As companies expand their workforces and invest in employee retention and diversity programs, they are also looking into providing their employees with career mentorship. This type of coaching can help them develop their skills and connect with their employers. Besides being an employee perk, offering career advice can help you retain and attract top talent.
Unfortunately, many career mentorship programs fail due to various factors such as poor program management, insufficient executive sponsorship, and lack of resources and structure. Here are five basic steps to building a successful mentorship program.
Find a Purpose
One of the most important factors employers should consider when establishing a successful mentorship program is the benefits it can provide their employees. For instance, you can help new managers visualize the benefits of being a mentor by sending an email to all of them. Or, you can provide ongoing coaching to employees through a more experienced manager.
Before you start implementing a successful program, you must establish the program’s goals. For instance, you should define what you want to achieve in terms of developing managers and providing access to mentorship to minorities. A clear understanding of the program’s goals can motivate and convince your employees to join.
Focus on Your Mentee’s Goals
The employees must be matched based on their objectives to ensure that the relationships develop and grow. For instance, some goals individuals might have been learning a new skill or navigating through a new phase of life.
Another important factor that employers should consider when establishing a successful mentorship program is the participants’ preferences. This can be done by considering their interests and career philosophy.
Get the Conversation Started
Most mentees need to gain the necessary skills to navigate the various conversations in a successful mentorship program. To help them get the most out of their interactions, you can hold a training session that’s designed to teach them about the program’s goals and how to build momentum. After making the matches, you can send them a document that will help them identify the topics they’ll be discussing during the first three meetings.
Always Follow Through
One of the most common complaints that mentors receive is the need for follow-through. They must regularly send follow-up notes and arrange scheduled meetings to ensure the relationship develops and grows.
Evaluate the Impact
One of the most critical phases of establishing a successful program is to evaluate its effectiveness of the program. Getting started with a successful mentorship program can be daunting, especially since it involves the time and resources required to set up and manage the program. Securing ongoing support and funding is crucial to ensure the program is successful. The measure phase involves assessing the program’s health to identify areas where it can improve.
The evaluation of a successful program should take place at three different altitudes. It should include the participant, the program, and the mentoring connection.
Uplift Their Success
It would help if you also surveyed the participants to collect their stories and celebrate their achievements. Doing so will help you build a stronger relationship with the individuals and ensure that the program is successful. One of the most critical steps you can take to improve the program’s success is to give the participants a shout-out at an all-hands meeting or hold a lunch for them.