As industries find themselves returning to in-person business once again, there is a new looming topic in the air amongst leaders and their staff: “What does getting back to normal look like?” Child Welfare coaches, like others, face this topic as the return-to-office discussion is redefining the term “normal” when it comes to in-person services. During these discussions, Consultants and Coaches alike have had to adapt their service provider responsibilities to an online environment that has seen some unexpected benefits. Through trial and error, this article will highlight some benefits that have come from adapting to this virtual environment. While in-person services slowly return, we hope to see that some of these changes were for the better now and the foreseeable future.
Privacy and time management The term “flex schedule” is more widely used nowadays and has helped clients organized their work-life balance of what can be accomplished in the office vs. what can be accomplished at home. The coaching role has fit nicely within this new balance as learners are using the privacy of their homes to have these coaching sessions. Compared to in-person services, sessions would frequently be rescheduled or canceled because of lack of privacy, in county offices, or just no spaces to meet. Now, these challenges have drastically decreased. With learners now in the comfort of their home, sessions, have picked up.
Privacy contributes to the success of coaching as the conversations are to be confidential to create a safe learning environment. Previously, the sheer nature of using a community office or a cubicle, learners would hold back with the worry that someone will overhear them or walk in unexpectedly. With these issues being removed learners have opened and have made the coach’s job easier. There is more they are revealing, and learners are also more willing to schedule a follow-up meeting because of the consistency of their flex schedule.
Feedback received
The feedback in the coaches’ surveys has reflected this trend as well. Learners have responded that the virtual sessions are easier to schedule, feel safe, and feel “it’s a moment to get away from the busyness of the job.” When learners feel like they can take a pause and focus on themselves, it helps them process better. The more available the learner feels in a session, allows for the conversation to flow nicely and help them get closer to their goals for that session. Even from the coaches’ perspective, if a learner is willing to open up that helps us stay in a place of inquiry, and a lot of new layers become available in the conversation. With that being said, to know that learners are getting more out of the conversation than before really proves the value of the coach’s role in this industry.
Confidentiality has shifted the conversations
In conclusion, the virtual environment has set a new standard of privacy and confidentiality that was once not considered an option. There is still value in walking the halls to meet colleagues that are not privy to the virtual environment. However, when things return to more frequent in-person contacts, the intentions of walking the halls will change. Coaches are now able to provide two options to the learner to meet in person or schedule a virtual session for later date. Through the pandemic, coaches have learned the nuances of making virtual sessions more interactive and how vulnerable people can be in the comfort of their own homes.
There is a layer of convincing learners to do coaching as we are a “learner-led” service but, with these new options, the hesitation has reduced and coaches can be more intentional about the services they are providing. Networking with our peers to form relationships will always be a core element of doing this job successfully, and now there is another option to do so, there is benefit to continue virtual coaching when things return to “normal.” The safety and comfort of our learners is always the highest priority, and through unforeseen circumstances, it was revealed that there are a lot of ways learners can be safe AND open up for quality learning. As the new normal continues to be written, it is important to consider that not everything was in reaction to the pandemic, but a needed paradigm shift in society’s thinking may have proved that we can adapt and make a new normal more inclusive of everyone’s needs.
By Derrin Ford, Practice Coach/Trainer at CWDS
