Beyond training: How democratised coaching builds a future-ready, agile workforce

As digital transformation accelerates and AI reshapes the way we work, a widening confidence gap is emerging across the global workforce. Organisations are moving swiftly to innovate, yet many employees are struggling to keep up—a concern that has grown from a quiet undercurrent into a measurable challenge.

According to Skillsoft’s 2025 Global Skills Intelligence Survey, which polled 1,000 HR and learning and development (L&D) professionals, only 10% are fully confident their workforce possesses the necessary skills to meet business goals over the next 12 to 24 months.

This lack of confidence appears to have a clear basis. According to the same survey, 28% of organisations report that skill gaps are directly hindering their ability to expand into new markets or pursue key opportunities, underscoring the need for real-time skills intelligence to identify and close these gaps. The issue is further compounded by a “visibility blind spot”, with 91% of HR professionals indicating that employees tend to overestimate their skill proficiency, especially in areas such as leadership, AI, and technical skills.

While 85% of organisations have development programmes in place, only 20% believe those programmes are truly aligned with business objectives. The old model of fragmented, one-size-fits-all training is failing to move the needle.

As leaders confront this challenge, attention is shifting from providing more training to rethinking how skills are applied and sustained in the workplace. Increasingly, organisations are turning to the democratisation of coaching as a key enabler.

HRM Asia spoke with Leena Rinne, Vice-President of Leadership, Business and Coaching Solutions at Skillsoft, to understand why scaling coaching beyond the executive suite has become a strategic imperative for building a future-ready workforce.

Beyond a perk: Coaching as a core business capability

For decades, professional coaching was a remedial tool for struggling executives or a perk for high-potential stars. Its primary justification was tied to “soft” metrics like engagement and retention. According to Rinne, this view is dangerously outdated.

“When we talk about coaching today, it is no longer just about retention or engagement,” Rinne stated. “Those outcomes matter, but the real business case lies in how coaching accelerates learning, closes skill gaps, and builds agility in a workforce facing constant change.”

In today’s dynamic markets, particularly in high-growth regions like South-East Asia, the “half-life of skills is shrinking rapidly.” This is where traditional learning methods fall short, especially without a system for capturing and analysing real-time data on workforce capabilities. Skills intelligence, paired with coaching, enables organisations to not only identify current skill levels and gaps but also reinforce learning through personalised support. A course or a workshop might build awareness, but it seldom guarantees application or behaviour change.

“Coaching helps bridge the gap between learning and application,” Rinne explained. “A course or programme might build awareness, but coaching provides the reinforcement and accountability that enable real behaviour change. It allows individuals to practice new skills, reflect on challenges, and adapt quickly when priorities shift.”

The key, she added, is to democratise coaching—making it accessible to everyone, not just executives or high-potential employees. “When coaching is available to everyone, you build a stronger foundation across the board,” she continued. “Skills like adaptability, resilience, and communication become part of your culture, not just your leadership tier.”

This is precisely what technology now enables, blending scalable human coaching with digital tools, AI simulations, and peer sessions. “Bottom line: coaching for all isn’t a perk,” Rinne emphasised. “It’s a capability. It’s how you build a workforce that can learn fast, pivot quickly, and perform under pressure.”

Making the business case for coaching

For HR leaders convinced of the “why,” the immediate hurdle is the “how”—specifically, how to secure buy-in and budget from a sceptical C-suite. Rinne’s advice is to abandon HR jargon and speak the language of business outcomes.

“Start with what matters to leadership: outcomes,” she advised. “Link coaching to the business priorities already on the table—digital transformation, growth, retention, and agility. Show how coaching accelerates adoption, builds adaptability, and strengthens leadership at every level.”

Evidence is paramount. While industry research is supportive, internal data is far more persuasive. “Research consistently shows that coaching improves confidence, collaboration, and performance. But internal wins speak louder,” Rinne noted. “Share pilot results, team feedback, or engagement data. If a small group saw measurable impact, that’s your story.”

This approach also allows HR to contrast the new model with the old. “Traditional coaching models serve a small percentage of leaders, while democratised coaching demonstrates cultural impact by reaching across the organisation,” she added. “Leaders are far more likely to invest when they see potential to influence the whole workforce, not just a select few.”

Finally, a vague proposal will be met with a vague “no.” A concrete plan is essential. “Define the goal, propose a pilot, outline success metrics, and show how you’ll track progress,” Rinne urged. “A clear, phased plan turns coaching from a nice-to-have into a strategic investment.”

Perhaps the most persistent objection to soft-skill initiatives is the difficulty of measuring return on investment (ROI). How do you quantify the impact of a coaching conversation, especially in roles not tied to a direct sales quota?

Rinne argued for a “layered” ROI story that connects individual progress to team effectiveness and ultimately, organisational goals.

“ROI shows up in many different ways. Sometimes it shows up in momentum,” she explained. “Start with leading indicators: session engagement, goal-setting, completion rates. These tell you who’s showing up and taking ownership. Then look at behaviour—pre- and post-feedback from managers, peers, or self-assessments can reveal shifts in confidence, communication, and adaptability.”

READ MORE: The augmented human: Why HR is the architect of our AI-powered future

Zooming out, Rinne said the real proof lies in organisational outcomes such as retention, internal mobility, and engagement scores. “If coached teams stay longer, move faster, or show stronger engagement, that’s ROI,” she added.

This layered approach addresses the “skills overstatement” crisis highlighted in the Skillsoft survey. Coaching becomes a tool for “real-time skill validation and development,” closing the gap between an employee’s perceived competence and their actual capability.

The future: Coaching as a leadership and organisational skill

As hybrid and distributed workforces become the norm, Rinne believes the role of coaching will continue to evolve. “Work is changing—fast,” she said. “Teams are spread out, roles are fluid, and differences in background and perspective are the norm. Coaching fits this world because it’s personal, contextual, and built for growth.”

To maintain impact at scale, digital platforms must be paired with human-centred design. “Group coaching, peer support, and AI-enabled tools will help meet people where they are—geographically and emotionally,” she noted.

Looking ahead, she highlighted three key shifts shaping the future of coaching:

• Just-in-time development: Coaching will be available whenever employees hit roadblocks, transitions, or stretch moments, not just at career milestones.
• Coaching as a leadership skill: Leaders will increasingly be measured not just by results, but by how well they develop others.
• Integration into learning ecosystems: Coaching will sit alongside formal learning, assessments, and real-world experiences to drive behaviour change.

Ultimately, Rinne said, coaching is becoming a core component of how organisations build capability. “In a world defined by uncertainty, the organisations that thrive will be the ones that invest in adaptability, empathy, and human connection—at every level,” she concluded.