Authors: Stephen A. Woods (University of Surrey), Rebecca J. Jones (Inclusive Leadership Company), & Yves R. F. Guillaume (University of Liverpool)
Abstract: This commentary reflects on the evolution of coaching research since 2016. It confirms the accumulated evidence for coaching effectiveness and discusses themes such as theoretically grounded research, improved research designs, and the impact of practice factors on outcomes.
Key Findings:
There is now robust evidence that workplace coaching significantly improves performance, learning, and well-being (effect sizes ranging from d=0.36 to 0.59).
Internal coaches and professionally trained coaches often achieve better results than untrained managers acting as coaches.
The delivery format (face-to-face vs. virtual) does not significantly alter the effectiveness of the coaching intervention.
Citation: Woods, S. A., Jones, R. J., & Guillaume, Y. R. F. (2026). Coaching and its effectiveness in organizations: Reflecting on a decade of research, looking forward to future challenges. Journal of Occupational and Organizational Psychology, 99, e70115.