With increased workloads, tighter deadlines and an ever-evolving skills base, the demands on the modern employee are greater than ever.
How then to go about getting the best out of your team and yourself?
The University of Aberdeen has created a brand new postgraduate certificate course in corporate coaching to help provide a solution.
The part-time programme will provide an opportunity for managers, aspiring managers and others to develop their skills and knowledge of corporate coaching, people management and development.
Elaine Manley, one of three course tutors, is a highly respected Aberdeen-based coach, trainer and consultant whose experience has spanned almost all industry sectors and sizes of organisation.
She said, "The corporate world has changed in many ways over the last 15 years. The average worker has seen their workloads increase, the time allocated for tasks reduced and their performance goals rocket.
"Individuals are required to work smarter, faster and have a diverse set of skills available in order to do their job effectively - and organisations must be able to get the most from their workforce. But in order to do this, effective and efficient change must take place. I believe coaching is the answer.
"In a constantly changing environment, where employees have to adapt their skill sets, coaching offers a win-win solution – individuals reach their potential while improving the productivity and competitiveness of the organisation as a whole."
The Aberdeen course has already been successfully piloted following a grant from Scottish Enterprise Grampian. Run through the University's Business School, it will look at areas such as business planning, work/life balance, managing difficult staff and presentation skills.
"The coaching programme is easy to fit around work commitments and involves practical work that can immediately be applied in the workplace," added Joy Wootten, Deputy Director of Staff Development at the University of Aberdeen.
"As an institution we have been successfully using coaching techniques for over six years now and have built up considerable experience in this area.
"Elaine has been coaching for over 20 year and helped everyone from senior managers and professors to small business owners and young professionals. Together we offer an unrivalled level of expertise."
A recent piece of research from the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development found that over 87% of UK training managers now use coaching skills and techniques to support their employees and manage their learning and development.
Professor Mike Hughes, Head of the Aberdeen Business School said: "We are proud to be offering this new flexible, postgraduate certificate in coaching, a rapidly growing discipline that is recognised as delivering both individual and organisational benefits."
Queries specific to the Coaching programme should be sent to href="mailto:gbs@abdn.ac.uk">gbs@abdn.ac.uk</a>. For further details of the University of Aberdeen Business School graduate programmes please visit: www.abdn.ac.uk/business/smartthinking