How to Incorporate Mentorship Programs in the Workplace

Employees leaving their bosses- not companies is not a new concept – it’s just recently gaining traction.

The trending Great Resignation movement narrows in on quitting employees, as opposed to the root of the cause: bad leaders.

For example, have you ever worked in a position where you considered it to be “just a job”?

Or one where you constantly had to remind yourself that you were getting a paycheck?

Today, it’s no longer enough to expect your employees to continue to show up for you and engage if they don’t feel a sense of inclusion or, at a minimum, see room for potential growth.

We are celebrating National Mentoring Month 2022 all of January, and if you happened to catch last weeks blog, (if not, read it here: National Mentoring Month 2022: The Importance of Mentorship) I talked about how professional mentoring helped me get to where I am today. Because of my experiences, I strive to do the same for my mentees, and encourage you to do the same.

Here’s how you can incorporate Mentoring into your Workplace.

How Do Companies Use Mentoring Programs in the Workplace?

The most successful companies incorporate some sort of mentoring in their workplace. If you are looking to implement a mentoring program in your business but don’t know where to start, keep reading for guidance.

Career Mentoring for Improved Employee Career Development

Career mentoring is by far the most common mentoring program we see in the workplace.

How do companies benefit from career mentoring in the workplace?

Remember that you want your employees to believe in the vision of your business and match their passion to their work. To retain diligent employees and develop future leaders, it’s important to understand their career aspirations and seek to align them with the goals of your company.

By implementing mentoring programs in the workplace, you are fostering a culture of career development and leadership development to help your employees gain new skills while engaging with your organization. Happier employees and a better retention rate all lead to a more effective organization.

How do employees benefit from career mentoring?

There is no limit to the number of benefits employees receive from learning and development opportunities. By offering career mentoring programs, your employees will enhance their skill sets and pursue advancement all while observing that you are invested in their careers.

Mentoring for Leadership Development

Mentorship for Leadership Development links promising employees stars with leaders, top performers, and each other. This one-to-one mentorship nurtures a company’s leadership chain.

How do companies benefit from high-potential mentorship in the workplace?

While high potentials are valuable assets to your company, they can be difficult to retain.

However, it can be done. With careful cultivation, companies can increase retention to ensure they’ll be able to appoint suitable leaders at the top when needed. Thus, engaging these high potentials and developing their leadership skills will ensure they’re learning what they need to excel in prospective new roles.

How do employees benefit from high-potential mentoring programs?

With one-on-one mentoring in the workplace, high potential employees will benefit from personal attention, direct guidance, and professional development. This type of personalized development is engaging for employees and provides tangible proof that their employer is investing in their careers.

Reverse Mentoring in the Workplace

Reverse mentoring links an older, more experienced employee with a younger, less experienced newcomer. This type of mentoring can be done in a one-to-one or group setting. Here, the younger employee acts as the mentor, providing senior members of the organization with the latest information on technical skills, developing technology and workplace trends.

How do companies benefit from reverse mentorship in the workplace?

Reverse mentoring is two-fold: engaging and developing employees while creating bonds between senior leaders and younger employees. By connecting cross-generational employees, mentoring in the workplace creates a more informed workforce.

How do employees benefit from reverse mentoring?

With reverse mentoring in the workplace, senior leaders are empowered with insights on trends and the latest technologies. Furthermore, the younger employee gains visibility into management, its issues, and perspectives.

Diversity Mentoring in the Workplace

Diversity mentoring in the workplace has become a popular choice for companies that are seeking to become an employer of choice. This type is a one-to-one mentorship aimed at engaging and developing specific subsets of employees.

How do companies benefit from diversity mentoring programs in the workplace?

Fostering an inclusive workplace with diversity mentoring helps organizations develop and retain diverse talent while building a robust community of diverse talent for the future. This type of mentoring program helps corporations differentiate themselves from their competitors while providing long-term support for their employees.

How do employees benefit from diversity mentoring?

Diversity mentoring in organizations empowers a wide range of employees to share their opinions, ideas, knowledge, experiences and mentoring topics in the workplace and on a level playing field. Through diversity initiatives, employees learn cultural awareness to create an inclusive corporate culture built on trust and support.

Mentoring Circles in the Workplace

A mentoring circle is a peer-to-peer format that enables employees to find peers who share common interests or learning objectives, and develop together as a group. Each circle has an owner (an employee) who designates the number of participants and sets expectations for how, when and why the circle will meet. We recommend capping membership at 5-8 employees per circle.

How do companies benefit from mentoring circles in the workplace?

Since employees own and run the circles, this type of program is becoming extremely popular. Circles promote cross-departmental knowledge sharing, which expands the institutional knowledge pool. The result? Improved innovation by connecting people with varying skillsets who are interested in solving the same challenge.

How do employees benefit from mentoring circles?

Connecting employees with their peers who have the same interests helps to create bonds between people who otherwise may not have interacted. Mentoring circles help employees find like-minded peers at work, which helps foster a sense of belonging.

Be the Difference

We hope that this guide helps you understand that benefits of mentorship in the workplace. These examples are common ways you can implement mentorship programs in your workplace. Professional mentorship helps to retain and engage your employees, build connections, give your business competitive egde, and so much more. If you have any additional questions or are in need of extra guidance, go ahead and reach out to one of our MCDA CCG professionals. Call our office, send us an email, connect with us on social media (@mcdaccginc), or head over to our here: Get in touch with us .

You can find our other leadership resources below:

“Employer of the Year”- We Need Your Vote!

Last month, we shared that our MCDA CCG, Inc. was named by the Orange County Business Journal as a 2021 Companies That Care Honoree for Employer of the Year. In a time of severe staffing shortages driven by the Covid-19 pandemic and the Great Resignation, we are extremely honored to be recognized particularly in this category. If you have 10 seconds to spare, we ask that you please click the survey link and cast in your vote for MCDA CCG as Employer of the Year.

Voting lasts until January 24th, we appreciate your votes in advance!

Survey link: Excellence In Placentia 2022