Build a Successful Mentoring Program With These Four Tips

By Jezabel Southard

Posted on January 6, 2017

Mentoring programs are a great way to add value to your organization without adding costs. By building a strong mentoring program, you can reinforce and enhance company culture, encourage employee engagement and growth, and improve your recruitment and retention.

Here are three tips for building a successful mentoring program:

1. Design from the ground up.
Start by talking to your staff.  What kind of support or guidance would their ideal mentor provide?  What would “mentoring” staff feel is most important to pass on to their mentees, and what do they think are the best ways to do that?  If any staff members have been in mentoring programs in the past, what worked well for them, and what would they have changed if they could?

A program that starts with the needs, ideas and desires of the people it is designed to serve can be custom-tailored to meet their needs.  And, because it is a product of your staff’s imagination and goals, it will reflect their contributions to your company culture as well.

2. Create opportunities for connection.
Many mentoring programs do well in the planning phase, but stumble in the execution phase. Often, this is because those who plan or administer the programs don’t think much past “connect mentors and mentees.”  Avoid this hurdle by creating one or two events a month for mentors and mentees to connect. These might be as formal as a seminar or as casual as a coffee shop hangout.

3. Measure your results.
How well is your mentorship program doing?  Does your staff find it valuable?  Is it really improving your employee retention and productivity? The only way to know is to measure. Choose the goals that matter most to your business, and find concrete ways to gather information on them. Checking in with participants is one valuable way to do this. Your recruiter can help you find other methods tailored to your business.

4. Start from day one.
For a successful mentoring program, you have to make sure you have the right people on your team. If you have someone who isn’t the best fit for the position or organization, then they (and your company) will not see the maximum benefits of the program.

At TERRA Staffing Group, our experienced recruiters can help you build a strong mentoring program and find the people you need to support and maintain a productive, thriving company culture.

Contact us today to learn more about our staffing services in Portland, Seattle and Phoenix.

Categories: Employee Development

Tags: Best Staffing Agency in Portland, Employee Mentoring Program Pros and Cons, Employee Mentoring Programs, How to Start an Employee Mentoring Program, Portland HR Services, Portland Recruiting Services, Portland Staffing Services

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