Government Body
Background
This government body has a diverse team of more than 1,000 professionals spanning 17 professions.
People are at the heart of everything they do, and they’re committed to building an Agency that champions inclusion in everything they do.
Aims
What were your objectives in using the PLD platform?
Following the launch of our coaching and mentoring programmes in 2021, we quickly recognised that our internal resource and capacity would not be able to keep pace with demand, particularly where coaching and mentoring matches were being managed manually. We were looking for a platform that could help us streamline the process, create a more sustainable approach, and provide a better experience for colleagues seeking coaching or mentoring support. Evaluation and reporting were also important objectives for us, and we were looking for more automation enabling us to capture insight more easily and better understand the impact of the programmes.
Promotion Methods
How have you promoted your platform to potential users?
Our coaches and mentors have been some of our strongest advocates, helping to promote the platform through their own positive experiences and conversations with colleagues.
We have also used internal communication channels and wider organisational platforms, to raise awareness and signpost colleagues to the support available. The platform is also signposted through our learning management system, making it easy for colleagues to find and access alongside other development resources.
Do you feel your promotion methods have worked for you?
Yes, the promotion methods have worked well for us. We receive very few questions from colleagues about how to use the platform, which suggests that the messaging, signposting and user guidance are clear and accessible. The platform itself is intuitive and self-explanatory, and the supporting videos and transcripts that we invested time in developing at the start have been particularly useful. These resources help colleagues feel confident navigating the system independently.
Results
Do you feel your objectives have been met?
Yes, our objectives have been met. The platform has helped us manage demand more effectively, reduce the administrative burden of manual matching, and provide colleagues with a clearer and more accessible route into coaching and mentoring support. The automated reporting functionality has also strengthened our ability to capture insight and demonstrate the impact of the programmes.
Can you share any user feedback on how they have found it beneficial?
Users value being able to see which coaches and mentors are available and what areas they can support with. This visibility helps colleagues make more informed choices and feel more confident in finding the right person to support their development.
What advice would you give to others considering a similar platform?
Our advice to others would be to invest time in the design and implementation stage. Be clear about what you need from the platform, talk this through with the PLD team, and take time to test it properly. The more thought you put in at the outset, the more value you will get from it. For us, the platform has saved hours and hours of administrative time over the past five years, while also improving the overall experience for colleagues accessing coaching and mentoring.
What the client has to say about working with PLD
How have you found working with PLD?
Working with PLD has been brilliant. The team are approachable, responsive and genuinely interested in understanding what we need from the platform. It has felt like a true partnership, with PLD taking the time to listen, advise and support us as our programmes have developed.
How easy have changes been to make and how responsive do you find the PLD support?
Changes have been straightforward to discuss and implement. Our six-monthly meetings with our Account Manager provide a valuable opportunity to review what is working well, talk through any changes, and explore how the platform can continue to meet our needs. The PLD support has been very responsive, and the team consistently take time to listen and understand our requirements. The reporting functionality is a good example of this, as is the bespoke workaround for follow-on feedback, both of which have reflected our specific needs.
Joanne Scott
Learning and Organisational Development Project Lead,
Government Body
