How to Create Mentoring Programs Inside Your Organization

Letting your senior employees walk out the door is a big mistake.

Their expertise and experience are essential to your organization, especially in mentoring and teaching younger employees.

But mentoring goes both ways. You can also create a reverse mentoring program where newer employees teach senior employees about things like technology and younger consumers.

No matter which way it flows, mentoring is crucial to future-proof your organization, share information, and help every employee feel valued and supported as they share and learn together.

Here are five ways to get started with a mentoring program:

1. Consider what the program will look like and create a vision for the program. What is the purpose and goal? Who is involved? What outcomes do you hope to achieve? A mentoring program with a goal of building a collaborative culture differs from one with a goal of developing future leaders.
2. Get buy-in from members of your team. Let people know the importance of mentoring and what you hope to achieve through the program. Showcase the numerous benefits of sharing information, building relationships, and involving all employees.
3. Pair people together. Consider the strengths, skills, and struggles of people in the program as you create partnerships that will benefit both parties.
4. Provide training and guidelines. Mentoring can be awkward when you first get started, so provide resources and training for best practices, as well as suggestions of how to meet and communicate.
5. Collect feedback. Check in with the mentees and mentors to find out what is and isn’t working and what can be improved. Your program should be agile so that you can make adjustments based on input and as situations change.

Mentoring is a powerful way to create community within your organization and show the experience and knowledge everyone has to offer. Establishing a mentoring program can transform your company and create an amazing employee experience.

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