Policies & procedures

Mindbeat Policy & Procedures: Coaches

Our Policy and Procedures document is a guide reflecting a common standard for the practice of Mindbeat coaches.

Download the file by clicking here.

AVAILABILITY & SCHEDULING

Coaches should make a mix of dayparts and weekdays available for their assigned coachees. As a guide, 2-3 different options should be available per coachee across a two-week period. Coaches should ensure that at the end of each coaching session, the coach and coachee agree on a time and date for their next coaching session. Either the coach or the coachee must schedule the session via the Mindbeat platform.  All coaching sessions must be logged on the Mindbeat system (by clicking on the end session button to end the call).

If you are to be absent for a period longer than 14 days (e.g. due to a holiday) please make Mindbeat aware to discuss the potential implications for your coachees and to agree on a solution.

CANCELLATIONS & MISSED SESSIONS

The coachee is required to give 24 hours notice if they wish to cancel and reschedule a session. Any cancellations done after this time can be charged by the coach (without the time for pre and post-preparation) and the coaching session will be deducted from the coachee’s bank of sessions. If a coachee cancels/reschedules three times in the course of the coaching engagement, please contact Mindbeat at support@mindbeat.app to discuss.

Coaching sessions should not be cancelled or rescheduled by the coach, unless under exceptional circumstances. If for any reason a cancellation/reschedule is unavoidable, please contact Mindbeat as soon as possible so we can discuss a solution and agree on how this should be communicated to the coachee.

If a coachee doesn’t show up to a coaching session, the coach should send an email after five minutes or give the coachee a web-based phone call if a mobile number is provided as a reminder. Mindbeat does not reimburse any phone costs. A coach should wait a minimum of 15 minutes before ending the session and marking the coaching session as missed on the platform.

SESSION NOTES

All notes should be logged on the Mindbeat platform during or after each session. You should not keep any handwritten notes at any time due to GDPR and data privacy. Session notes should allow you to easily track topics discussed, actions agreed, progress made and any other noteworthy details. Track the most important information to help you excel. Notes made in the ‘Shared notes’ section will be shared with the coachee. Should you so wish, record any personal notes (not to be shared with the coachee) in the ‘Private notes’ section.

PRE-WORK, FEEDBACK, COACHEE COMMUNICATION

Coaches are expected to spend time preparing for each session, rereading the notes from the last session and being fully present for coaching. At the end of each session, the coach is required to provide feedback on the coaching session itself by answering a number of questions on the Mindbeat platform. If scoring less than ‘5 Stars’ in any area, the coach should provide additional feedback to explain their rating. - At the end of the coaching assignment, coaches will be required to complete a more detailed reflection note and join a feedback session. - Coaches are required to touch base with their coachees in between sessions (typically once a week) using the method most suitable for both parties (e.g. text message/email/WhatsApp). Messages should include nudges around actions, further questions or resources to support their learning, checking-in after meetings/events that relate to the coaching conversation, or reminders about scheduling sessions. We will leave this to your discretion as to what you feel is suitable for any particular engagement. - Coaches can invoice for this pre-work, feedback and coachee support. The rate is agreed upon in the engagement letter. - Coaches are required to use the following format for the signature on the Mindbeat email address: Name Surname Mindbeat Coach Mindbeat.app www.mindbeat.app

LEARNING TRACKS

The coachees will receive automated drip-fed content per week from Mindbeat to support their learning journey. You can access this content on the Mindbeat platform and refer coachees to any specific topics relevant to your coaching conversations. - The coach should ensure they are up to date with the learning content that has been shared with the coachees. 

COACHING TOOLS 

Please reach out should you require specific tools to use during your coaching sessions. At Mindbeat we want to ensure you are given the space to be at your coaching best and to honour your own style and flow. We have therefore made the decision not to provide mandatory coaching tools.

PLATFORM & TECHNOLOGY

Coaches should have access to high-speed broadband to enable a consistent coaching experience. - In case of video issues, please use the platform with sound only or switch to Zoom or the preferred method agreed between you and your coachee. If you switch to a different tool, the coach should remember to click the end session button on the Mindbeat platform once you have ended the session on a different video platform. - If you are also experiencing difficulties with the sound, the coachee can dial into the call manually by phone. You will see the dial-in number on the coaching screen. - If problems continue, the coach should call the coachee directly via mobile/mode of choice remembering to record the session via the platform, even though it is taking place offline. - If the technical issues are on the side of the coach, the coach will not be paid for the session. There should not be a situation where tech issues on either side hinder the quality of the sessions since you would simply revert to the dial-in option. - If the coach is unable to continue the session by phone the session should be rescheduled within 24 hours and the coach will not be paid for the ‘technically unsuccessful’ coaching session. It is a minimum requirement for coaches to ensure they are in an area with solid phone reception and are able to host the session by phone if needed. - If the coachee is unable to dial in by phone (when experiencing tech issues on the platform) and is not able to continue the session, the coach is entitled to invoice for the respective length of the coaching session, and the time will be taken from the coachee’s bank of sessions.

