Research by workspace company Beyond sheds light on the demand for hybrid working. We explore how coaching can help people looking for a career change

New research by Beyond reveals two in five UK employees are considering changing jobs before the end of 2024, with the demand for hybrid roles driving people's decisions. 

The workspace company commissioned an independent survey of 1,262 adults in the UK working part-time or full-time roles. Of those surveyed, two in five (39%) employees considered changing jobs by the end of the coming year, with 47% citing a desire for a better hybrid working policy as a motivator. 

Why? Well, following the pandemic, flexible working has become more and more embedded in the modern working world. In fact, among those who have changed jobs since the beginning of 2022, 43% say that finding a more flexible or hybrid working policy influenced their decision. 

This is unsurprising given that an overwhelming 80% of UK employees believe that the rise of flexible working is the best outcome of the pandemic. According to research commissioned by Microsoft UK, 51% of respondents who had the option of combining remote and office work would consider leaving their company if this flexibility was removed.

CEO of Beyond, Wybo Wijnbergen, said, “Hybrid working arrangements have been both a professional and cultural movement, going from a ‘nice-to-have’ perk to a ‘must-have’ for workers globally.”

Beyond's research highlights that finding roles with flexibility has become a “top priority” for UK employees and we should expect this to influence millions of people’s career decisions in the near future. With the increasing demand for flexible working becoming a non-negotiable for many of us, considering a career change can feel like a daunting process. However, it may not be as challenging as you first imagine. Here, we look at how coaching can help you reconnect with your career path.

How can coaching help navigate a career change?

Feeling stuck or unsure of the next steps to take in your professional life can leave you feeling overwhelmed. Perhaps you’re feeling unfulfilled in your current role or having trouble standing out from the crowd in your job search. Career coaches can offer specialised support to help you.

Career coaching is a great opportunity to explore new career paths you may have never considered, broadening your horizons and expanding your options. Through coaching, you can discover your values and strengths and learn what type of work might make you feel more fulfilled. Providing support, tools and guidance to recognise and achieve your full potential and make decisions about your future. This may include offering feedback on your CV, providing interview tips or even connecting you with potential employers/mentors whilst providing emotional support during times of uncertainty and stress related to making a career change.

Coaching can also support you in overcoming feelings of anxiety ahead of starting a new role, providing you with the skills needed to ensure the transition is as smooth as possible, and helping you feel more capable and empowered at work. 

Coaching for remote working

Career coaching can be particularly beneficial for remote workers. If you are considering moving to a remote role, coaching can help create a schedule and routine to optimise productivity. This can include providing tips on time management skills, or learning how to communicate effectively through email and video calls. 

Coaching may also involve looking at your work/life balance – remote work can often lead to burnout due to difficulty ‘logging off.’ By working with a coach, you can set boundaries between your work and personal life, establish a healthy routine and develop self-care practices to manage stress and well-being. Perhaps you are concerned about feeling isolated or disconnected from colleagues whilst working remotely? A career coach can offer support to help overcome these challenges.

Working with a qualified career coach can be a vital tool for individuals considering a career change. Coaching can help you identify any limiting beliefs that may be holding you back and allow you to gain clarity on your career aspirations.

Wellbeing and performance coach, Sarah Clark, shares the benefits of career coaching and why it’s worth the investment. 

“Coaching is beneficial for career change as it helps the coachee to feel empowered by recognising existing skills, developing new ways of thinking and reflecting on options and opportunities that may not have previously been considered.

“We often find that we are in a career without sometimes really knowing how we got there, or if the decisions we made are still relevant to our current position. To make any kind of change takes skill, courage and often a different way of thinking. Coaching for career change can provide an objective viewpoint to help the coachee be aware of barriers to change and use existing accomplishments and a motivational mindset to achieve their optimum potential.

“Coaching for a career change is worth the investment as the process of giving time to personally reflect on where you are now and where you want to be with a coach who can be objective, and non-judgemental, enables the coachee to widen their vision and diversify ideas. Working in this way enables the coachee to understand accomplishments, opportunities and options that may not have been considered and increases confidence to fulfil their potential.

“Coaching can support the coachee to enhance skills such as influencing, assertiveness, problem-solving, leadership skills, emotional management and time management that might be needed with any career change. The outcomes from coaching can help to devise strategies linked to values, produce actions and goals, enhance skills as appropriate and provide accountability and support at every step of the way.”

Beyond is a flexible workspace and coworking brand that drives human connection and collaboration through high-quality amenities and state-of-the-art technology. Beyond currently has two locations in London, Aldgate Tower in Whitechapel and Kingsbourne House in Holborn, in addition to another location in the Netherlands (with a second opening in February 2024).

Beyond is a brand from white-label flexible workspace provider infinitSpace, who creates and manages tech-enabled white-label flexible workspaces on behalf of commercial landlords.