What is the primary focus when observing an employee's work for coaching purposes?

The primary focus when observing an employee's work for coaching purposes is identifying performance problems. Observing an employee's work allows a supervisor to gain insights into their strengths, weaknesses, and overall performance. This direct observation is crucial for providing constructive feedback that can help the employee improve in specific areas, thereby enhancing their effectiveness and productivity.

Effective coaching involves recognizing not only issues but also opportunities for development. By identifying performance problems, a supervisor can address these concerns proactively and tailor their coaching approach to meet the employee's needs. This focus ensures that the coaching is constructive and leads to positive changes in the employee's performance, aligning them better with the organization's goals.

In contrast, determining salary adjustments, tracking vacation requests, and monitoring attendance records, while important management tasks, do not directly relate to the immediate goal of coaching. These areas are more administrative and do not provide the foundational insights required for effective employee development and performance improvement.