As a coach, it’s important to stay up-to-date on the latest industry trends. First and foremost, it can help you better understand your clients’ needs and how you can support them in reaching their goals.
Staying current also encourages you to adjust your coaching style and methods to stay relevant (and effective). It can even help you find under-served niches that you can focus your coaching practice on.
As we move through the beginning of 2022 and head towards the summer, here are six current trends to take note of that are affecting the landscape of the coaching industry at the moment.
#1 – Burnout, exhaustion, and fatigue are at an all-time high right now.
In 2022, many people will be continuing to work from home—and the line between work and life will continue to blur. The pandemic completely disrupted our daily routines and forced us to rapidly adapt to new ways of living. As a result, unprecedented numbers of us are struggling with stress and burnout.
Furthermore, the gig economy is still growing rapidly; this means that more of your clients may end up pursuing multiple jobs or side hustles to make ends meet.
As a coach, you can help your clients manage their time and energy so they don’t feel overwhelmed, as well as guide them toward establishing (and maintaining) healthier boundaries between their work lives and their home lives.
#2 – More people are experiencing career transitions.
With the still-changing job market as we head toward the middle of 2022, you can expect career transitions to be a common support issue for your clients. You may find that a lot of your clients are either looking to make a change in their career, or have had to change careers more or less against their wishes.
In the former case, you can help them assess their skills and interests, and find a new career that is a good fit for them. In the latter case, you can help them manage their uncertainty and stress, and help them find ways to make the best of a challenging situation—and try to turn that challenge into a net positive.
#3 – Greater numbers of people are entering retirement—many of them earlier than they had planned.
Before the pandemic, there were already significantly more people entering retirement as the baby boomer generation continued to age. Now, for a wide variety of reasons, many Americans have been entering retired life early—and many of these people (especially those whose early retirement had to do with the pandemic) entered retirement without much of a plan.
Some coaches specialize in retirement as a niche, helping their clients plan for and adjust to retirement—setting goals, budgeting for expenses, and finding ways to stay active and engaged in retirement. Thus, you can expect the need for retirement coaches to grow as the number of newly retired people grows.
#4 – The need for support with mental health issues is still growing.
In addition to financial and work-related stress, pandemic life has taken a toll on our collective mental health in a variety of other ways. As we continue through 2022, expect to find that more of your clients are struggling with anxiety, depression, and other mental health issues. Due to where we are in the pandemic timeline, you may find yourself working with clients who are (and have been) coping with higher levels of prolonged stress and PTSD from events in recent years.
#5 – Workplace wellness is in the spotlight.
In the aftermath of “the Great Resignation,” workplace wellness has been getting more attention than ever before—as employees continue to demand better pay and working conditions, better treatment by the higher-ups, and more work-life balance.
You can expect to support some of your clients in assessing their own work environment and guiding them making the changes necessary to improve their well-being and fulfillment. Naturally, this could include helping your clients find ways to reduce stress, set boundaries, and develop healthy workplace habits.
#6 – After a significant amount of time socially distancing ourselves, people are craving connection and community with other humans.
Humans are social creatures, and the need for connection is hardwired into us. The protracted pandemic has left many people feeling lonely—and isolated. The need for connection and community will continue to grow stronger in 2022.
As a coach, you can provide your clients with the support they need to find or create community, and help them build relationships that are supportive and fulfilling.
How will you use this information in your coaching practice?
If you’re thinking about becoming a coach—or even if you already have a coaching business of your own—staying up to date on these types of trends can help you identify areas where you can better serve your clients. It can also be beneficial for identifying niches where your services will be welcomed, which is helpful for growing your practice.
As we continue to navigate these uncertain times, remember that people across the board are more likely to need your support as a coach than ever before. Let them know you’re here for them and understand their changing needs, and you’ll be setting yourself up for a more successful coaching practice in 2022 and beyond.
