In case you haven’t noticed, we’re very passionate about employee engagement around here. Our award-winning Employee Experience Survey shows a clear linkage between the quality of the employee experience you’re creating and overall engagement levels, but it’s also only part of the story. Many factors contribute to employee engagement, including company benefits, workplace design, and an individual employee’s relationship with his or her manager. This week guest blogger Stanislav Zinkov, Chief Performance Officer of Sawyer One Performance, explains the link between employee engagement and performance coaching.

The greatest indicator of a company’s health is not its balance sheet but its people. That being said, business success occurs when engaged employees continue to improve their skills. Two of the greatest factors that encourage employee engagement and result in increased employee productivity are company’s leadership and management. 

In order to accelerate the development of an employee’s potential, companies will often partner an executive coach with a top performer. These leaders will utilize the executive coaching services for training or leadership and communication skills, assistance in transitions, and increased levels of engagement, thus reducing attrition and improving productivity. 

Components of Great Coaching 

Everyone agrees running has tremendous health benefits and just about anyone can sprint for 100 yards. Traditionally, executive coaching had a similar approach: focus on effectiveness and productivity to get quick results. However, very few runners can keep up the sprint pace in a marathon distance.

While executive coaching has many benefits, we believe performance coaching provides a long-term, balanced approach that encompasses personal AND professional development, thus providing sustainable improvement that results in a greater ROI for both companies and their employees. Runners are not evaluated on their effectiveness or productivity but on their performance.

Similar to long distance relay running, which demands skilled guidance and preparation, in performance coaching athletes and employees focus on three qualities: fitness, nutrition, and team dynamic:

• While fitness coaching isn’t meant to prepare people to lead a climbing expedition, it is intended to help employees look and feel their best. Fitness coaching will help employees gain confidence in themselves and have higher levels of energy – ultimately improving their ability to lead and inspire others effectively.

• Like fitness, nutrition plays a big role in a person’s mood, physical and mental functions, and even a person’s ability to think clearly. The fact is, if you’re not eating right, you’ll struggle to meet every one of your goals.

• Team dynamic, on the other hand, focuses on leadership, communication, transitions, stress and time management, and conflict resolution. A great coach will mentor his or her team on how to receive the baton, how to pace the run, and how to pass it on to others.

If you want to improve your employees’ productivity and optimal performance, engaging them through performance coaching is vital. By focusing on executive components, fitness, and nutrition, performance coaching can revitalize and rejuvenate your employees and your workforce.

Stanislav Zinkov is Chief Performance Officer of Sawyer One, a performance coaching consulting company. An avid alpine climber, he is one of the few alpinists to reach the summit of the Alaska Range’s most difficult mountain—Mount Huntington.