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Internal Coaches as the Future Foundation of People Operations

Leaders must address employee burnout and disengagement to succeed in the future of work. Internal coaches are well-equipped to support the human side of organizational strategy, empowering teams to thrive under pressure.

From Coaching Cultures to Integrated Coaching Strategies

The human workforce is facing a crisis. Globally, employee engagement continues to decline, while evolving work needs outpace employee skill development. Even with artificial intelligence (AI) tools in use, workers still report high levels of stress. To address these challenges, organizations are revamping human resources (HR) programs. The HR function is evolving into People Operations by integrating talent and development, well-being support, and AI-driven operational strategies.

This shift raises a question: What if internal coaches became leaders in guiding culture and workforce development?

The Internal Coach as a Standard of People Operations

Coaches bring a human touch to operational planning. Internal coaches already know the company culture, mission, and values. Organizations can partner with coaches proactively by placing them in roles that support onboarding, skills assessment, workforce planning, and change management.

In this new framework, coaches benefit from:

  • Increased clarity around expectations and impact
  • Autonomy to drive systems-level change

What’s Your Hunch? Emerging Insight

“I am noticing that there is a shift in how organizations are embracing coaching. There is more focus on coaching being embedded as a leadership capability, and a huge impetus for creating internal coaches that enable a transformative culture.”
—Priya Ramesh (India)

Team Building and Coaching Through Transitions

Imagine this:

Raúl, a rising leader, is moving from a management role to leading a new department. An internal coach partners with him to build leadership skills while also shaping his new team. Together, they support onboarding new employees, integrating contractors, and co-creating a collaborative culture.

Coaching from the Start

In this scenario, Raúl still oversees hiring, resource management, and strategy. The coach supports Raúl to balance the practical and human sides of leadership.

Opportunities:

  • Teams build trust and open communication with leadership.
  • Coaching empowers each employee to take ownership of their role.
  • Team coaching helps clarify department objectives.

Challenges:

  • Leaders may struggle to maintain a coaching culture once sessions end. 
  • Organizations may find it difficult to scale internal coaching company-wide.

Coaching for Organizational Alignment

Imagine this:

An organization holds its annual leadership meeting to plan the next three years. Internal coaches facilitate by focusing conversations on shared values, building consensus, and challenging limiting beliefs.  

Guiding Long-Term Vision and Consensus Building

In the facilitator role, the coach keeps leaders on the task and connects strategy to employee well-being. 

Opportunities:

Coaches can:

  • Explore conflict and mediate between different personalities.
  • Ask questions at key points in the decision-making process reveals new opportunities.
  • Help leaders link organizational strategy to internal resources, including people and technology.

Challenges:

  • Coaches must set clear boundaries between coaching and other roles, such as consulting.
  • Without authority to guide planning, coaches cannot influence system-level change.

Building Organizational Readiness through Coaching

Partnering with coaches to facilitate organizational planning, workforce strategy, and change management transforms coaching from a reactive service into a proactive asset. In a People Operations role, coaches can assist organizations in adapting to a changing world. 

REFLECTION QUESTIONS:

  • What other strategic roles could benefit from coaching support?
  • How can small and medium-sized businesses incorporate coaching on a smaller scale?
  • What roles are outside the scope of coaching in a People Operations model?

Do you have a hunch about the future of coaching? Share your thoughts and see what fellow coaches are forecasting.

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