Mentorships can boost recruiting and retention, build future leaders, and grow diversity and inclusion. They also increase employee engagement, collaboration and sharing of institutional knowledge. Studies show benefits to both mentees and mentors in professional development, understanding of organizational culture and development of new perspectives.
It’s no wonder then that many employers have active mentorship programs in place. According to recent research by the Association for Talent Development, 29 percent of the nearly 1,000 organizations surveyed have formal mentoring programs, while another 37 percent have informal mentoring programs.
Whether formal or informal, workplace mentoring usually involves a more senior staff member providing support and guidance to a newer staff member. In addition to technical training and support, mentors often provide personal advice and encouragement. This helps to effectively develop bonds between staff from different departments, can promote collaboration throughout the organization and helps promote sharing of information that could be lost when current workers retire or leave.
A well-designed workplace mentoring program can give less experienced employees who participate as mentees a deeper understanding of:
- Your organization and its culture
- The career pathways that exist for advancement
- They skills they’ll need to move ahead
- How other departments and teams function
Similarly, a well-designed workplace mentoring program can help more senior employees who act as mentors develop:
- Leadership skills
- A deeper understanding of how the organization works
- Better rapport with employees from different generations and backgrounds
- Stronger connections throughout the organization
While mentorships can help both mentors and mentees build personal connections in the workplace and help create a welcoming workplace environment, a successful mentorship program does take some work. A few basic guidelines:
- Mentors and mentees should be matched appropriately based on a variety of factors that may include: skills, position responsibilities, career goals and personalities.
- Formal goals of the mentorship, aligned with organizational strategy, should be established and clearly communicated with both the mentor and the mentee.
- Time should be set aside for regular meetings between mentor and mentee and a system for self-evaluation of their progress should be in place.
- Organizations should monitor and evaluate mentoring relationships to ensure the relationship is productive and beneficial to both employees and the organization.
Here are some resources to help you prepare for a successful workplace mentorship program:
