Beyond Gut Feelings: How Data Validates Coaching and Wellbeing Initiatives

Proving the Impact: How Data and KPIs Show the Value of Coaching and Mental Health Initiatives in the Workplace

By Belinda Sharp, LMHC

In today's workplaces, coaching and mental health awareness are no longer “nice to have”—they are strategic investments. But even the most transformative program will struggle for funding or staying power without clear evidence of its impact. People will often question the value of developing “soft skills” or misinterpret the value of focusing on coaching or mental health outcomes rather than other company issues.  That’s where data, KPIs, and metrics come in.

When we measure what matters, we not only validate our efforts—we build the case for long-term cultural change.  In this article on Coaching and Leadership, we look at how Key Performance Indicators along with real world examples related to implementation offer a clearer roadmap for launching a coaching program that fits your team’s culture, goals, and resources.

Start With Clarity: What Are You Measuring and Why?

When I became a supervisor, and then a clinic director, the need for managing data increased. It came in the form of spreadsheets, dashboards, and other tracking forms. I understood the value of the data, but it was frustrating at times when I couldn’t figure out how to put the pieces together in a way that explained what was going on, or I couldn’t attach it directly to overall goals.  People might feel like they were filling something out just as another piece of paper rather than understanding the meaning behind the data. This makes it increasingly crucial to make sure what you are measuring and how it connects to outcomes, growth, and support not only makes sense, but is helping to meet goals.

Before choosing metrics, anchor them to the purpose of your coaching or mental health initiative. Are you trying to reduce burnout? Build more effective managers? Improve psychological safety? Once you know the goal, meaningful measurement becomes much easier.  Regardless of your industry, there are standards that have to be measured.  These can be adapted based on needs in order to provide support for changes in embedding or prioritizing coaching and mental health as part of the process.  

As John Doerr emphasizes in Measure What Matters (2018), organizations succeed when they “measure what truly counts”—aligning data to objectives that are clear, ambitious, and actionable. His OKR (Objectives and Key Results) framework is used by companies like Google, Intel, and Bono’s ONE campaign to turn vision into reality. This mindset can be adapted across industries of many sizes, particularly when trying to embed coaching or wellbeing practices into organizational culture.

What Does Measurement Look Like in Practice?

In order to effectively align the implementation of practices, you should outline specific KPIs, what they assess, and how to track them effectively. For example, when it comes to leadership coaching, the most effective organizations use a combination of behavioral assessments, employee feedback, and business performance indicators to track progress. For instance, a common starting point is a 360-degree leadership assessment, administered before and after coaching. These tools reveal measurable changes in communication, influence, and relational skills—providing concrete evidence of leadership growth over time.

Goal achievement rates also offer insight into program effectiveness. By tracking the percentage of coaching goals successfully reached—whether it's improving delegation, enhancing emotional intelligence, or leading more inclusive teams—organizations can connect individual development to broader business outcomes.

Another meaningful metric is the engagement level of employees who report to coached leaders. Post-coaching improvements in team morale and collaboration are often visible through quarterly pulse surveys or tools like the Gallup Q12. These indicators show how a single leader’s growth can positively ripple across a team.

Retention and promotion rates provide another valuable lens. When employees who’ve received coaching are more likely to stay with the company or move into higher roles, it speaks directly to coaching’s impact on leadership pipeline development. Similarly, manager effectivenes