Research in Coaching

Global Executive Coaching Survey by The Conference Board (2023)

High Utilisation

61% of organisations report using both internal and external coaches, highlighting the widespread adoption of coaching practices.

Improved Leadership

75% of respondents indicate that coaching has significantly improved leadership development within their organisations.

Employee Engagement

65% of organisations observe higher employee engagement and satisfaction as a result of coaching interventions.

The Global Coaching Study (2022) carried out by the International Coaching Federation reveals that:

  • 70% of coachees report improved performance at work
  • 80% of coachees report improved self-confidence
  • 86% of companies report a positive return on investment (ROI) from coaching

A study (2014) by Anthony M. Grant, International Journal of Evidence-Based Coaching and Mentoring, points out:

  • Improved psychological well-being: 25%
  • Stress-related symptoms reduced by 18%
  • Increased resilience: 22% of the participants felt better prepared to manage professional and personal challenges
  • Improved work performance: performance appraisals show an improvement of 20%
  • Time management and task prioritisation skills improved by 23%
  • Job satisfaction levels increased by 17%
  • Employee engagement with their work and organisation increased by 15%

PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) - 2009:

This study reveals that companies investing in coaching have an average return on investment of 7 times the initial cost.

The American Management Association (AMA) conducted a study (2008) which demonstrated that :

58% of companies using coaching see a productivity improvement.
53% see an increase in the quality of work.
48% see improved talent retention.
From Coaching to Neurocoaching: A Neuroscientific Approach during a Coaching Session to Assess the Relational Dynamics between Coach and Coachee, a study by Riccardo Valesi et al.(2023)
Neurophysiological activity can be considered a way to understand differences in the coach-coachee relationship, thereby providing information on the effectiveness of coaching interventions and facilitating better life and work transitions. Coaching in organisations opens a new area of research because the relationship between coach and coachee is deeply influenced both by the peer-to-peer interactions in the teams and by the organisational culture. Change management processes are more and more conducted through (team) coaching methods, where each coachee becomes an actor in the process.
Coaching impacts neural processes related to learning, self-regulation, and emotional regulation. Coaching interventions influence the brain’s plasticity and neural networks associated with behavioural change.
Coaching stimulates the brain’s reward system, releasing neurotransmitters like dopamine that enhance motivation and engagement. Positive feedback and recognition are crucial in maintaining motivation.
Integrating mindfulness techniques into coaching enhances clients’ cognitive and emotional capabilities such as attention, emotional regulation, and resilience.
Understanding how the brain works in goal setting and achievement helps coaches design more effective strategies that align with the brain’s natural processes​.
Coaches can enhance their clients’ emotional regulation and openness to change by emphasising positive emotions and strengths​.
Coaching can leverage the brain’s neuroplasticity – its ability to form and reorganise synaptic connections in response to learning and experience – facilitating the development of new neural pathways, which supports new perspectives, new behaviours and lasting change.