BetterUp Named a 2019 “Cool Vendor” in Human Capital Management: Enhancing Employee Experience by GartnerUp Your Game: A New Model for Leadership

We are thrilled to announce that BetterUp has been named a “Cool Vendor” in the Cool Vendors in Human Capital Management: Enhancing Employee Experience report by Gartner, Inc. Each year, Gartner selects vendors with innovations that have the potential to transform their markets. According to Gartner, “the Cool Vendors within this report draw attention to innovative employee engagement methods deployed via technology. They are disrupting traditionally held beliefs and approaches to improve employee engagement outcomes.”

Being recognized by Gartner as a “Cool Vendor” means a great deal to us. We believe it validates how important the employee experience is to organizational success and that professional development is expected by today’s talent. This recognition also affirms our focus on helping both individuals and organizations thrive through highly personalized leadership development at scale in the workplace.  

Organizations today are struggling to develop leadership capabilities in their employees, especially the soft skills so critical for navigating business in the digital era. Traditional leadership development efforts aren’t working for multiple reasons: programs are short term, lack follow through, and take a one-size-fits-all approach. They also tend to focus solely on senior executives and aren’t accessible to all managers across the business—where critical business decisions are being made. As a result, employees aren’t developing the skills they need and organizations aren’t seeing the outcomes they want, such as increased retention, performance, and engagement.

At the same time, employees are seeking greater opportunities to grow and develop in ways that help them thrive, both professionally and personally. Employees are increasingly expecting companies to support their entire professional development arc and equip them with the tools and skills needed to reach their full potential. They want more from their employers beyond just perks such as snacks, fitness subsidies, and unlimited vacation time.  

When BetterUp was founded in 2013, we wanted to take advantage of the latest research across the behavioral sciences and leverage advanced technologies to reimagine leadership development in the workplace—and help both individuals and organizations transform. Fast forward five years and we are honored to see the impact we’re having at over 100 global enterprises across tens of thousands of employees. 

BetterUp’s leadership development model is the first of its kind. Delivered through a mobile-based SaaS platform, BetterUp provides one-to-one coaching and immersive learning experiences within the flow of work to cultivate leadership behaviors. Our mobile platform delivers analytics and reporting capabilities on employee performance so companies can see the direct impact to their bottom line.

Our clients are seeing accelerated and measurable growth in their people, including a 26 percent jump in job performance, a 25 percent increase in focus and a 15 percent reduction in burnout. Employee intent to stay with one organization increased by over 63 percent with BetterUp coaching.

Greg Pryor, Senior Vice President, People & Performance Evangelist at Workday, said, “I’ve had managers pull me aside and tell me that the program has changed their life, that they see things in a different way, and that BetterUp has given them the skills to unlock new ideas. They’ve said that it’s now hard for them to imagine what life was like before they began work with their coach.”

Frankie Rae Callahan, Head of Learning and Development at AppDynamics, highlighted the impact of one-to-one coaching on learning and engagement. “I’ve seen people realize the great insight that comes from being asked powerful questions instead of being given the answers or told what to do. Effective coaches help people accelerate learning and make lasting behavior changes,” she said.

We also continue to invest in expanding BetterUp’s platform, offering on-demand coaching and an extended network of experts to address issues such as public speaking, sleep and nutrition. 

Our commitment to research also remains a top priority. BetterUp is currently funding $20 million in evidence-based behavioral research as part of our commitment to understanding the whole person and our vision for human flourishing in every domain of life.

For those who would like to know more about why BetterUp was named a Cool Vendor, click here.

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