Yes, your employer can request a career coach for you. Many organisations offer career guidance to as part of their HR policy, especially in the event of reorganisations, job changes or when employees need professional development. The possibilities vary from company to company and depend on collective bargaining agreements, available budgets and your organisation's HR policy. In this article, we answer the most important questions about career coaching through your employer.
What is career coaching and why do employers offer it?
Career coaching is a form of guidance where you work with a professional coach on your career development, talents and future plans. Employers are increasingly investing in career coaching because it contributes to motivated employees who perform better and stay with the organisation longer.
The benefits for employers are clear. Employees who receive coaching feel valued and are often more engaged in their work. This leads to higher productivity and less turnover. Indeed, for organisations, retaining talent is much more cost-effective than recruiting and inducting new employees.
Career coaching also offers a lot for you as an employee. You gain insight into your strengths, discover new opportunities within or outside your current job and learn how to achieve your goals. This contributes to your sustainable deployment on the labour market.
Employers can offer different forms of career coaching:
- Individual coaching programmes focused on personal development
- Outplacement counselling in the event of reorganisation or termination of employment
- Second-rail routes when return to own job is not possible
- Development programmes for specific groups of employees
Are you entitled to a career coach through your employer?
A legal right to career coaching does not exist in all situations, but there are circumstances where your employer is obliged to offer guidance. In reorganisations or layoffs, your employer often has a duty to facilitate outplacement or career coaching as part of a social plan.
If you are long-term sick and returning to your own job is not possible, your employer may be obliged to offer a second-gate process. This falls under the reintegration obligations under the Gatekeeper Improvement Act.
There are also voluntary opportunities that depend on your terms of employment:
- Collective bargaining agreements often include provisions on training and development
- Personal development budgets (POB) that you can use for coaching
- Educational rights entitling you to training and sometimes career guidance
- Individual agreements with your employer on development opportunities
Check your employment contract and the collective agreement applicable to your sector. Many employers have a staff handbook outlining career guidance options. HR can inform you about this.
How do you apply for a career coach from your employer?
The best approach is to have a well-prepared conversation with your supervisor or HR department. Choose a suitable time, for example during a performance review or a regular meeting. Make sure you can clearly explain why you want career coaching and what you hope to achieve with it.
Prepare your interview with concrete points:
- Describe your current situation and what you are up against
- Formulate specific goals you want to achieve with coaching
- Explain how the organisation also benefits from your development
- Inform yourself in advance about available budgets and schemes
It helps to highlight the benefits for your employer. An employee who invests in themselves contributes to the organisation. Think improved performance, increased motivation and better cooperation with colleagues. Employers appreciate it when employees show initiative for their own development.
Also, be flexible in the conversation. Perhaps full funding is not possible, but your employer can contribute part or set aside time for the sessions. A constructive attitude increases the chances of a positive outcome.
What can you expect from a career coaching programme?
A career coaching programme usually starts with an intake interview in which you meet the coach and discuss your situation. Together, you determine the goals and agree on the course of the process. We focus on customisation, because every person and every situation is different.
Various methods can be used during the process:
- Personality tests to understand your preferences and working style
- Talent analyses identifying your strengths and development points
- Targeted conversations about your ambitions and opportunities
- Practical exercises, such as job interview training or networking
Among other things, we use science-based methods, such as the BrainsFirst methodology. Using online brain games, we map out your natural talents and cognitive behavioural preferences. This provides valuable insights you can use in your career development.
The duration of a process varies, but on average career coaching takes several months, with sessions lasting about an hour. The frequency depends on your goals and available time. Between sessions, you often work on assignments or reflection questions that contribute to your development.
What if your employer does not want to pay for a career coach?
If your employer is not willing to fund career coaching, fortunately there are alternatives. You can often use the personal development budget that some employers offer for coaching yourself. Ask whether this budget is available and what you can use it for.
Other options for funding career guidance:
- Shared funding, where you and your employer both contribute
- Sectoral training funds reimbursing coaching
- Tax deductions for training costs (check with a tax advisor)
- Investing in your own career development
Also consider revisiting the conversation at a later date. Perhaps the situation changes or budgets are different. A well-founded request with concrete goals and expected results often makes more of an impression than a general question.
Investing in yourself is always valuable. Career coaching helps you get a grip on your career and make conscious choices for your future. Whether your employer contributes or not, the insights and skills you gain will last you a lifetime.
Want to know more about career guidance options? Contact us to discuss your career coaching options. We are happy to think with you about a course that suits your situation and goals.