisions
• being better able to change unhelpful and unproductive habits

Why Choose ITIM?
• ITIM selects coaches to meet the needs of the individuals and the organisation.
• Our consultants have specialist skills and include coaches, mentors, facilitators and organisational psychologists.
• Our coaches and consultants are trained and accredited and utilise empirically validated assessment tools in combination with their own expertise and personalities to meet the particular needs of the person or situation.
Program length and level of support will vary depending on individual and organisational needs.
• All coaching programs are tailored to meet the needs and time frames of each individual employee.