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PLD's Coaching Software Platform

PLD's coaching software platform, showing coach and coachee matching, goal setting, ongoing relationship and completion stages.

Coaching is one of the most effective ways to support personal and professional growth - but it only works when it's the right fit, at the right time.

We've all seen the types...

  • A new employee finding their feet.

  • A mid-career manager unsure of their next step.

  • A leader facing change head-on.

  • People at all levels looking for direction, clarity, or confidence.

Not just advice - but real support, space to reflect, and tools to grow.

That's the power of coaching.

But delivering that kind of personalised support across an organisation?

That can be a challenge.

PLD's coaching platform helps you do it at scale - and, most importantly, without losing the human touch as your programme expands.

Coaching that scales. Growth that lasts.

Built on the same trusted framework as our mentoring platform, PLD's coaching software enables organisations to match coaches and coachees, track progress, and build meaningful, goal-oriented relationships. All from one place and with built in tools and methods to keep everything running smoothly and efficiently.

Support that's structured, scalable, and tailored – Coaching with PLD Software.

Whether you're supporting leadership development, onboarding, wellbeing, or performance improvement, our platform makes it easy to manage the coaching journey end to end.

Case Study: The Salvation Army

Organisation: The Salvation Army
Sector: Charity / Faith-based organisation
Employees: 6,500+
Reach: Operating in over 130 countries

The Salvation Army is a global church and charity committed to supporting individuals and communities around the world. As part of their mission, they are actively building a culture of continuous learning and development – empowering staff to engage in both personal and professional growth.

Coaching with PLD

To support this, The Salvation Army implemented PLD's coaching platform to manage their internal coaching programme more effectively.

The Results

The platform has made it significantly easier for admins to:

  • Track how many coaching sessions are being booked

  • Monitor each coaching relationship from first meeting to final session

  • See which stage each coach and coachee are at

  • Assess the overall effectiveness of the coaching programme

With clear oversight and structured reporting, The Salvation Army is now able to support coaching at scale – while maintaining quality, visibility, and a personalised experience for every participant.

See the full Salvation Army Coaching case study

What's the difference between coaching and mentoring?

Coaching and mentoring have a lot in common – both are supportive, developmental, and built around human connection. That's why our coaching platform works in much the same way as our mentoring platform. The two sit side by side, and many organisations use both.

But there are differences too. Coaching is typically shorter-term, more structured, and focused on specific goals or performance.

If you're weighing up which route to take – or planning to run both – our short Coaching vs Mentoring guide can help you compare the two.

How the coaching platform works

The platform is designed to support a smooth and structured coaching journey, without being overly prescriptive. Here's what the typical journey looks like:

  1. Explore and Register
    Before signing up, users can explore videos and PDFs that explain what coaching is, how it works, and how to get the most out of it.

  2. Create a Profile
    Coachees outline what they're looking for support with. Coaches describe the areas they specialise in.

  3. Get Matched
    The platform suggests relevant coaches based on profile matches. Coachees can then request a chemistry meeting to see if there's a good fit.

  4. Chemistry Meeting
    This first session helps both parties explore whether they're the right match. Coachees can then choose to continue with that coach - or return to explore others.

  5. Establish the Relationship
    This phase is about setting expectations, defining goals, and deciding how the relationship will work. The platform offers guidance, suggested discussion points, and space for coachees to reflect.

  6. Progression
    Coaching sessions take place at agreed intervals. Notes and actions are logged, with optional reminders and feedback prompts.

  7. Completion
    Coaching relationships typically have a clear endpoint. The platform includes a structured completion phase with space for feedback and reflection.

Case Study: East London NHS Foundation Trust (ELFT)

Organisation: East London NHS Foundation Trust
Sector: Healthcare / NHS
Service Area: Across London and the surrounding region

East London NHS Foundation Trust (ELFT) delivers a wide range of mental health and community health services across London. Following a competitive selection process, PLD's platform was chosen for its combination of functionality and cost-effectiveness.

See the full East London NHS Foundation Trust case study

Coaching and Mentoring with PLD

PLD worked with ELFT to fully customise the platform’s visual appearance, structure, and journey flows to meet their organisational needs. The platform was used not only to facilitate access to ELFT’s pool of qualified coaches, but also to support the launch of a reverse mentoring programme focused on Equality, Diversity & Inclusion (EDI).

The Results

The platform enabled ELFT to:

  • Deliver a tailored user experience aligned with their internal processes

  • Support both coaching and reverse mentoring as part of their broader staff development strategy

  • Guide users step-by-step through their journey using clear flow charts, interactive resources, and short videos

  • Offer models, prompts, and hints at each stage to support effective conversations and reflective learning

  • Use built-in evaluation surveys to assess impact and gather feedback

With PLD, ELFT created a structured, supportive environment where both coaching and mentoring could thrive - all within a flexible, branded platform experience.

Designed for flexibility – not prescription

Every coach brings their own tools, methods, and preferences - and so do organisations. That's why our platform supports a wide range of approaches without locking anyone into a single model.

