Every company, regardless of its size or field, faces dilemmas linked to the development and retention of its employees. Today in particular, with the inevitable shift towards more sociocentrism and cognitivism, driven largely by Millennials and Generation Z, personal development has become a key priority for employees, and therefore a central element of attraction and retention strategies.
More specifically, the first questions that arise concern the nature of such investments: is it better to build this knowledge internally, or is it wiser to rely on specialist external providers? Should organisations develop their own certified staff, or should they pay for these services and tools as and when needed?
There is, of course, no magic formula that provides THE optimal answer. The decision generally depends on numerous factors: the size of the company (in terms of both headcount and budget), the intended scope of the initiatives, and the return on investment the organisation expects to achieve.
At SERVIOR, a public institution, coaching, and specifically internal coaching, has emerged as the most suitable solution. With several employees certified in various personal and leadership development tools, SERVIOR financially supported a certified coaching programme for two employees who went on to design and present a multi-level coaching framework for the organisation.
It is worth noting that coaching, a forward-looking approach to personal and professional development, relies above all on the individual’s willingness to engage in the process. SERVIOR does not require employees to use its internal certified coaches. Each person remains free to seek external coaching if they prefer.
Support offered at several levels, both individually and collectively
The most common format is one-to-one coaching. Coach and coachee jointly set the overall objective and, session by session, the coachee progresses by finding their own answers and moving closer to their goals. Sessions take place in a confidential, supportive and personalised environment. Through carefully crafted questioning, coachees are encouraged to explore their beliefs, thoughts, emotions and values, leading to deep and meaningful insights.
Coaching is also used beyond individual support, particularly for team building and for facilitating moderation between colleagues. In moderation contexts, coaches apply the same techniques as in individual coaching, ensuring that both parties are challenged respectfully and constructively. They play a key role in helping participants shift perspective, understand the positive intentions behind behaviours, and defuse tense situations often rooted in misunderstandings.
Coaching for team building, what does it look like?
Coaching is also a powerful tool for strengthening team cohesion and internal communication. At SERVIOR, the approach aims first to clarify a shared objective within the team. The process then focuses on highlighting cultural differences, which enrich the group but may also create friction, before bringing these perspectives together to form a collective intelligence capable, in the medium and long term, of functioning as a self-regulating system.
This type of team building has been implemented at both strategic and operational levels. Although it is still too early to assess the full impact, strong engagement and active participation have already been observed. Reaching the ultimate goal will require time and perseverance, but the foundations appear promising.
It all sounds rather occasional, so how can coaching benefit employees daily?
While coaching sessions themselves are occasional, the skills developed by SERVIOR’s internal coaches are applied daily. Whether in interviews, meetings or debriefings relating to development tools, these techniques allow for more structured, in-depth and impactful questioning.
The effect is most visible during debriefings, which are now designed around the employee’s perspective. This approach enables individuals to make the most of the action plans defined afterwards and to take ownership of their development.
And what about results?
Like team building activities, coaching programmes rarely deliver immediate results. Progress must be assessed over the medium to long term. That said, participants provide both immediate and follow-up feedback.
We at SERVIOR are pleased to report that, after an initial phase of scepticism, coaching is now highly appreciated by employees and is increasingly in demand across the organisation.
