The impact of formal workplace coaching on employee outcomes: a matched sample analysis

Abstract

The manager-as-coach model, where supervisors enhance the development and performance of their direct reports (employees) by adopting a ‘coaching’ leadership style, has grown in popularity. For human resource development (HRD), the purported benefits include improved employee performance, organisational commitment, and reduced turnover intentions. Guided by Social Exchange Theory and Leader-Member Exchange Theory, we compared a matched sample (n = 412) of New Zealand-based employees across diverse sectors and industries, half who received formal workplace coaching from their supervisor (coached group) and half who did not (no-coach group). After conducting a multi-group confirmatory factor analysis and comparing latent means, we found that the formally coached group experienced stronger meaningful work and organisational citizenship behaviours (individual and organisational). Unexpectedly, turnover intentions and counter-productive work behaviours (CWB) did not differ between groups. This suggests that whilst formally coached employees felt obliged to improve positive work-related outcomes (i.e. meaningful work and OCB), the effect was too weak to reduce negative work-related attitudes and behaviours (i.e. turnover intentions and CWBs). Consequently, we discuss alternative explanations to account for this inconsistency, along with recommendations for HRD practitioners and future research.