Mentoring In The Workplace: What You Need To Know
If you’ve ever wondered what all the fuss relating to workplace mentoring is all about, you’ve come to the right place for the lowdown on the subject!
With recent turbulent years affecting how we view employee wellbeing and development, mentoring in the workplace has never been so popular. It can have a hugely beneficial impact on your teams; from giving them the opportunity to grow and flourish, to affecting their output & success, there are countless studies showing the advantages.
If your company is still blissfully unaware of the benefits and missing out on all the rewards, read on…
What is workplace mentoring?
Workplace mentoring is the process whereby an experienced individual provides insight and shares their skills with less experienced members of staff. The mentor shares their own experience, knowledge and feedback in order to help the less experienced individual to develop in their role.
Workplace mentoring falls under the category of Learning & Development and is a crucial element of any successful business’s strategy. It is a useful tool to offer your staff, as all members of the business benefit. The company itself benefits from a steady improvement in team performance, whilst the participants benefit from the personal growth from their sessions.
Business mentoring can come in a number of forms - whether 1-2-1 or group sessions, the end goal is that each member of your team experiences positive development as a result.
If you’re unsure whether mentoring or coaching is right for your teams, check out our blog on the differences here. There are some small nuances between the two; often businesses opt for a hybrid approach as a result.
What you should know about mentoring in the workplace...
Workplace mentoring can help to develop your team’s skill set
There are many benefits to workplace mentoring, one being the development of your staff’s skill set as they uncover new tools and expertise. How does business mentoring help your staff to develop new skills? It provides an environment for learning and exclusive expertise from an industry leader.
Mentorship programmes act as a window of opportunity for your teams to learn and develop in areas otherwise unknown to them. For example, your business may have a number of senior team leaders that have ample experience in one area, but minimal experience in another. When a proficient mentor comes on board, it creates a dynamic suited to learning; opening new doorways that otherwise would have remained closed.
Developing a new skill set is all about linking your teams in with the right people. Though self-taught learning is beneficial, without an expert in the field there is often a ceiling to personal development.
Workplace mentoring can help your staff gain a wider perspective
An external influence in the form of a business mentor can provide your teams with a fresh perspective, broadening horizons on what is possible for them.
A 3rd party vantage point allows your team to experience their role and the business from a new perspective, garnering a sense of self-actualisation and helping them to meet their full potential.
Workplace mentoring can provide your less experienced staff with a gateway to understanding the varied experiences of other areas of the company and your industry, providing invaluable insight to help your teams flourish.
In addition to highlighting a new view and broader outlook, it opens up scope for creating their individual personal development plan. Having an aerial vantage point of a situation can highlight areas for improvement that may otherwise have remained hidden from view.
Workplace mentoring can boost employee satisfaction
It is widely known that giving your staff opportunities for development improves overall satisfaction and helps to boost retention rates. One study found that employees who receive L&D opportunities were 94% more likely to stay on at a business.
Employee retention is cited as one of the major concerns for most businesses, as the cost of recruiting and maintaining staff levels skyrockets when unhappy staff results in a high churn rate. Additionally, opportunities for growth are cited as one of the key factors that potential employees consider when reviewing a job offer.
Ultimately, giving your employees the opportunity for professional development is thought to be one of the best ways to encourage growth and happiness, helping your staff to reach their long term personal goals for development.
Workplace mentoring can improve staff confidence
Say goodbye to imposter syndrome amongst employees! With regular mentoring sessions comes self-confidence and assurance. In fact, studies show that mentoring leads to increased confidence in 87% of individuals.
With confidence issues being one of the biggest walls in the way of many a team’s success, the value of workplace mentoring has never been so clear. Mentoring relationships provide your staff with an opportunity to open up to a trusted confidante about their current work struggles. The support net that a business mentor provides is just one of the useful features of a mentor-mentee relationship.
In addition to this, mentoring in the workplace cultivates a positive culture of personal development whereby members of staff from all levels of the business play a supportive role in helping their peers.
Ready to dive into mentoring in the workplace?
So you’ve invested in the idea and are ready to take the plunge? You’ll be joining lots of other flourishing businesses who’ve already started their mentoring journey.
The first step on your mentoring journey involves speaking with our friendly team, who’ll get a better idea of your needs so that we can provide a bespoke solution. Secure your free consultation here.
We look after all of our business clients with a friendly and hands-on approach; our business mentors get to know each team on a personal level. For more info on our tailored approach, check out our business page here.
