Peer coaching will be essential to the post COVID-19 workforce
SEATTLE, WA, April 28, 2020–Imperative, the leading platform for Peer Coaching, today announced the launch of the first fully automated peer coaching technology platform with a $3 million investment round led by Voyager Capital. Founded by Aaron Hurst, the foremost expert in purpose in the workplace, Imperative’s science-backed platform combines the effectiveness of coaching with the impact of building informal employee networks that are proven to create resilient and high performing cultures, while quickly addressing the radical changes in today’s workplace.
Remote work trends were already increasing before COVID-19, but new research indicates this will be accelerated greatly. Global Workplace Analytics estimates that we’ll see 25-30% of the workforce working at home on a multiple-days-a-week basis by the end of 2021. Leaders and managers need training and support now, more than ever before, to effectively lead teams virtually.
Through Imperative’s video-based coaching platform, leaders meet in rotating pairs for scripted peer-to-peer coaching conversations that are dynamically designed to adapt as their needs change. The individual behavior change, growth, and fulfillment of leaders is tracked overtime. This enables companies to measure the ROI and generate insights about organizational behavior and culture gaps.
“The role of a leader is becoming increasingly complex as they are asked to be responsible for the productivity, alignment, wellbeing, and engagement of teams that are working virtually and dealing with constant change,“ said Aaron Hurst, Founder and CEO of Imperative. “We know that the answer isn’t expensive external coaches, but instead empowering capable managers and leaders to coach each other as peers. The employee interest is clear from our research: 90% of people would be happy to coach their peers if asked.“
Corporate leaders now have a turnkey and scalable solution to activate this training immediately. Imperative’s peer coaching platform for leaders brings peer learning into the flow of work, unlocking a solution which:
- Enables Leaders to Better Manage Virtual Teams Amid Constant Change
- Harnesses the power of leaders to support each other as they lead remote employees and adapt to the challenges of remote management and constant change
- Builds Valuable Informal Networks
- Creates cross-organizational connection as managers and leaders are paired with peers across the organization, building valuable connections that keep the organization vital and effective.
- Delivers An Agile Learning Solution
- Changes with rapidly evolving situational needs and is always timely, relevant and actionable
- Addresses the Social-Emotional Needs of Leaders and Teams
- Enables leaders to focus on their wellbeing and build emotional resilience so they can then in turn provide that for their teams
Imperative is quickly being adopted by employee-centric Fortune 1000 corporations with distributed workforces as a key strategy to emerge stronger from the pandemic. A growing wave of employers have already launched the platform to address the urgent need in their companies. They represent a diverse set of companies from tech to retail to media.
“Voyager Capital is excited to be partnering with Imperative at a time where staying connected to your remote and virtual employees is critical,” said Diane Fraiman, Managing Director Voyager Capital. “Imperative’s video-enabled solution leverages the strength of tech’s next wave of infrastructure giving leaders the platform, content and tools to drive performance and innovation in their teams.”
Early pilots have demonstrated the disruptive potential for the platform. 90%of employees using Imperative said that using Imperative’s coaching platform positively changed the way they work; 92% said it positively impacts the way they see themselves, job and career; 88% said doing more would increase their fulfillment at work. As a result, 92% of users reported they would like to continue doing peer coaching at work.
The $3 million seed two round, led bySeattle-based Voyager Capital, will allow Imperative to accelerate developing the platform and grow market development capacity. Voyager’s Diane Fraiman is joining the Imperative board along with the founding CEO of DocuSign, Court Lorenzini, who also invested in the round.
“People are the single most important asset in every business, and the companies that successfully engage, develop, and motivate their employees to be the best version of themselves are the ultimate winners,” said Mr. Lorenzini. “This was true in a pre-COVID world, but is particularly relevant now that we aren’t able to engage with our people face-to-face. The only businesses that have a hope of surviving, and ultimately thriving in our current global situation, are those that quickly adapt to help their people engage and develop in this new reality.”
Employers seeking to empower their leaders and managers to support each other as they navigate the rapid changes in the workplace can visit Imperative.com to learn more about the virtual peer coaching platform.
