CIPD report highlights need for greater use of supervision of coaches in the workplace

CIPD report highlights need for greater use of supervision of coaches in the workplace, and the development of good practice coaching supervision

Despite a dramatic growth in the use of coaching in organisations in recent years, very few organisations are using coaching supervision to support their coaches and to get the best value from their coaching services. This is one of the findings of new research by the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development, released to coincide with the CIPDís Annual Coaching Conference.

According to the research, less than half (44%) of coaches say they are receiving regular supervision, and less than a quarter (23%) of organisations who use coaching are providing coaching supervision.

Despite this limited use of coaching supervision, the picture has improved significantly in recent years ñ with 58% of those coaches receiving supervision having begun the process in the last two years.

Eileen Arney, CIPD Coaching Adviser, said:

ìSupervision is really only beginning to be established in the coaching profession. We know that it can yield enormous benefits for coaches, for their clients and for the organisations which employ them.

ìThere is a growing minority of coaches and organisers of coaching who are committed to developing models of supervision which meet the needs of the coaching profession.

ìThis research has shown what organisations need to do to get maximum benefit from their coaching services.î

The report identifies the elements of good practice in coaching supervision, which include ensuring it:

takes place regularly ñ gaps of more than six weeks between sessions are not recommended, and a ratio of approximately one hour supervision to 35 hours coaching (or 20 hours coaching for a trainee) is recommended.

provides support and professional development for the coach ñ using reflective learning to constantly improve practice and performance

quality assures the coaching provision ñ developing common understanding of what good practice looks like and making sure that individual practice is opened up to peer scrutiny.

generates organisational learning ñ so that the outcomes of the supervision benefit the organisation as well as the coach and the supervisor.