COACHING GOALS & ALIGNMENT WITH THE COACHING PROGRAMME

It is the coach’s responsibility to ensure the alignment of the individual coaching sessions with the overarching goals of the coaching assignment as specified in the induction training. - If for any reason you feel that the coaching sessions are going off track, please discuss with the Mindbeat team to agree on a way forward.

INVOICING

Invoices should be sent to finance@mindbeat.app by the 1st of the month (for the previous month’s coaching sessions) in order to be processed and paid by the end of the month. - Any invoices received after the 3rd of the month will be processed the following month. Example - The invoice sent to finance@mindbeat.app on the 3rd of July (for sessions up to and including the 30th of June) will be paid to you by the 31st of July. Only sessions from June and previous months (if missed to report!) can be included in the invoice.

It is the coaches’ responsibility to ensure that the coaching sessions on the system match those detailed on the invoice, including any missed/cancelled sessions. Failure to do so may result in a delay in processing the invoice. When submitting an invoice, the coach should confirm that the sessions detailed on the invoice match those detailed on the Mindbeat system.

ETHICS & CONFIDENTIALITY 

The strictest levels of confidentiality should be maintained at all times with all coachee and client information unless release is required by the law. - Maintain, store and dispose of any records created during your coaching assignments in a manner that is secure and confidential. - Use appropriate tools and measures to ensure privacy, including conducting your coaching conversations in a private and professional space (using headphones if appropriate), use of passwords, and ensuring restricted access and viewability to your email, calendar and the Mindbeat system. - Coaches should follow their professional body’s Code of Ethics at all times. - Coaching should stay within the scope of coaching. A coach can refer a coachee back to their company, Employee Assistance Programme (EAP), or other resources, but may not give specific diagnoses nor recommendations or referrals to a particular practitioner. - If you have any concerns about a coachee or would like to discuss an ethical issue, please reach out to the Mindbeat team. If you need to communicate any sensitive information about a coachee, use as little identifying information as possible and only expand where necessary.

SOCIAL MEDIA & EXTERNAL REPRESENTATION OF MINDBEAT

Coaches should not mention, list or disclose which partner organisations they work with at Mindbeat on any social media channels (including LinkedIn), nor ask their coachees for endorsements or recommendations on LinkedIn or any other platform. - When referencing Mindbeat, coaches should ensure that they are aligned with Mindbeat’s branding guidelines. - If coaches like to add Mindbeat to their work experiences on LinkedIn, they should reference Mindbeat in the following way: Associate Coach, Mindbeat, Freelance. Please find an example below:

TERMS & TERMINATION

Coaches are assigned to coachees for an agreed period of time, depending on the assignment. It is expected that the coach will be able to complete the coaching assignment in full. If for any reason the coach feels unable to meet this obligation, they must contact Mindbeat in writing and provide at least 30 days notice of any changes to this agreement. - Mindbeat reserves the right to cancel a coach’s service with immediate effect if there has been a breach of contract and/or if the required coaching standards are not being met.

PEER COACHING & SUPERVISION

Coaches are expected to be accessing regular supervision in line with the guidelines set out by their professional coaching membership. - Mindbeat is looking to build this into their coach proposition in future and welcomes your views in this area.

COMMUNICATING WITH MINDBEAT 

For tech support please email support@mindbeat.com. Our usual office hours are 8:30 am - 5:00 pm CEST Mon-Fri. Any non-urgent requests will be dealt with during this time. - We will be checking in with you regularly but if you feel you need to chat at any time please use this link to book in a slot with Joanne Payne: https://calendly.com/joannepayne/coach-chat. If you feel we need more than 20 minutes feel free to book two slots back to back. - If you feel you are not being supported to your satisfaction by the Mindbeat Team please feel free to contact Ellie Krantz at elisa@mindbeat.app. We welcome and value your feedback. Please reach out to Joanne@mindbeat.app or support@mindbeat.app at any time. We would love to hear from you.