A recent study conducted by the HR.com Research Institute, titled 'HR.com's Future Demands in Coaching and Mentoring 2025', sheds light on the current state of coaching and mentoring within organizations. Despite 70% of organizations offering coaching programs and 60% having mentoring initiatives, only 45% report a significant boost to business success, indicating a clear gap between adoption and effective execution.
The research identifies several key roadblocks hindering the success of these programs, including lack of time, managers avoiding difficult conversations, absence of clear training or career pathing, undefined outcomes, and budget constraints. These challenges underscore the need for organizations to strengthen their infrastructure, provide better training, and implement more effective measurement strategies to realize the full potential of coaching and mentoring.
High-performing organizations are notably more likely to reward internal coaches and track program impact using retention and engagement data. However, the study reveals that only half of coaches and mentors are well-trained or receive recognition for their efforts, pointing to a critical area for improvement.
Debbie McGrath, Chief Instigator and CEO of HR.com, emphasizes the importance of strategic implementation and support for coaching and mentoring programs. With leadership development emerging as a key HR issue in 2025, the findings of this study serve as a call to action for organizations to reevaluate and enhance their approach to coaching and mentoring to drive meaningful business outcomes.
