How Do We Move From External Coaching to an Internal Model?

We are moving from vendor-provided career c oaching to an internal model to support career advancement for our employees, from entry-level positions through professional allied health roles. What obstacles should we expect, and roughly how long should this transition take?

—Nurturing the Next Generation, workforce development manager, health care, Boston

Providing career advice on an internal basis to employees is a trend that is gathering steam. Rather than just being a “nice thing to do” for employees, it is becoming a business necessity for retention and recruiting.

Organizations understand that retaining top performers is far less expensive than recruiting new employees. Yet failure to provide executives with career development is one of the chief reasons why they leave, second only to competitive salaries. By providing professional development, you create a positive work environment in which your employees are engaged, feel appreciated and see opportunities for career growth.

Some corporations even have organized career resource centers to facilitate internal placement, similar to those offered by outplacement consulting companies. Giving employees the tools to manage their own careers makes sense in today’s environment, in which companies cannot guarantee cradle-to-gra ve employment.

It also is necessary to back up any career advice with a developmental plan of action: steps that may be beyond the capability of a career guidance counselor in an internal program. This will enable individual employees who desire to obtain higher positions in your company to work toward that goal.

A challenge to using internal coaches is defining an acceptable level of confidentiality, which may be especially awkward if the consultant also is an employee. However, confidentiality is critical to building trust. The employee being coached must be able to openly discuss personal feelings and concerns regarding jobs, leaders, colleagues and many other issues. Without this trust, the entire system will be held in suspicion and therefore will not be utilized.

Another critical question: Who can initiate a request for career coaching? Employees? The boss? Human resources? All three? In any case, all of these interested parties should be fully aware that coaching is being provided—and that it’s not a breach of loyalty for an individual to suggest that it be initiated.

SOURCE: William J. Morin, chairman and CEO, WJM Associates, New York, January 26, 2007.

LEARN MORE: Please read how WFS Financial used peer coaching to reduce turnover.

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