“Digital Coaching – The Pros, the Cons”

This week Barry Phillips reveals the results of LegalIsland’s digital coaching pilot and considers the pros and cons of AI coaching. 

Transcript

Hello Humans and welcome to the weekly podcast that aims to cover in 5 minutes or less an AI topic of interest to HR.
 My name is Barry Phillips  and today we’re diving into something that’s popping up in more workplaces than questionable coffee mugs: Digital Coaching.

Now, here at Legal Island, we’ve been quietly running a pilot programme to test out just how good AI-driven coaching really is. Ten brave volunteers gave it a go — and get this — nine out of ten said they were surprised at how good it was. They all said they plan to keep using it outside of the pilot. 

Our staff tried out two digital coaches. One was from Sesame.com, still in beta mode, and the other — well, you’ve probably heard of it — ChatGPT-4, using voice mode. That’s right, actual conversations with AI. No need to book a meeting room or remember to make eye contact.

The staff used it for everything from personal development dilemmas to work-related worries. One of the most surprising things? Several people said they were actually more honest with the digital coach than they think they would be with a human one. No judgement, no awkward silences — and let’s face it, no chance the coach is also your cousin’s ex.

Of course, we’re not the only ones tinkering with this brave new world. Experian rolled out an AI coach named Nadia to help with manager development, and Salesforce has something called Career Agent. 

But — and you knew there was a “but” coming — there are real concerns, particularly around privacy. Depending on what platforms are used — Teams, Slack, or your company’s HR software — what employees type into these coaching tools might be logged, stored, and even reviewed. That’s not always made crystal clear, and someone might think they’re having a private vent, when in reality, IT could be listening in with a bucket of popcorn.

So, before anyone rushes to roll out digital coaching across an organisation, HR needs to get crystal clear on three things:

1. Who will see the data? Will it be anonymous, aggregated, or visible to someone with admin access and an itchy mouse finger?
2. How will it be used? Is it just for development? Or could it end up in performance reviews, or worse — Slack gossip?
3. Will employee privacy be protected? And if not, in what scenarios might it be compromised?

Because let’s face it — if employees think Big Brother is their life coach, they’re probably not going to open up about that midlife crisis or tricky team dynamic.

Now, digital coaching isn’t here to replace human coaches — not yet, anyway. But it might just augment how we support personal and professional development in the workplace. Think of it like a sat nav for your career — useful, helpful, and occasionally annoying when it insists on taking the scenic route.
 
 

Finally: Maybe the most human thing about digital coaching… is that it lets people drop their guard. No fear of judgement, no social pressure — just space to think out loud. And if AI can help us do that, maybe there’s a real role for it in the future of work. As long as it doesn’t start charging by the hour.

Thanks for tuning in — and remember: in HR, the best coach is the one that actually listens… whether they’re human or not.

🎙️ Until next week bye for now!