How Does Coaching Impact Employer Branding?

A strong and unique brand identity is crucial for success in today's competitive business landscape. Even moreso, a strong employer value proposition (EVP) sets you apart from your competitors when it comes to hiring great talent, creates a memorable impression on your target candidate pool, and helps build trust and credibility with your existing staff. One effective way to develop robust EVP is through by building a coaching culture. This blog post will explore the relationship between a good coaching culture and your ability to impact talent acquisition in your company

The Importance of Employer Branding

Employer branding refers to an organisation's reputation as an employer and the perception it creates among both current and potential employees. One effective way to enhance employer branding is by building a coaching culture within the organisation. In this blog post, we will explore the importance of employer branding and how establishing a coaching culture can significantly contribute to improving it, supported by industry reports and research.

Creating a Positive Employee Experience:

According to the LinkedIn Talent Solutions Report (2021), 94% of candidates are more likely to apply for a job if the company has an excellent reputation as an employer. Building a coaching culture demonstrates an organisation's commitment to employee development and growth. When employees receive coaching and mentorship opportunities, they feel valued and supported, leading to a positive employee experience. This positive experience becomes a key component of the employer brand, attracting top talent who seek organisations that invest in their employees' professional development.

Fostering a Learning Environment:

The 2022 Global Human Capital Trends report by Deloitte highlights the importance of creating a culture of learning within organisations. When coaching becomes an integral part of the company culture, it fosters a learning mindset and encourages continuous growth. Employees are provided with the necessary tools, resources, and guidance to enhance their skills and capabilities. This focus on learning not only improves employee engagement and job satisfaction but also positions the organisation as a place where individuals can continuously develop and thrive. As a result, the organisation's employer brand is positively impacted, attracting candidates who are eager to join a supportive and learning-oriented environment.

Promoting Collaboration and Innovation:

A coaching culture promotes collaboration and teamwork, as emphasised by the 2021 Workplace Learning Report by LinkedIn. When employees are coached and mentored, they are encouraged to share knowledge, ideas, and experiences with their colleagues. This collaborative environment nurtures innovation, as employees feel empowered to think creatively and contribute to the organisation's growth. A coaching culture also supports a growth mindset, where individuals are encouraged to take risks, learn from failures, and embrace continuous improvement. Such an environment not only boosts employee morale but also enhances the employer brand by positioning the organisation as an innovative and collaborative workplace.

Cultivating Strong Leadership:

Industry reports consistently highlight the significance of effective leadership in employer branding. Building a coaching culture helps develop strong leaders within the organization. The 2019 Leadership Development Report by Brandon Hall Group suggests that coaching can enhance leadership effectiveness, communication skills, and employee engagement. When leaders adopt a coaching approach, they empower their teams, build trust, and create a supportive work environment. This kind of leadership fosters a positive employer brand perception, as potential candidates are attracted to organizations with strong, supportive, and inspiring leaders.

The Role of Coaching in Building Your EVP

Now that we have established the importance of EVP and how a coaching culture impacts your market reputation as an employer, let's discuss how even an individual coaching engagement can impact your ability to attract top talent. While industry research primarily focuses on the impact of coaching culture on employer branding, BOLDLY has a clear point of view on the role of an individual executive coach in building your employer brand.

1. When coaching is utilised as part of annual development programs, the coaches in the development pool come to know the culture of the organisation very well, and become advocates for that company. They can honestly speak to the effort and investment a company makes in its people, communicating that not only to participating employees, but also other companies and coachees. This proliferates the EVP through the coaches word-of-mouth.
2. When coaching is positioned clearly in job specs, corporate EVP materials, and communicated as a learning benefit through the interview process, it becomes a clear attraction feature for candidates. This can be done at all levels of the organisation where staff have access to coaching, but in particular, executives often need to see this included in their package. They sometimes come with their own coach, but often are aligned to a coach for their pre-boarding and onboarding experience, and then as a partnership ongoing. Building chemistry with this coach is a clear attraction strategy for any business. 
3. Internal coach-lead development initiatives also give coaches an opportunity to be a mouthpiece for your coaching culture with existing staff. By not only adding value and positively demonstrating the companies commitment to development, but they also have an opportunity to message the importance of this coaching investment by comparison to other companies. As an ‘outsider’ the coach brings credibility to this message, ensuring your staff know the grass is greener where they are!

How to ensure Coaches Are Aligned to EVP

EVP is often based on company values, mission, culture, and is also rooted in the core competencies of the leadership framework. Here’s how companies can ensure their coaching pool is aligned to their EVP messages, so that the essence of their culture is reinforced through 1:1 and group and team coaching. Here are some strategies to ensure your coaching pool is aligned to your EVP and continues to be so.

Clearly Define Company Values and Mission Through A Repeatable Coach Onboarding: According to the 2021 HR Research Institute Report, having clearly defined company values and mission is the first step towards ensuring coach alignment. Organisations need to articulate their core values and mission statement, outlining the principles and purpose that guide their operations. These foundational elements serve as a reference point to evaluate whether a coach's approach and expertise align with the organisation's overall direction and objectives.

Vet Coaches Through a Robust Selection Process (Like BOLDLY!): The International Coach Federation (ICF) recommends implementing a thorough selection process to vet coaches. This process can involve assessing their credentials, experience, references, and coaching methodologies. During the selection process, organisations can evaluate whether a coach demonstrates an understanding of and alignment with the organisation's EVP. This step helps ensure that the coach's approach, style, and expertise align with the desired outcomes and cultural context of the organisation.

Establish Clear Service Expectations and Ongoing Alignment Sessions: The Human Capital Institute (HCI) emphasises the importance of setting clear expectations and objectives for coaching engagements, as is done via the BOLDLY engagement process. During the contracting phase, organisations should communicate their EVP and specific coaching goals to the coach. This ensures that the coach understands the desired outcomes and can align their coaching approach accordingly.

BOLDLY: Your Partner in Building a Unique Business Branding

Employer branding is a vital aspect of attracting and retaining top talent in today's competitive landscape. Building a coaching culture within an organisation can significantly enhance employer branding. By creating a positive employee experience, fostering a learning environment, promoting collaboration and innovation, and cultivating strong leadership, organisations can strengthen their employer brand and become an employer of choice. As industry reports and research suggest, a coaching culture contributes not only to individual employee growth but also to the overall success and reputation of the organisation in the talent market. Building a coaching culture and finding the right coach for your key engagements is essential for developing unique EVP.

BOLDLY is a coaching marketplace that connects you with experienced coaches who can help you create a memorable brand identity. Whether you need guidance in defining your brand identity, developing a consistent brand image, or implementing a leadership program for women, BOLDLY has the right coach for you. Partner with a BOLDLY vetted coach today and elevate your business branding to new heights!

About the Author:

Alexandra Lamb is an accomplished organisational development practitioner, with experience across APAC, North America, and MENA. With 20+ years in professional practice, conglomerates, and startups, she has collaborated with rapid-growth companies and industry innovators to develop leaders and high-performance teams. She is particularly experienced in talent strategy as a driver for business growth. Drawing from her experience in the fields of talent management, psychology, coaching, product development, and human-centred design, Alex prides herself on using commercial acumen to design talent solutions with true impact.