Success Stories

Network Rail

Network Rail Limited is the owner and infrastructure manager of most of the railway network in Great Britain. Network Rail is a non-departmental public body of the Department for Transport with no shareholders, which reinvests its income in the railways.

“Our coaches like using it, it’s intuitive and they can manage their availability themselves. Coachees can make immediate connections with coaches and we are far more able to track live relationships with ease.”

Amisha Wilde

Head of Talent Pool Development and Coaching

At a Glance

Challenge

Network Rail's internal coaching process was inefficient and error-prone, relying on manual management and spreadsheets, with significant issues in transparency, resource intelligence, and reporting.

Solution

The Coaching Focus Coaching Hub transformed Network Rail's coaching process by introducing self-service functionality, enhanced tracking, increased visibility, and an intuitive interface, significantly improving efficiency and transparency.

Results

Since implementing Coaching Hub, Network Rail has seen coaching and mentoring requests surge from 8 to over 50 per month, improved capacity management, better reporting, and plans for industry-wide expansion. Transparency and awareness of the coaching offer improved immensely.

Dive Deeper

A closer look at how help

Overwhelmed and Inefficient: Network Rail's Coaching Challenges Before the Coaching Hub

Network Rail faced significant challenges in managing their internal coaching process before the introduction of the Coaching Hub. While having a pool of over 80 coaches, the system for managing coaching requests and assignments was highly inefficient and labour-intensive. The primary challenges included:

Manual Management of Coaching Requests: All coaching requests were managed manually, which was time-consuming and prone to errors. The coaching team was overwhelmed with administrative tasks, relying on spreadsheets to track requests and coaching sessions.
Lack of Visibility and Transparency: Coachees had no visibility of available coaches, and the coaching team were responsible for selecting coaches for them. This lack of transparency limited the coachees' ability to make informed choices and reduced overall engagement with the coaching programme.
Limited Intelligence on Coaching Resources: There was no clear understanding of the coaches’ availability or capacity. The coaching team lacked real-time data on active coaching sessions and coach availability, making it difficult to match coachees with the right coaches efficiently.
Inadequate Reporting and Tracking: The manual system did not allow for effective tracking and reporting of coaching activities. There was no systematic way to generate reports on coaching sessions or coach utilisation.

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Revolutionising Coaching: How the Coaching Hub Transformed Network Rail’s Process

The introduction of the Coaching Focus Coaching Hub addressed these challenges comprehensively, transforming the coaching process at Network Rail. Key features and benefits of Coaching Hub include:

Self-Service Functionality: Coaching Hub eliminated the need for manual administration. Coachees can self-register and coaches can manage their profiles using a consistent template, making the process more efficient and reducing the administrative burden on the coaching team.
Streamlined Process: The self-service aspect sped up the coaching process significantly. Coachees can connect with coaches immediately upon signing up, without waiting for approvals or manual matching.
Enhanced Tracking and Reporting: Coaching Hub provides better tools for tracking coaching activities. It allows the coaching team to monitor coach availability, active coaching sessions, and overall engagement in real-time. This improved reporting capability enables better management and oversight of capacity and demand.
Increased Visibility and Accessibility: The platform has increased the visibility of coaching resources within Network Rail. Coachees can now see available coaches and their profiles, making the coaching process more transparent and accessible.
Intuitive Interface for Coaches: Coaches find the platform intuitive and easy to use. They can manage their availability, update their profiles, and share them with coachees effortlessly. This autonomy has led to higher satisfaction and engagement among coaches.
Efficient Search Functionality: The search functionality within Coaching Hub allows for quick and easy matching of coachees with suitable coaches based on specific criteria, further enhancing the efficiency of the coaching process.

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From Bottleneck to Boom: The Coaching Hub's Impact on Network Rail

Since the implementation of Coaching Hub, Network Rail has observed several positive changes and measurable outcomes:

Increased Coaching Requests: The number of coaching and mentoring requests has surged from 8 per month to over 50 per month. This increase is attributed to the improved accessibility and awareness of coaching and mentoring programmes facilitated by Coaching Hub.
Enhanced Capability to Meet Demand: The coaching team now has real-time data on the availability of coaches and can accurately determine their capacity to meet coaching demands at any given time.
Improved Reporting and Feedback: The ability to generate detailed reports on coaching activities and track the effectiveness of coaching sessions has improved. The coaching team plans to utilise these reports more extensively for evaluation and supporting coaches in obtaining feedback and accreditation.
Future Expansion Plans: With the integration of Network Rail into the broader Great British Railways, there are plans to extend the use of Coaching Hub across the rail industry. This expansion will significantly enhance the reach and impact of the coaching programme.

Overall, Coaching Hub has revolutionised the coaching process at Network Rail, making it more efficient, transparent, and scalable. The coaching team at Network Rail is now better equipped to manage and grow their coaching provision, supporting the development of talent across the organisation.

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