The role of managers in successful on-the-job training: How coaching drives employee learning outcomes - London Business News | Londonlovesbusiness.com
Briefly

The role of managers in successful on-the-job training: How coaching drives employee learning outcomes - London Business News | Londonlovesbusiness.com
"UK business organisations invest billions annually in workplace training programmes, yet many see disappointing returns. The curriculum is rarely the issue. Research shows that effective on-the-job training depends less on course design and more on the level of manager involvement throughout the learning process. A manager's willingness to coach, provide feedback, and allow for skill improvement is the most important factor determining training success or failure."
"Traditional managers are more focused on task completion and oversight. Whereas coaches prioritise skill development. There is a significant difference between training employees how to act and educating them to think independently of the problem. This distinction affects training outcomes significantly. According to CIPD research from 2023, employees receiving regular manager coaching retained new skills 67 % longer than those completing identical training without managerial support. The coaching approach builds capability rather than just compliance."
"Time investment proves worthwhile despite initial concerns. Managers often cite time constraints as barriers. Research by the Institute of Leadership & Management found that managers who devoted just three hours per week to coaching improved their teams' performance to the job description standards by 34 % in six months. Investing short-term time now will prevent you from long-term productivity losses."
UK businesses invest heavily in workplace training yet often achieve poor returns because manager involvement drives outcomes more than curriculum design. Manager willingness to coach, provide feedback and allow skill improvement is the key determinant of training success or failure. Coaching managers prioritise skill development and teach employees to think independently rather than merely follow procedures. Employees receiving regular manager coaching retain new skills 67 % longer and coaching builds capability rather than compliance. Managers who devote a few hours weekly to coaching can raise team performance significantly and reduce long-term productivity losses.
[
|
]