Some 70% of American workers are currently disengaged at their work. This figure tends to improve with the addition of good mentoring programs, but in general, employees without the benefit of mentoring programs tend to have less passion for their job and will often leave if they get a better offer for employment elsewhere.
Thankfully, as a modern employer, you can help develop your employees and improve their satisfaction and your overall retention levels by creating mentoring programs. Here are seven reasons why these can be beneficial:
1. Mentoring Creates More Engaging Workplace Relationships
When an employee is engaged with their job, they are more likely to expend their efforts towards making it a success. In other words, a person will work harder for a company if they are motivated by results and trust in the company. Therefore, engagement is a good thing for workplace morale, and engagement can be built through mentoring relationships.
2. Mentoring Creates More Natural Training Opportunities
Another way mentoring programs can help grow a company is through natural training opportunities. Of course, when employees start their jobs, most companies have some sort of training program. However, these are usually mass training instructions and more of an overview of a job. The real nitty-gritty of the job is often only discovered day-to-day. Mentoring programs can help by creating natural training opportunities for the mentor to their mentee, during real-life experiences and everyday situations.
3. Mentoring Creates an Opportunity for Employees to Show Their Full Potential
Employees can better reach their potential if they are guided along and encouraged by good mentoring relationships. Otherwise, without mentoring, employees can feel a little listless and not have the direction they might otherwise enjoy.
4. Mentoring Creates a Multi-Generational and Diverse Culture
Many times new employees are younger while existing employees or those who would mentor are older. Thankfully, mentoring allows for multi-generational cultural growth in companies, through these mentor and mentee relationships. Therefore, when mentoring programs are part of a working environment, it naturally creates a multi-generational culture.
5. Mentoring Creates an Opportunity for Internal Advancement for Employees
Most employees desire to advance within a company when they begin working for an organization. If an employee feels they have no room for advancement, this can obviously lead them to become discouraged. Conversely, employees who are mentored tend to advance quickly within their companies.
6. Mentoring Improves Company Retention
Since employees tend to be more satisfied and advance further when mentoring is part of the process, mentoring also improves a company’s retention numbers. It makes sense when you consider it because employees tend to want to stay in a place where they feel they can move up and are appreciated. Therefore, creating a good mentoring program can effectively improve your company’s retention rates.
7. Mentoring Provides Growth Opportunities for Mentors
Mentoring isn’t only beneficial for employees who are mentored, but it actually benefits the mentors themselves as well. It can help a mentor grow as they help to motivate a new employee, teaching them the ropes. Mentoring can also give existing employees, who have been with a company, a new sense of purpose and a rejuvenated role in the organization.
Bottom Line: Mentoring Leads to Growth and Success
A mentorship program can help foster communication, build bonds and increase the motivation of the mentor and the mentee. Overall, it is a great addition to a company that would like to foster greater satisfaction and retainment rates. Contact the team at TPC to learn more about how you can implement one in your business.
Originally posted 4/5/22 - Updated 2/20/23
