The global demand for executive coaching in 2016

​For both providers and consumers of executive coaching, keeping abreast of market trends can help to benchmark services and understand the market.

The Sherpa Executive Coaching Survey published earlier this year provides some summary headlines on the global demand for executive coaching. These report on findings from 65 countries across all continents. Key findings include:

• According to 17% of coaching clients, HR professionals and coaches themselves, demand for coaching is considered to substantially increase in 2016. 54% predict that demand will rise slightly and a further 24% consider that demand will remain steady. The remaining 5% predict a decline in demand.

• Average earnings for executive coaches (as differentiated from business or life coaches) have held fairly steady over the past year. The average hourly rate charged globally is $374 (which is approximately £255). Given that this is a mean average from across the globe it might be assumed that average UK hourly rates are higher than this. However it should be noted that less experienced coaches (those with less than 10 years experience) earn considerably less. The downward spiral in coach income/charges for those who are new and less experienced is predicted to continue in 2016. 

• Executive coaches report that 69% of their executive coaching work is paid for by the employer, representing a slight global increase on 2015. This growing trend to 'employer paid' assignments is said to demonstrate the advancing professionalism of executive coaching, particularly outside the US and Europe. 

For the survey findings see here.