Insights into Workplace Coaching for Navigating Stress: Supporting Employees Through Organizational Change

Abstract

Change and turbulence in organizations often result in increased employee stress, job insecurity, and uncertainty, emphasizing the need for effective support strategies. This study explores whether workplace coaching is perceived as a valuable tool for alleviating work-related stress and job insecurity during periods of organizational change. This paper reports on a subset of quantitative data collected as part of a larger study within Australian rail organizations, focusing on survey responses regarding employees' perceptions of coaching. Of the 128 randomly selected rail organisations invited to participate online, 52 returned completed surveys, yielding a 40.6 percent response rate. Findings suggest that both internal and external coaching are widely used within these organisations. Additionally, it was revealed that coaching practices are generally perceived as helpful in reducing stress and offering support during times of change. The study also highlights that change can lead to significant uncertainty for employees. As this study relies on self-reported perception data and does not measure actual stress levels before and after coaching interventions, the results should be interpreted as indicative rather than conclusive. Despite these limitations, the findings contribute to the ongoing scholarly discourse on workplace coaching by offering insights into how employees in a change-intensive industry perceive coaching as a resource for navigating work-stress and uncertainty. The study also provides preliminary implications for organisations seeking to integrate coaching into broader employee support, capacity-building, and change management strategies during periods of change.