3 Key Steps to Designing a Successful Mentoring Program in an Organization

A mentoring program is an essential element of any modern organization. Today, companies are realizing more and more just how beneficial investing in their talent can be, and one of the best ways you can do that is by investing in your employees through mentoring.  

Thanks to the digital revolution, mentoring programs are now made simple and easy through mentoring software that helps facilitate the entire process, from start to finish if you think that your employees can benefit from such a program, waste no time and start designing a comprehensive and effective mentoring program.

Growth through mentoring

Employee mentoring allows you to help them grow personally and professionally. It gives them the guidance they need to find their career path, help them form strong bonds and connections, increase their motivation levels and boost morale, and, in the end, all of these things help your business grow and increase your bottom line.

In fact, according to a recent study, 90 percent of employees who participated in a mentoring program reported that the experience helped them develop a positive relationship with another person in the organization. Eighty-nine percent of the subjects said that the mentoring program allowed them to make contributions towards the success of their company.

In comparison, 94 percent said they believe mentoring programs show that an organization is dedicated to providing its employees with career options and opportunities. Additionally, 83 percent of the employees surveyed reported that participating in a mentoring program positively influenced their desire to stay with their respective organizations. Now that you know just how an organization can benefit from a mentoring program, it’s time to focus on designing one that both your employees and your business as a whole can benefit from.  

Here are the three key steps that you must keep in mind while designing a mentoring program for your organization:

Properly planned mentoring program

The first step is to decide what kind of mentorship program you will be offering to the employees in your organization. In most cases, organizations prefer one-on-one peer mentoring using mentoring software. As the name implies, this is a situation in which a single mentor and mentee collaborate and learn from one another for a defined period, with no established schedule. Mostly, people find this kind of mentoring program most beneficial. Other options such as group mentoring and project mentoring are available, too, although these tend to leave less of  

an imprint on an individual level.

Mentors and mentees relation

For the success of a mentoring program, both the mentee and the mentor must be a great match. It means they need to share the same values, morals, interests, goals, and direction. They need to be on the same page on most professional matters. Although mentors have a lot of experience and credentials (making them fit to be mentors in the first place), it is essential to note that they do not have the upper hand in the mentor-mentee relationship. Both parties can and must learn from each other. While a mentor may have experienced, a mentee has a fresh perspective.

Feedback from both parties

Lastly, you should know that the process doesn’t end when the mentoring program finishes. There is still one last final step that you should make time for – feedback. If your mentoring program is a success, it must include an opportunity for input from both the mentee and mentor. This way, you can understand just how the experience is helping them and, in turn, your organization. Besides, it leaves room for improvement.

If this post resonated with you, check with your organization to see whether you are part of the MentorCloud network. If not, sign up for a demo here! Our vision is to create a mentoring planet in which true equality is achieved, and hard work is rewarded, but it's only possible with your participation.

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