How can humanistic coaching affect employee well-being and performance? An application of self-determination theory

Coaching has established itself as a key component of employee learning and development. Yet, despite the prevalence and impact of coaching in organisations, there has been a lack of theory regarding the processes through which coaching behaviours influence outcomes for coachees (i.e. motivation, performance and well-being). As such, in the current review, we integrate theory from the emerging humanistic coaching literature with self-determination theory to explicate a process model of how different types of coaching practices (autonomy-, competency- and relatedness-supportive behaviours) that are integral to humanistic coaching influence employee outcomes through the attainment of psychological needs (autonomy, competence and relatedness). The proposed model has practical implications to enhance the success of coaching relationships, in addition to creating a stronger theoretical foundation upon which humanistic coaching research and practice can draw.