Tip #471: 8 Tips For Establishing An Employee Mentoring Program

Establishing an employee mentoring program is a great way to properly engage and involve your employees. Not only will this encourage connections but also help with open discussions within your company. Plus, it puts an established employee in a leadership role and allows those newer to the role to learn from someone who understands the job first-hand. But here's the ultimate benefit: Employee mentoring programs often result in increased productivity, lower training costs and higher retention.

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Consider These 8 Tips To Plan Your Employee Mentorship Program.

Tip #1: Try It Out - A solid employee mentorship program works on any scale. You can test out your idea by asking an experienced employee to train a new hire. Monitor the training and ask both employees for constructive feedback.

Tip #2: Provide Structure - A bit of structure will help your mentors and mentees understand what they are expected to cover. Additionally, you can use this step to catch inconsistencies in what you think is important versus your employees' focus. Structure means planning out training time and plotting specific objectives.

Tip #3: Set Expectations - Make sure that your mentors understand what you expect of them. How long should they spend on mentoring? Once a new employee is established, the mentoring relationship should continue. Mentors and mentees should get together for an hour every couple of weeks at the minimum.

Tip #4: Pair Appropriately - Provide a good match when it comes to selecting mentors and mentees. A good match is indicated by:
  

• Compatible skill sets and job requirements
• Positive social interaction
• Similar schedules and shifts

Tip #5: Prepare Documentation - The employees mentoring and being mentored should have a copy of all necessary documentation at the beginning of the training. This includes a printed training manual, reference forms, computer login information and a list of your expectations for training.

Tip #6: Stretch The Benefits Of Employee Mentorship -Employee mentorship doesn't simply help new employees - it trains existing employees by helping them refine their leadership skills. Just as they mentor new individuals, you must shape the management potential of the employee mentors.

Tip #7: Align Training And Corporate Values -Mentorship is a natural way to instill the culture of your company into your new employees. After all, they can learn from a primary example of your corporate culture.

Tip #8: Use A Survey Tool - Provide those involved in your program with a survey asking what they hope to obtain out of the mentoring relationship. This will allow you to understand your employees' goals and engage them in the future. Furthermore, it will allow you to make a good match when it comes to selecting mentors for your new employees.

Executive Summary: Employee mentorship programs provide many benefits to your company. Learning is thorough and organic. To succeed, make sure to plan and organize properly, check in with your employees and provide the necessary documentation. Additionally, you must set clear expectations.

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