This study aims to investigate the impact of coaching leadership (CL) on two critical organisational outcomes: employee engagement and intention to leave. Additionally, it examines the interrelationship between these variables and provides a demographic profile of respondents based on their engagement levels and tendencies to leave.
A quantitative, cross-sectional design was adopted using a structured questionnaire administered online to a convenience sample in Portugal. A total of 204 valid responses were obtained. Data analysis included exploratory factor analysis (EFA) to validate the constructs and regression analysis using Hayes’ PROCESS macro with 5,000 bootstrapped samples to test the hypothesised relationships.
The results indicate a significant positive association between CL skills and employee engagement, as well as a negative association with intention to leave. Moreover, engagement was found to play a mediating role in the relationship between CL and employees’ intention to leave, highlighting its strategic importance in leadership effectiveness and employee retention.
This study contributes to the literature by offering empirical evidence of the dual impact of CL on engagement and intention to leave, and by unveiling the mediating role of engagement. The findings underscore the value of fostering a coaching-oriented leadership style as a strategic approach to cultivating a more committed, motivated and stable workforce.
