Intervention

Career coaching in companies, from an elite tool to an effective service for all employees

Professional coaching expands beyond the top, becoming a strategic and customised tool to improve motivation, performance and leadership of all employees

by Annalisa Bonifacio*

18 March 2026

Quali sono i profili e competenze decisive nel nuovo mondo del lavoro?

4' min read

Translated by AI

Versione italiana

4' min read

Translated by AI

Versione italiana

Once reserved for executives and high-potential profiles, career coaching is increasingly becoming a universal service, accessible to the entire workforce. Because today it has established itself as one of the most effective levers for increasing job satisfaction, performance, leadership skills and organisational 'readiness'. And it produces concrete benefits, measurable through indicators that - if set up well - are able to show surprising results for both individuals and companies.

Employee training, satisfaction, inspiration and involvement are now structural challenges for most companies. And career coaching is a particularly effective response in all these areas, which are crucial for the competitiveness of any organisation. Business leaders increasingly see it as a strategic advantage, because it facilitates the alignment of individual motivations and corporate goals. And an increasing number of organisations are extending coaching programmes to an ever-widening pool of talent.

As the "Coaching Report 2025" produced by Randstad Risesmart with the International Coaching Federation explains, in order for coaching courses to be successful, however, it is essential that companies set clear objectives for this career development tool. A tool that until a few years ago was hardly ever part of the services offered by human resources and that people experienced perhaps on an individual basis, outside the company. In these cases, however, companies have no way of assessing their strengths and areas for improvement, nor of adapting the paths to the specific needs of the company population.

Often, it was precisely from 'bottom-up' experiences that the first structured corporate approaches were born: managers who had experienced coaching on an individual basis started to share its benefits with colleagues, giving rise to increasingly formalised and leadership-supported initiatives, perhaps alongside already established executive coaching programmes.

But the name 'career coaching' should not mislead. It is a tool that can enhance not only every 'career' career path, but also the dimension of meaning that work demands of each person and is to be cultivated, just like a plant. More and more the extension of the service goes in this direction. We speak in fact of 'democratic coaching'.

Coaching and AI

Today, this 'democratisation of coaching' is also favoured by the opportunities offered by digital. New technologies - in particular artificial intelligence - are opening up highly personalised and simplified paths, with better results for an increasing number of people. AI makes it possible to automate many tasks, making the experience more accessible and tailored. Furthermore, the large amount of data generated and analysed allows companies to continuously improve and adapt programmes according to employee needs.

Coaching models

Organisations can choose many different coaching options to achieve their strategic goals, with both internal and external models. Internal coaching programmes have the advantage of organisational knowledge and alignment with corporate culture, but also the disadvantage of management costs. They allow complete control over the design, certification and technology to be adopted for project development.

Fully outsourced coaching programmes, on the other hand, free the company from the burden of in-house management, but may lack the organisational knowledge of the coaches implementing them. They allow for greater objectivity and access to often more specialised expertise, experience with other companies and talent, scalability and cost efficiency. There are also hybrid options that combine aspects of both models, varying according to the preferences and needs of the moment.

Exclusive or universal access

Before starting a career coaching programme, it is crucial to establish who will have access to it. Many organisations continue to restrict its use, but - as they recognise its benefits - access tends to widen. According to the Coaching Report, basically three different models have emerged today:

● universal access for all employees, regardless of hierarchical level

● 'tiered' approach, with offers differentiated according to role in the company

● programmes focused on specific targets, identified through evaluation processes

More and more companies are moving towards universal access, although the majority adopt the other two, mainly due to cost constraints. However, the modalities may vary: individual or group sessions, internal or external coaches, limited or unlimited number of meetings. In any case, flexibility is a decisive factor, because coaching has to adapt to the real needs of the workforce.

The KPIs of success

Defining effective indicators is crucial for assessing the success or otherwise of coaching initiatives. Many companies only measure basic indicators such as enrolment, satisfaction and participation, sometimes even the impact on talent retention and mobility. It is more difficult to quantify a broader portfolio of KPIs, also monitoring effects on career aspiration, proactivity, prospects and other subjective feedback. In some cases, companies monitor parameters such as self-confidence and the development of employees' leadership skills.

But the analysis of these indicators is very useful: the impacts of coaching are concrete. People who have experienced it feel more in tune with their colleagues, more involved in their work, show measurable benefits of personal growth, motivation, work-life balance.

Overcoming obstacles

Some companies are still reluctant to invest in the development of corporate coaching programmes, between lack of resources, limited knowledge of the programmes, and difficulties in defining objectives. There are also cultural resistance factors and problems in integrating with existing HR processes.

These obstacles can be overcome. Corporate career coaching produces positive results for organisations, it is one of the most effective tools to keep people engaged and committed. And today it is an integral part of an HR strategy that aims to build a workforce based on competencies and the ability to adapt to future challenges.

*Director of Randstad Enterprise Italia