Refining the Measurement of Employee Coaching Frequency and Expertise: A Mediation Study of Supervisor-Employee Coaching Relationships, In-Role Behaviours, and Turnover Intentions

Problem Organisations increasingly expect supervisors to coach their direct reports, and employees increasingly expect high-quality coaching support. Yet Human Resource Development (HRD) professionals lack clear evidence about whether the frequency of coaching or the expertise with which supervisors coach matters more for employee outcomes, and how coaching relationships shape these effects. This uncertainty leaves HRD professionals without clear guidance on where to focus developmental efforts. Solution This study refines the Ellinger et al. (2003) Coaching Behaviours Measure (CBM) to more precisely distinguish coaching frequency from coaching expertise and examines how each relates to employee in-role behaviours (IRB) and turnover intentions. Using data from 63 employee-supervisor pairs in a New Zealand consulting organisation, the refined F-CBM and E-CBM demonstrated strong reliability and validity. Whilst coaching expertise emerged as the stronger predictor of employee outcomes, coaching frequency exerted a more meaningful effect than previously recognised. The pattern of associations is consistent with the possibility that coaching relationship quality may play an indirect role in these relationships. Stakeholders These findings offer actionable guidance for coaching supervisors, HRD professionals and organisational leaders by clarifying which aspects of supervisory coaching matter most for employee performance and retention. This evidence can inform the design of coaching development initiatives that meet both employee expectations and organisational talent retention goals. Implication HRD practitioners can enhance employee outcomes by prioritising supervisors’ coaching expertise, strengthening their relationship-building capability, and supporting regular high-quality coaching conversations.