Why is a mentorship program so important for your company?

Implementing a mentorship program in your business is key to developing vested, engaged employees.
Mentorship programs connect employees with each other, sometimes outside of their respective job roles or expectations.
Area vice president of Asia-Pacific for Salesforce Melissa Di Donato believes that engaged employees should be used during all career stages, not just the beginning or during training periods.
Many places of employment believe mentorship is a one way street, a way for younger, inexperienced workers to learn the ropes from an older, more experienced counterpart. Using this model of mentorship sets your company up for failure.
Mentorship is a collaborative, two-way street of learning and understanding. According to Forbes, Millennial workers can learn from and teach the Baby Boomer and Generation X company leaders.
The two main types of mentorship are:

• Reverse mentorship between older and younger workers: In this relationship, a collaboration is formed between two different sectors of the company. An older worker can teach new workers how to execute their job roles in an efficient, well-thought-out mode. They can also lend their own learning experiences and areas they wish they had completed differently or changed if they could go back. In return, younger generations can explain newer technology aspects, the benefits of more open, collaborative workspaces and nuances that have just emerged.
• Peer to peer: In a peer-to-peer mentorship, workers at the same stage in life can compare and contrast experiences. Oftentimes it helps to learn from someone close to your age that has fielded the same experiences and has been in your shoes. Peers can compare how they complete company tasks, where they see themselves in the future of the company and other aspects.

Most workers have more than one mentor, which can also be beneficial for a wide array of work experiences and for future change.
The benefits of a mentorship program include:

• Building lasting relationships: Workers will build and maintain relationships that can exceed company walls. These relationships can foster a sense of belonging, as well as improve team projects.
• Collaboration and communication: Mentorships allow workers to meet each other outside of usual department constraints or management lines. Increased communication between employees can strengthen bonds and an overall sense of understanding.
• Fielding where employees desire to be in the future: Mentors help workers discover where they would like to be down the line. New workers are able to learn the ins and outs of a job, whereas more experienced workers can learn how they can change job practices for better fluidity and outcome.
• Tracking progress of new hires: Instead of having weekly or monthly check-ins with a whole department, mentors can meet up with mentees and track progress and changes. This can help change outdated company practices as well as possibly preventing issues before they arise.

A mentorship trains workers in a mutually beneficial relationship. Find out more about mentorship programs with Mastery Technologies available e-learning courses. Our website has a range of courses available on leadership, coaching and mentoring, and much more.
Employee development begins with the bonds and training formed in the workplace.
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