Built-in guidance and resources reference models such as:

  • OSCAR (Outcome, Situation, Choices, Actions, Review)
  • GROW (Goal, Reality, Options, Will)
  • CLEAR (Contracting, Listening, Exploring, Action, Review)

...but these are entirely optional. If your organisation uses a specific framework or approach, we can tailor the platform content to match – including swapping out models, uploading your own resources, and integrating your programme’s preferred methodology.

"PLD has enabled the L&D team to promote, deliver and track the effectiveness of our Coaching programme across the organisation. The platform itself is intuitive and user-friendly and the team are incredibly helpful - responding quickly to questions and always being willing to help."

Key benefits

For coachees:

  • Clear guidance at every stage

  • Flexibility to choose a coach that suits them

  • Full meeting history and action tracking

  • Resources to support reflection and preparation

For coaches:

  • Freedom to work in their preferred style

  • Option to draw on built-in resources or ignore them

  • Easy scheduling, notes and tracking

For programme admins:

  • Oversight of sessions and progress

  • Customisable models and resources

  • Data to support reporting and improvement

  • Easy integration alongside existing mentoring programmes

Peace of Mind With Top-Notch Data Security

The safety of your coaching data – and the privacy of every coach and coachee – is our top priority.

That's why PLD platforms are built with first-class security at their core, including:

  • Cyber Essentials Plus certified – Government-backed cyber-security accreditation

  • Full GDPR compliance – All platforms are privacy-minded and data protection ready

  • UK-based data storage – Your data is encrypted and remains securely stored in the UK

  • High personnel standards – Our team meets or exceeds the HMG Baseline Personnel Security Standard

  • External penetration testing – Regular testing by CREST and CHECK-approved suppliers

When you're running mentoring, coaching, or both, you can relax knowing your data is handled securely, stored in the UK, and protected to the highest standards.

A Coaching Platform With Accessibility, Built In

Our coaching platform has been professionally audited and meets WCAG 2.2 AA standards - so it works for everyone, regardless of how they access it.

Regardless of whether someone's using a screen reader, speech recognition software, or navigating entirely by keyboard, the coaching platform is designed to be clear, navigable, and fully inclusive from start to finish.

Coaching Platform FAQs

For Coachees

  • Can I choose my own coach, or am I matched automatically?
    You can browse a shortlist of coaches based on your profile and send a request to the coach you feel is the best fit.

  • What happens if my coach isn't a good fit?
    You'll start with a chemistry meeting - a chance to see whether the relationship feels right. If not, you can return to the platform and request a different coach.

  • Do I need coaching or mentoring?
    We have guidance and short videos to help you decide. Coaching is typically shorter-term and focused on specific goals. You can also read our Coaching vs Mentoring guide.

  • How long does a coaching relationship usually last?
    It depends on your goals, but coaching relationships are typically shorter-term - often 3 to 6 sessions over a few months.

  • Will my coach use a specific model or approach?
    Coaches have different styles. Some may use structured models like OSCAR or GROW, others may take a more conversational approach. We'll help you prepare, but your coach will guide the style of your sessions.

For Coaches

  • Can I use my own tools and frameworks?
    Yes. The platform is designed to support your own coaching style. There are built-in tools if you want to use them, but nothing is mandatory.

  • What support is there for new coaches?
    We offer a range of guides, videos and checklists to support coaches at every stage - from the chemistry meeting to completion.

  • Can I upload resources for my coachees?
    Yes - you can share files and links directly within your session notes or through your profile.

For Coaching Platform Admins and Organisations

  • Can we customise the coaching journey to suit our programme?
    Absolutely. From resources to preferred models, the platform can be tailored to reflect your organisation's coaching style.

  • Does the coaching platform work with PLD's mentoring software?
    Yes. While the coaching and mentoring platforms are separate, they're designed to run smoothly alongside each other. Many clients use both to support different types of development, and admin teams can manage reporting and oversight across both systems with ease, as you can see from our case study, below.

  • Can we use our own internal coaches?
    Yes - you can populate the platform with your own pool of internal coaches or approved external providers.

  • Is the platform GDPR-compliant?
    Yes - PLD takes data privacy seriously. All information is stored securely and access is controlled by role and permissions.

  • Can we track outcomes or feedback from coaching?
    Yes - the platform includes a completion stage and optional feedback forms so you can assess impact, track sessions, and monitor engagement.

"It allows for a variety of programmes such as mentoring, coaching and reverse mentoring also."

Ready to support coaching at scale

If you're already using PLD's mentoring software, you'll find the coaching platform familiar and easy to integrate.

If you're new to PLD, you'll find a flexible, structured system designed to make your coaching programme easier to run – and more impactful for every participant.

"Everyone have been so supportive and responsive to our needs. Great customer service and very efficient launch and continuous alterations as and when needed."

Is Coaching Software Platform Right For Your Organisation?

That's easy to find out...

There's a free, 3 minute quiz that will help you decide whether coach / coachee matching software is the right fit for your organisation.

And, once you've taken the quiz, you can simply book a demo or get in touch if you want to see the coaching software and platform in action, first hand.