The travel industry is increasingly using coaching to boost performance or help people as they move into new roles.
With the Thomas Cook-MyTravel and TUI-First Choice mergers and the increasing pressure on the high street, more people than ever are seeking expert advice when they move up the career ladder.
According to the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development’s 2007 learning and development survey, two-thirds of companies are now using coaching as a development tool for staff.
CIPD adviser Victoria Winkler said: “Coaching is being used a lot nowadays. One-to-one coaching can be used for remedial purposes, for example if someone is having problems doing their job, but more often it is used as a development tool.
“People can be at a certain stage of their career and perhaps they are ready to take the next step. Coaching is used as a means of supporting them. External coaching is being used quite regularly for senior members of staff within an organisation as an opportunity for them to get an outside perspective,” Winkler said.
Amana Walker, director of coaching specialist Walkahead, has worked with many travel companies, partly because of her background in the travel industry.
“If people are not performing, personal coaching will help to get their confidence up,” said Amana. “Things happening outside a work environment can affect business performance – maybe they have relationship problems, are depressed, struggling with debt, or there is an illness in the family.”
According to Walker, homeworkers can often find themselves in particular need of a personal coach: “There is no escape from the home environment, it can affect performance.
“Other people who made need coaching are independents running their own business. Sales may not be coming in but they are fighting against the costs that come with trying to keep the business going. They can’t see a way out, because their life is their business.”
Walkahead offers several coaching options for those in the industry, some such as the Power Hour(s) aimed at senior executives who want to ‘unscramble’ their head.
Personal coaching can be a weekly or fortnightly session via phone or e-mail, which suits homeworkers or those on the move. There is also coaching for success in business and for women in the workplace.