Making corporate mentorship programs matter

Today's workforce comprises at least 4 different generational cohorts from Baby Boomers, Gen X, Gen Y, Gen Z and increasingly the expectations from the workplace is more varied than ever before, as some of the aspects that these cohorts value are different.

This is on top of the complications of a distributed workforce, talent retention challenges, as well as the complexities of working in a hybrid environment that reduces in-person interactions in organisations. Managers straddle achieving stretch targets and KPIs while also managing the engagement of their teams. Even with managers who are committed to people development, the prioritisation of achieving KPIs might impact the attention they can provide to employees to mentor them in a psychologically safe space.

What is needed here is a parallel system of work relationships that focuses on the development and growth of employees, to help them find the link between their personal passions, purpose and the organisational goals and opportunities. Such a system would allow for a dedicated space and guidance to employees to pursue their own development without the context of the pressure of targets or the stress of relationships in a temporally confined space.

Not to say that managers can not provide this space to their teams, but a dedicated system of mentorship demonstrates the commitment of the organisation to employee development while also sharpening the skills of the "mentor managers".

So what is a corporate mentorship program?

It's a structured program that provides mentorship experience to employees for 6 months or more. Employees are either matched or choose their mentors from a group of identified, trained mentors.

How does it benefit the organisation?

It gives the corporation a soul - Employees are likely to value the supportive human connection that mentorship provides, providing a dimension beyond transactional expectations.

It builds a pipeline of employees and external applicants - beyond developing internal employees for potential roles, it helps strengthen the brand of the company both internally and externally, enabling talent attraction and retention.

Builds corporate culture - Builds a broader sense of purpose and alignment around it by allowing leaders to articulate the values and explain the assumptions around their strategic pursuits. It promotes deeper connections in the organisation, especially important in the hybrid workplace context.

Creates better leaders - cultivates leadership skills through intergenerational relationships and strengthens human connections and understanding. It allows the organisation to role model the desired leadership character through its selected group of mentors. It also benefits the mentor leaders by enhancing their job satisfaction and commitment.

Develops more confident employees - provides feedback and encouragement to employees on their strengths and capabilities in a psychologically safe space.

How best to structure the corporate mentorship program?

To make your mentorship programs successful, focus on a few areas that have been shown to contribute to the effectiveness of the program:

Goals and alignment:

• Start with clear goals that are well understood by mentors and mentees

• Obtain the endorsement and support from the seniormost leaders

Design and structure:

• Appoint a program owner to provide visibility and accountability

• Launch a formal structure with KPIs/Metrics to track progress. Use apps/software for ease of program administration and tracking

• Have a structured approach to matching mentees to mentors, and allow the mentees to have some choice

Skill and orientation:

• Invest in training and orientation for mentors, but also mentees

• Include opt-out options for mentees and set time commitment expectations.

Engagement and Trust

• Watch out for overloading mentors and mentees with other work, and provide a platform for easy communication

• Ensure regular feedback is obtained about the program and learnings incorporated

For a free diagnostic tool that could be used by your HR team to self-assess the current level of effectiveness of the program design, email us at hello@skopostalent.com

In closing

The benefits from a mentorship program go far beyond developing skills in employees. It is reported that most Fortune 500 companies have some structured mentorship programs. Having said that, the administrative load on employees must be managed, and care should be taken to ensure that the structure enables the facilitators and manages the inhibitors of the success of the mentorship program. Most successful leaders credit their success to a mentor. Through a structured mentorship program, it is possible to make mentorship accessible to a larger section of employees for their growth, while also building a strong culture that helps fulfil the organisation's purpose.

Resources

1. MentorCliq (2024), 2024 mentoring Impact Report - https://www.mentorcliq.com/blog/mentoring-impact-report

2. Christopher CJ Gross (2023), A Better Approach to Mentoring, HBR - https://hbr.org/2023/06/a-better-approach-to-mentorship?utm_source=chatgpt.com

3. Eby, Lillian & Lentz, Elizabeth. (2006). Mentorship Behaviours and Mentorship Quality Associated With Formal Mentoring Programs: Closing the Gap Between Research and Practice. Journal of Applied Psychology.