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What Are The Benefits of Providing a Mentoring Program?

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Young professional watching her colleague point to a whiteboardHR Question:

Our team members have been asking for additional development opportunities and a mentoring program has been suggested. What are the benefits of a mentoring program, and how do we implement one?

HR Answer:

The benefits of having a mentor can be immeasurable. Almost 80% of CEO’s say they had mentors throughout their careers which led to greater career success. Mentors can provide a different lens to see challenges through; they can also provide excellent advice on both professional and personal fronts – and where those fronts intersect.

Having a mentor can make a clear, positive impact on someone’s career. But what can a mentorship program do for employers, as well?

Benefits of Having a Mentoring Program

For Employees:

Both the mentee and the mentor can benefit significantly from a mentor program. The mentee is able to find guidance, increase their knowledge and their network, and have a trusted and tested ally to bounce ideas off of. For the mentor, this relationship can give them the opportunity to give back or to pay their success forward. Additionally, the mentee may ask questions of the mentor that prompt the mentor to re-evaluate or re-examine their own opportunities through a different lens.

In the end, both parties can benefit from a trusted partner, an honest conversation, and someone they know they can lean on in the workplace, creating psychological safety.

For Employers:

As the University of California, Davis illustrates, the benefits are not for the employees alone! By implementing a mentorship program internally, organizations can:

  • Increase retention by showing a commitment to growth, leadership, and continuous learning.
  • Maintain institutional knowledge and encourage knowledge transfer.
  • Foster an inclusive and diverse environment, improving their employment brand.

How to Implement Successfully

When implementing a mentoring program, follow the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM)’s five-step plan:

  1. Establish requirements for participation from both groups.
  2. Establish specific activities and guidelines for the mentors.
  3. Acquire mentors and mentees.
  4. Match mentors and mentees.
  5. Monitor and evaluate the program during and after.

While each step is important in its own way, it is incredibly important to connect any activities, actions, or guidelines with your own goals for the organization. For example, do you have a goal of increasing retention and hiring from within? Make sure that you have activities related to how employees could see themselves growing in, up, and through the company. Is your goal to create a safe space and trusted ally between mentors and mentees for mental/physical health? Then make sure exercises, questions, and activities are geared toward building trust and open communication.

What Makes a Mentoring Program Excel

Meeting with your mentor on a regular basis with an outlined agenda will help you utilize your time wisely. Be prepared to talk about your goals and how you have moved the needle closer to the goal. What are the roadblocks you’ve experienced; how did you overcome them; how did you implement your mentor’s previous advice? You should talk about key takeaways and next steps for your next meeting.

When establishing a mentor program, make sure all participants are on the same page. When mentors and mentees aren’t aligned on desired outcomes, mentors might give advice that doesn’t match the situation, or mentees might feel disillusioned or frustrated. The partners don’t always have to agree – nor is each party always right – but setting expectations for open and respectful dialogue and honest feedback can be helpful for both sides.

Be sure to provide an out. If one party isn’t giving the amount of energy necessary for a successful partnership, or if roles aren’t being taken seriously, it’s important that everyone understands that the arrangement should only go on as long as both parties feel it is beneficial.

Special thanks to Tracy Walker and Sammie Kelly for contributing to this edition of our HR Question of the Week! 

Providing impactful training and development opportunities can be a key factor in attracting and retaining the best talent. Learn more about how Strategic HR can help you build the right training and development programs for your workforce. Check out our Training and Development page or contact us today to learn more.

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Why You Should Always Be Networking

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Question:
I keep hearing “Network! Network! Network!” I already have a full-time position. I thought networking was just for job seekers.

Answer:
In short, you should always be networking – no matter if you are employed or unemployed.

Let’s begin by defining networking so we are on the same page. According to Merriam-Webster, networking is “The exchange of information or services among individuals, groups, or institutions specifically the cultivation of productive relationships for employment or business.” Networking is about building professional relationships. Essentially, it’s all about who you know, who they know, and how you might be able to help one another.

We are all busy with our professional and personal lives, so why take the time to network?

  • To meet potential prospects/clients/customers/referrals
  • To build relationships and/or friendships
  • Help spread awareness about your product/service you provide
  • You never know what your next opportunity will bring. Someone may be looking for your unique skill set.
  • Do you like helping others? Pay it forward. You may know someone who is looking for a job.
  • To get/give advice. Effective networking is mutually beneficial to both involved. It should not be a one-way street.

Steps on how to network:

Even when you understand the value and importance of networking and building professional relationships, you might ask yourself, “So where do I begin?” Here are suggestions for how to get started:

  • What sets you apart? What makes you, YOU?! If you are not sure, ask people.
  • Make a list of who you know including family, friends, neighbors, co-workers, managers (present and former), and affiliations/professional associations you are involved with.
  • Identify what your need is. Do you want people to know about your company/service/product? Are you job seeking?
  • Think about the knowledge, skills, and abilities that you can offer to those you’re networking with. Remember- networking should be mutually beneficial. Of course, you may not know exactly how you can help someone until you talk with them about their own interests and needs, but giving some thought to this before meeting them can help generate ideas.

What to do when you attend a networking event:

To ensure that you get the most out of attending a networking event, it can help to do some preparation before you go. Make sure that you take any necessary materials that will help you in making connections, such as business cards, brochures, etc. Think about how you want to introduce yourself. Some people find it helpful to practice a short “elevator pitch” that succinctly explains who you are and what you do.

Here are some suggestions on how to begin, track, and follow up on your networking conversations:

  • A common thing people do when first meeting someone is to ask, “What do you do?” A great way to meet someone is to ask them, “What brought you here today?” That way the person doesn’t feel awkward if they are in a job search.
  • Ask for their business card. Make a note on the back of the card about the conversation and follow-up with them.
  • Connect with them on LinkedIn. Always send a personal note when sending an invitation for the connection. It can be something like, “Hi Joe, we met at the XYZ Event the other night. I really enjoyed our conversation and would like the opportunity to connect with you on LinkedIn to expand my network.” Once the person accepts your LinkedIn invitation, you can follow up with the conversation that you had with next steps.
  • Keep a spreadsheet of the people you’ve met, where you met, a brief description of your conversation, and any next steps.
  • Keep your networking fresh by sending an email or a LinkedIn message saying that you just wanted to say hello and that you were thinking of them. This will go a long way.
  • Always ask the other person how you can help them. Even if there isn’t anything at the present time, there may be an opportunity in the future. Networking is a two-way street and beneficial for both parties.

Where can I find networking meetings/events?

If you are looking for networking and professional development opportunities, Strategic HR has a great list of HR events that are hosted by local and national organizations. Many of the events address topics of interest to a broad audience, so they are not limited to only HR professionals. Eventbrite and Meetup are additional sources you can use to search for networking events based on your interests and preferred geographic location.

Bottom line, you can network wherever you are…at work, at the grocery store, at sporting events, etc. The key is being open to meeting new people and being yourself. If you’ve thought about what you want people to know about you, it’s easier to dive in when networking opportunities present themselves. Remember to share your talents and not just your title. By effectively networking, you will reap the benefits both now and in the future. So always be prepared to network!

 

Communication often seems like a “no-brainer.” You have something to say and you just “say it.” However, hearing and listening are two different functions. HOW you communicate is often as important as WHAT you communicate when it comes to getting results! Strategic HR has years of experience preparing communications for a variety of audiences and topics. Visit our Communications page to learn how we can assist you with various communication-based projects.