Introduction
These three information (info) sheets are a part of the Evaluation of Employment Coaching for Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) and Related Populations & Long-Term Follow-Up Study, which assesses the implementation of four coaching interventions and their impacts on study participants’ self-regulation, employment, earnings, self-sufficiency, and other measures of well-being. These info sheets discuss:
- practical considerations for coaches on how to build and promote strong relationships with their participants. It draws on lessons learned from the employment coaching evaluation, sharing insights from coaches and participants about what works. The info sheet on how to build strong coaching relationships is available at this link (PDF).
- reasons for and implications of offering financial incentives, based on interviews with staff and participants from two employment coaching programs that offered financial incentives. Practitioners may use this information to understand participants’ views of and behavioral responses to incentives, which could inform their conversations with participants. Program developers and leaders could use this information as they decide whether to use incentives and how to structure them. The info sheet on offering financial incentives is available at this link (PDF).
- evidence and practical insights from two employment coaching programs implementing employment coaching with TANF participants. Findings demonstrate how this participant-centered approach can work within TANF's framework while potentially improving engagement and outcomes. The info sheet on implementing employment coaching with TANF participants is available at this link (PDF).
Purpose
Busy practitioners have limited time to engage with extensive reports and briefs. The purpose of these info sheets is to provide considerations and insights in a way that is easy for a variety of audiences to understand.
A strong relationship between coaches and participants is crucial for effective employment coaching. The first info sheet presents practical considerations for coaches on how to build strong relationships with their participants. It outlines important characteristics of a strong coaching relationship, potential benefits for both coaches and participants, and practical considerations for building better connection. More information can be found in the longer brief, How to Build Strong Coach—Participant Relationships.
Employment coaching and other human services programs may offer financial incentives to reward participants for steps that they take toward their goals. The second info sheet offers practical considerations for implementing incentives. It outlines the programs’ motivations for offering incentives, incentive structure, and lessons learned. More information can be found in the longer brief, Should Human Services Programs Offer Financial Incentives (PDF).
A growing number of policymakers, practitioners, and researchers are exploring whether employment coaching—rather than traditional case management—can effectively support participants receiving TANF benefits while maintaining program requirements. Unlike traditional TANF case management in which staff direct participants' activities, employment coaching gives participants autonomy to set their own goals and decide their path forward. The third info sheet shares considerations for program leaders and practitioners on implementing coaching with TANF participants, based on finding from the two programs in the evaluation that served only families receiving TANF benefits: Family Development and Self-Sufficiency (FaDSS) in Iowa and Goal4 It!TM in Jefferson County, Colorado. More information can be found in the longer brief, Providing Employment Coaching to Families Receiving TANF Benefits.
Key Findings and Highlights
The key findings from the Building Strong Coaching Relationships info sheet are:
According to coaches and participants, strong coaching relationships are characterized by trust and respect, nonjudgemental support, genuine interest and empathy, and personal connections.
Benefits of these relationships include social and emotional support, a greater sense of autonomy and self-confidence, feeling motivated and inspired, broader wellness, better-informed coaching, and less burnout for coaches.
Practical considerations for building strong coaching relationships include offering information and resources, withholding judgement, listening actively, celebrating success, sharing your experiences, and meeting with participants frequently and consistently.
The key findings from the Offering Financial Incentives info sheet are:
Two programs in this evaluation offered incentives for one or more of the following reasons: to provide participants with additional resources, to motivate participants and cover the cost of participation, or to incentivize employment outcomes and celebrate success.
Lessons learned regarding incentives included: that while staff and participants both positively viewed incentives, they differed on whether they thought they affected behavior; it was difficult to right-size the incentives; participants preferred to receive the incentive as cash or direct deposit; and there are benefits to simplicity.
The key findings from the Implementing Employment Coaching with TANF Participants info sheet are:
Implementing non-directive coaching requires agency-wide support and training.
Coaching did not result in more noncompliance with TANF work requirements.
Coaching did not decrease earnings, and the programs showed some promising initial impacts.
Participants valued continued coaching support after exiting the TANF program.
Both coaches and participants appreciated the coaching approach.
Methods
The guidance, insights and, considerations in these sheets are based on evidence collected from surveys and interviews with participants, coaches, and other program staff at four employment coaching programs: Family Development and Self-Sufficiency (FaDSS), Goal4 It!™, LIFT, and MyGoals for Employment Success (MyGoals).
Citation
Sam Vance, Kristen Joyce, Krista O’Connell, and Rebecca Connelly Kersting. (2025). “Info Sheet for Coaches: Building Strong Coaching Relationships.” OPRE Brief #2025-165. Washington, DC: Office of Planning, Research, and Evaluation, Administration for Children and Families, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
Sheena McConnell, Correne Saunders, Jennifer Herard-Tsiagbey, and Rebecca Connelly Kersting. (2025). “Info Sheet for Employment Programs: Offering Financial Incentives.” OPRE Brief #2025-164. Washington, DC: Office of Planning, Research, and Evaluation, Administration for Children and Families, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
Sam Vance, Kristen Joyce, Michelle Derr, Sheena McConnell, and Karen Gardiner (2025). “Info Sheet for Program Leaders & Practitioners: Implementing Employment Coaching with TANF Participants.” OPRE Brief #2025-166. Washington, DC: Office of Planning, Research, and Evaluation, Administration for Children and Families, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.