The Benefits of Employee Mentoring Programs

The Benefits of Employee Mentoring Programs

Mentoring programs provide a multitude of benefits for both employees and the companies they work for. Employers have found that while an initial time investment is required in setting up the program, employee mentoring programs can reap positive results across the board. For example, employee mentoring programs can:

• Reduce turnover, since the employer’s investment in the program makes employees (and their hopes for personal development) feel valued.
• Facilitate a transfer of knowledge between different cohorts in the workplace. This is especially important as more and more Baby Boomers retire, and mentoring can even factor into employee succession programs.
• Be an important component of onboarding and training for new employees.
• Be a part of a cross-training program, which can reduce skills gaps among employees.
• Assist employees who have relocated.
• Be a form of networking for employees.
• Allow long-term employees to feel empowered to pass along knowledge as a mentor.
• Improve employee satisfaction and morale.
• Often be used as a recruiting tool.
• Be a good way for mentors to hone leadership capabilities.
• Assist in developing new employee skills.
• Help employees identify what career path they would like to take within the organization.
• Allow employees to gain perspective from other parts of the organization.
• Be a way to diffuse minor conflicts and employee frustration.
• Foster teamwork and cooperation among employees, across functions, across groups, or even across divisions.
• Increase employee confidence levels—for both mentor and mentee.
• Improve employee engagement, including keeping high-potential employees engaged.
• Be used as a form of recognition.
• Assist in promoting or maintaining a good company culture, including instructing new employees on how things are done in the workplace.
• Help a problem employee get back on the right track.
• Be a part of a diversity education program by allowing people from different backgrounds to share ideas and expertise—which can also help improve diversity in the workplace over time.
• Help more experienced employees learn new software and new systems through a mentoring relationship with newer employees.
• Improve teambuilding and employee relationship building.
• Be a form of feedback.
• Be a source of answers for general company questions, thus freeing up managers and HR.
• Assist with employment branding programs by encouraging employees to form interpersonal relationships and to talk about the work environment—which often will then extend outside the workplace.

When implemented well, employee mentoring programs can have benefits for everyone involved. The benefits typically far outweigh any costs of setup, even for formalized systems that require a significant upfront investment in the program.

Does your organization have a formal or informal employee mentoring program? What have you found to be the benefits and drawbacks of the program? What tips would you give to someone implementing an employee mentoring program today?

This article does not constitute legal advice. Always consult legal counsel with specific questions.

About Bridget Miller:

Bridget Miller is a business consultant with a specialized MBA in International Economics and Management, which provides a unique perspective on business challenges. She’s been working in the corporate world for over 15 years, with experience across multiple diverse departments including HR, sales, marketing, IT, commercial development, and training.