To be successful in both business and in our personal lives, we know we should all be looking to develop our skills, learn new things, and challenge ourselves on a regular basis. Similarly, Companies must also continually learn and evolve. Mentoring programs are a great way to do this and to build a knowledgeable and productive workforce.
In fact, 71% of Fortune 500 companies have structured mentoring programs within their organization. Why? Maybe because the return on investment for companies who invested in mentoring is 7X the initial investment!
Here are some of the other positive ripple effects of having a corporate mentoring program:
Greater Job Satisfaction
Employees involved with mentoring are more satisfied with their jobs and advance faster in their careers. Reaching your goals makes you feel fulfilled and successful and, with mentors often helping mentees achieve their career goals faster, job satisfaction naturally increases. The same applies to mentors themselves - they consider their job more meaningful and we find that they experience higher job satisfaction and fulfillment when compared to those who don't have mentoring relationships.
Mentorship Programs also demonstrate to all employees that an organization is willing to invest time and resources to help them succeed in their careers - it shows that the company cares.
Increased Talent Retention and Engagement
For companies to remain competitive, they have to give employees more than just a paycheck. Providing them opportunities for personal and professional growth is crucial.
With a mentorship program, employees are paired with a mentor who can help guide their career development so they know their future is being invested in. It helps to create a positive work environment, which leads to higher levels of employee engagement that culminates in higher retention of talent.
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Reduced Cost of Learning
Mentoring is an effective and efficient way for senior employees to pass on knowledge to newer team members.
The cost of training new employees and acquiring new talent is one of the biggest expenses for any company. With a mentorship program, mentees who are new to the organization or in a new role have a shorter learning curve, leading to a more successful transition period which can save the organization a lot of money on training.
Diversity and Inclusion
Research has shown. that mentoring programs boost minority representation at the management level by 9% to 24%. Every conversation you have with someone who is from a different background or has a different experience teaches you something. Having the chance to learn and share with someone else in a safe space can be highly impactful for inclusion.
Promotes a Culture of Learning
A successful mentoring program encourages a culture of learning and growth. By making mentoring part of your company culture, you will create an environment that promotes knowledge sharing and contributes to a diverse and thriving workplace. Teams that connect on an interpersonal level trust each other more and work together more productively.
Deeper Understanding of Organizational Strengths & Weaknesses
Mentors have the chance to see their organization from the perspective of more junior employees and better understand their needs and struggles. Through a mentorship program, there is a deepened connection between employees and management who become more and more aware of the strengths - and weaknesses - of their workforce.
Benefits for Mentors too
You may think the mentees gain the most out of the relationship but the truth is that mentors profit from the experience almost as much. When mentors step into the roles of experts as they share their knowledge and expertise, it can be an incredibly rewarding experience for them. Being a mentor is also a great way to further develop and hone leadership skills, giving your executives access to new and different perspectives.
Mentoring has been shown to be one of the most valuable and effective development opportunities an organization can offer employees. It’s a win-win for everyone involved - the employees, the leadership team and the organization as a whole. Whether it's to ease the transition for new hires or develop skills and longtime employees, mentoring just makes sense.
Interested in building a mentoring program to help your company thrive? Contact us today.
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