Managerial coaching as antecedent to employee engagement and organization citizenship behaviors: evidence from India

Purpose Research on how managerial coaching effects employee cognitions and motivations is scarce, especially in the Indian context. This study aims to explore the association between managerial coaching, perceived investment in employee development (PIED), as antecedents, and employee engagement and organization citizenship behaviors directed to the organization (OCBO), as consequences, in the context of the pharmaceutical industry in Sikkim (India). Design/methodology/approach The target population for the study are the first-level line managers and non-managerial employees of pharmaceutical companies in Sikkim (India). A cross-sectional study was conducted using sample collected through self-reported questionnaire and analyzed using partial least squares structural equation modeling. Findings The results indicate that managerial coaching is positively associated with employee engagement and OCBO. PIED was not found to be associated with the employee outcomes. Implications for theory and practice, limitations and recommendations for research are discussed. Originality/value To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first study to test the association of managerial coaching and PIED with employee engagement and OCBO in a single model.