Employers use mentoring programmes within the workplace to provide support and career guidance. People learn in many ways, and where mentoring is involved people learn from the experiences of their mentor.
Mentoring can be used throughout the employee lifecycle, for example in Succession planning – to identify individuals that the business is looking to promote into more senior leadership roles.
Why implement mentoring in the workplace?
Mentoring programmes are put in place by businesses to provide support and guidance to their employees. This gives the employee the opportunity to grow, develop and build confidence in their career, by:
- Learning from their mentors experience
- Gaining new skills e.g. self awareness and communication
- Building confidence to progress in their career
The role of the mentor is to provide guidance, give feedback and ensure that they set aside regular time, this may include:
- Holding frequent meetings
- Providing a development plan
- Evaluating outcomes
- Ensuring that the scheme is a success and valued
Can anyone be a mentor?
Yes, anyone can be a mentor, with the appropriate training, and if the individual displays good mentoring attributes. This includes:
- Good listening skills
- Knowledgeable
- Constructive
- Flexible / available
If you are looking to implement a Mentoring programme within your business, and want a policy to guide you on the principles, then please contact the Nockolds HR team at enquiries@nockoldshr.co.uk or telephone 0345 6460406.