With AI now integrated across our daily lives, businesses are in an adoption race to ensure they remain ahead of their competition. Unsurprisingly then, business leaders are pressing for their employees to use AI more, with over a third (36%) saying that frequent users are more likely to be recognised or promoted within their organisation, while some businesses are even financially incentivising their people to use AI.
As expected, this increasing pressure from above has instilled a sense of urgency within the workforce, with many individuals (27%) saying they plan to retrain or gain additional qualifications within the next year, in order to update their skills and future-proof their careers.
And with the emergence of ‘coachbots’, there begs a question of how AI can enhance the development experience.
People developing people
Coaching is very often a key element of up- and re-skilling, with over half (57%) of employees across Europe saying that coaching had helped them progress in their current job. The human-to-human interaction is what many coachees cite as the main driver behind their development; and so it makes sense that nearly a quarter (22%) of employees who’d received career support said that more human touch would increase its impact.
People want to work with people, especially when they’re exposing their vulnerabilities.
In engaging with a coach, employees are opening themselves up to discuss their weaknesses, experiences and challenges with another human being, with the aim of helping them to grow as an individual. Take imposter syndrome as an example – 55% of people we surveyed said they experience these chronic feelings of self-doubt at work, and almost half (45%) said they’d like to access coaching support in order to build their confidence and self-esteem.
It’s in a coach’s ability to actively listen, empathise and flex their communication style that allows for these conversations to lead to such positive and lasting change for people.
“I'd like to say a huge thanks to my Right Management coach. She made me feel at ease from the very start and helped me to think broadly about how to improve in my role as a leader. Our coaching conversations have been truly inspiring.”
- Right Management coachee
The introduction of technology
However, AI coaches, i.e. ‘coachbots’, are increasingly being used to democratise and support traditional coaching.
In many businesses, coaching has historically been reserved for the upper echelons of the professional world, and with a growing demand for it to be made available to employees at all levels, any step to break down hierarchical barriers and open up access is a positive one. After all, it’s often logistically unfeasible to provide traditional coaching support across an entire business, and so from a cost perspective, there’s a strong case for an AI-driven alternative.
That said, the benefits of AI coaching shouldn’t be reduced to cost savings. While the human interaction of traditional coaching will always be the main driver of accelerated learning and growth, there is real value in having access to an AI coach in between sessions. Whether an individual needs advice on a problem they’ve encountered at work or are looking for some help with homework assigned by their coach, AI can provide people with inspiration in the moment.
This way, learning never has to stop – or be put on hold until the next coaching session – and instead, employees can get the answers they need, when they need them, and continue to take purposeful steps towards their professional development.
Striking a balance
The key to success, however, is in finding the right balance.
There’s a consensus that human traits are going to be crucial to organisational success moving forward; skills that are best developed and refined by talking to and working with another human being. After all, AI may be able to imitate human behaviour and responses, but it cannot truly emulate them – highlighting the limitations of AI and the level of coaching support it can provide by itself.
Which is why, as with any new technology, organisations should refrain from launching AI coaching without first providing their workforce with clarity on how to use it. The world isn’t quite ready for an entirely AI-driven coaching solution, and so for now, it works best when used to enhance traditional coaching – supporting human coaches in their role and allowing employees to maintain momentum in their development journey.
Coachboats undoubtedly have a place in the world of work and can generate real added benefit for coachees, but if leaders identify skill gaps within their organisation and want to develop their people, best results are achieved when a human connection remains at the heart of the support.
“My coach was absolutely fantastic. She perfectly understood my goals as a manager and I would use her again in a heartbeat!”
- Right Management coachee
Find out more about how our human-centred approach to coaching can enhance your workforce today.