Businesses seeking purpose and motivation to get through tough times - 2023 was a challenging year for businesses, and it's not clear 2024 will be any easier. As coaches, we predict this will lead us to helping clients look for the joy in their life, to focus on building what gives them hope, and help them to give hope to others so that they can remain resilient and purposeful in ongoing tough times. We have always understood the importance of understanding your individual and collective purpose and motivators, and I think that’s going to be something clients will seek out from us more as 2024 continues.
Team Coaching - Organisations will seek to build resilience to find ways of protecting themselves from political and economic upheaval. Leaders will be looking for ways to keep teams positive and motivated about the future when growth is hard, and results are uncertain. As no one has the right answer, the capacity to collaborate and communicate across an organisation and across organisational boundaries will become ever more important, so we would expect to see a growth in team coaching and coaching focused on improving organisational culture.
Hybrid teams - More businesses will focus on ensuring their hybrid teams are working effectively. The impact of ongoing change on individuals and teams is unprecedented, and many organisations will be turning to outside expertise as a faster solution to get teams working effectively and bringing everything together to achieve high performance. Much like a personal trainer, a team coach helps people get ‘into shape’ more quickly, accelerating their development, helping them create new habits and ways of collaborating, even when they don’t often meet face-to-face.
In addition, businesses will focus on creating fully collaborative environments, where leaders and managers use technology and meeting processes that are adapted to a hybrid environment. Team leaders will need to create conventions and a culture that avoids fragmentation. This is not a problem that can fix itself: it takes conscious effort, clear facilitation, thought and effort. For example, managers need to manage the process of hybrid meetings better by using technology correctly for their setting and team structure, as well as planning for what needs to happen before, during and after meetings and focusing on bringing everyone “into the room”.
The Apprenticeship Levy - In 2024, more organisations will use the apprenticeship levy to upskill their workforce and achieve strategic objectives through coaching and mentoring programmes. This strategy emphasises the integral role of coaching and mentoring in nurturing future leaders. The evolution is driven by the recognition that jobs of the future will not mirror those of today, making succession planning increasingly important. Organisations are integrating apprenticeship programmes into their internal coaching frameworks, creating a mutually beneficial system where apprentices gain practical experience while receiving personalised leadership guidance. This approach cultivates a culture of continuous development and ensures that apprentices are developing critical soft skills like adaptability, critical thinking, and problem-solving, which are essential in a rapidly changing job market. These programmes help bridge the skills gap in various industries, making businesses more competitive and agile.
The benefits of coaching and mentoring apprenticeships in this context are substantial. They provide a comprehensive development path that prepares the workforce for future challenges, which are likely to be different from current expectations due to technological advancements and shifting market dynamics. These apprenticeships are key to succession planning, ensuring a seamless transition in leadership roles and maintaining organisational stability. By strategically using the apprenticeship levy, organisations are proactively investing in their workforce. This investment is critical for building a robust pipeline of skilled, adaptable leaders who are equipped to navigate and shape the future job landscape, ultimately contributing to the long-term success and resilience of the organisation.
The future is never certain, but building resilience and putting in place the right coaching and leadership strategies will be key for businesses in 2024.
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