Coaching is on an upward trajectory — not by chance, but because it consistently sparks meaningful growth in people and organizations. Those who are active in the coaching community see every day how powerful its ripple effects can be. Still, across organizations, decision-makers are weighing budgets and questioning whether coaching will deliver a measurable return. Let’s take a closer look at why the answer is increasingly “yes.”
It’s understandable and even wise for businesses to want to see ROIs before taking on a new initiative: In the 2025 Global Coaching Study, 39% of coaches pointed to credible metrics, such as ROI, as one of the industry’s most significant opportunities in the year ahead.
At ICF, we welcome these questions, and our surveys, case studies, and research have answers. Coaching delivers a measurable return on investment, proven by individual transformations, organizational bottom lines, and social impact.
The good news is that the evidence is growing. Research increasingly suggests that coaching sparks meaningful returns — strengthening individuals, teams, and even entire workplace cultures. Through ICF’s surveys, case studies, and ongoing research, leaders can explore these promising insights to better understand coaching’s potential in creating lasting impact.
Coaching’s Measurable Impact
Coaching can reignite passions, heighten self-awareness, foster curiosity, and so much more. While all of this may not seem easy to measure, it delivers significant value in many ways.
Some of the most common ways to measure the benefits of coaching include:
- Employee engagement, productivity, and retention. Indicators such as employee satisfaction, role performance, and tenure with the organization are common measures of coaching success.
- Trust in leadership. Employee surveys that track perceptions of leadership, such as communication quality, approachability, and clarity of direction, can reflect the influence of coaching over time.
- Self-reported coaching outcomes. Employee feedback on how coaching supports their professional development and career goals offers valuable insight into coaching’s impact on individuals.
- Accelerated progress toward KPIs. By developing skills, improving engagement, and enhancing collaboration and productivity, organizations can accelerate progress on key performance indicators, including revenue and other success metrics.
Coaching’s ROI at Work
For examples of the measurable ROI of coaching, check out ICF’s award-winning coaching culture case studies.
Microsoft Customer and Partner Solutions offers a compelling example of the benefits a strong coaching culture can provide. Employees who worked with a coach reported meaningful professional gains — from clearer career direction to stronger goal articulation and expanded skills and networks. More than half of coaching participants said they could define their next career steps more clearly, and 37% reported they could better articulate their goals.
These individual shifts added up. As employees gained more confidence, the organization benefited, too. The ripple effects of coaching are estimated to have saved more than $77 million USD in costs, yielding an impressive 670.4% ROI.
The Saudi Electricity Company in Saudi Arabia offers another example of coaching’s impact and results. After investing in a coaching culture, they saw internal promotions climb 22% and employee engagement rise by 19%. Additionally, teams saved more than 12,500 hours, efficiencies that helped reduce costs across key projects.
These are only a few examples of how coaching leads to measurable impacts. Explore more resources and examples to learn about the benefits of a coaching culture.
These returns lead to generative growth, driving the culture and transforming how employees, managers, and leadership engage in their work and with their colleagues.
Increasing Opportunities for Coaches
The ROI of coaching is clear, and coaches like you are important partners in delivering and sharing about that impact. These examples can be a powerful way to help those less familiar with coaching see what it is capable of.
For leaders committed to developing people and shaping strong workplace cultures, coaching offers a high-potential strategy backed by emerging ROI insights. These examples demonstrate how coaching can contribute to meaningful growth at every level of an organization. If you’re ready to take the next step, learn more about how to create a coaching culture in your organization.
