When to Coach & When to Train: A Guide for HR Leaders

As an HR leader, you are likely familiar with the delicate balance of determining how best to support employee development. Whether it's building technical expertise or fostering leadership skills, choosing between coaching and training can be a nuanced decision. Each has its place within an organisation’s development strategy, and selecting the right approach depends on various factors. This article delves deeper into these considerations, offering insight into when training or coaching is most appropriate, supported by evidence from industry research.

Step 1: Defining the Development Need

Before deciding on training or coaching, the first step is to conduct a training needs analysis (TNA). This should involve engaging in brief conversations with employees, reflecting on feedback from various stakeholders, and considering the employee's self-assessment. It doesn't need to be a complex or formalised process but should be thorough enough to uncover the root of the development need.

A TNA often reveals distinct categories of needs:

• Technical Skills: These are often more quantifiable and easier to measure, such as software skills, product knowledge, or compliance standards.
• Soft Skills: These pertain to personal attributes and behaviours such as leadership, communication, or emotional intelligence.
• Mindset or Attitude Shifts: These might be related to resilience, collaboration, or adaptability, which require deeper introspection and sustained change.
  

Research from the Institute for Employment Studies (IES) underscores that understanding whether a need pertains to hard or soft skills is essential for tailoring development interventions (Lloyd et al., 2019). By understanding the nature of the development need, you can assess whether training or coaching is more appropriate.

Step 2: Distinguishing Training vs. Coaching

Once you've identified the development need, you need to ask critical questions:

• Is this a technical skill, or a soft skill?
• Is this a performance issue, or an opportunity to enhance performance?
• What is the employee's career stage?
• What is your budget for the development intervention?
• What resources are available internally or externally to support this development?
  
  

Training: Best for Technical Skills and Early to Mid-Career Employees

Training typically focuses on skills acquisition, and is best suited for technical competencies or when employees are encountering a performance issue. It’s an effective solution for equipping employees with the knowledge they need to succeed in their roles. Research from the CIPD (Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development) highlights the role of training in closing performance gaps, particularly when employees are in the early to mid-career stages or transitioning into new roles (CIPD, 2020).

In addition, soft skills training can be valuable, but it needs to be hands-on and involve significant practice, feedback, and reflection to have any impact. A training programme that is purely theoretical, without practical application, is less likely to be effective. Workplace learning research supports this point, showing that programmes which integrate role play, peer feedback, and role modelling have significantly better transfer to on-the-job performance (Boud et al., 2013).

While cost-effective, training often has limitations, particularly in ensuring that employees can transfer their newly acquired knowledge back into the workplace. According to a report by McKinsey, training initiatives fail to deliver lasting impact in 70% of cases due to poor design and lack of follow-up (McKinsey & Company, 2016). To mitigate this, HR leaders must ensure that training programmes are interactive and include mechanisms for reinforcement.

Coaching: Best for Soft Skills, Performance Enhancement, and Leadership Development

By contrast, coaching is much more personalised and tailored to the individual’s specific development goals. It is primarily suited for soft skills or mindset changes, as it encourages employees to reflect on their challenges and find solutions in a supportive environment. Coaching allows for deep introspection, often challenging an individual’s mental models and helping them see their workplace in a new light.

Research from the International Coach Federation (ICF) consistently shows that coaching leads to improved individual performance, employee engagement, and overall business outcomes. Studies suggest that employees who undergo coaching are more likely to experience a 70% improvement in job performance, as they gain a deeper understanding of their strengths and challenges (ICF, 2016).

Coaching is particularly beneficial for high performers, those at later career stages, or leaders seeking to develop their executive presence or improve specific leadership competencies. Unlike training, coaching is less structured, without a standard curriculum. It focuses more on personal exploration and goal-setting, which can lead to more sustainable, long-term change.

Though costlier than training, coaching provides higher touch support, resulting in a more significant and longer-lasting impact. As McKinsey’s Global Coaching Survey (2017) indicates, coaching’s ROI is most significant for organisations aiming to shift their leadership culture, with companies reporting high returns in terms of leadership performance and team cohesion.

Step 3: Combining Coaching and Training for Maximum Impact

In many cases, a blended approach of both coaching and training may be the most effective. For instance, you might choose to provide training for technical skills, such as data analysis or software tools, while simultaneously offering coaching for leadership competencies, emotional intelligence, or collaborative behaviours.

The key benefit of such an approach is that training addresses skills acquisition, while coaching supports personal growth and behavioural change. The combination ensures that employees not only gain new knowledge but also develop the mindset and resilience necessary to apply this knowledge successfully in their roles.

A recent report from Deloitte supports the idea of blending coaching with traditional learning programmes, showing that this combination results in increased engagement and accelerated performance improvement (Deloitte, 2021).

Conclusion: Tailoring Your Approach to Employee Development

Ultimately, whether you choose coaching, training, or a combination of both will depend on your employees' specific needs, their career stage, and your organisation's development goals. Training is essential for technical skill development and foundational knowledge, while coaching excels at fostering behavioural change, leadership development, and mindset shifts.

As an HR leader, it's important to remain flexible and consider which approach — or blend of approaches — will provide the most value for both the employee and the organisation. By investing in the right development tools, whether through coaching or training, you'll be better equipped to enhance performance, engagement, and long-term career success.

If you're considering how best to integrate coaching and training into your employee development strategy, we invite you to connect with us at BOLDLY to discuss how our tailored solutions can support your organisation’s unique needs.

If you're interested in learning more about how BOLDLY can help your organisation, we invite you to explore our or contact us here.

References:

• CIPD (2020). Learning and Development Survey 2020. Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development.
• Boud, D., Keogh, R., & Walker, D. (2013). Reflection: Turning Experience into Learning. Routledge.
• McKinsey & Company (2016). The Need for a Holistic Approach to Leadership Development. McKinsey & Company.
• International Coach Federation (ICF) (2016). The Coaching Effect: The Impact of Coaching on Leadership Effectiveness. International Coach Federation.
• Deloitte (2021). Global Human Capital Trends 2021: Leading the Shift to Human Capital. Deloitte Insights.