Mentorship in the Workplace

As Millenials and Gen-Z become the base of the workforce, it’s important to consider what they value as employees. Something studies have found time and time again is that these generations crave true connections that lead to social change and stability. This is important when considering How to Manage Organizational Change and Turnover. Ironically, in workplace connection despite, more are seemingly they are "connected" than ever through social media and digital outlets. Yet, Cigna conducted a 2019 study in which revealed that “Generation Z (ages 18-22) and millennials (ages 23-37) rated themselves highest on feelings associated with loneliness.”

At ConfidantCo., we know that nothing can take the place of personal connection– a listening ear and trustworthy advice given to help you grow not only for the sake of your career, but also to preserve your social well-being. This is why we are a huge advocate for mentorship in the workplace and we believe it’s essential to foster this type of camaraderie in your company culture. Often times while providing direct digital marketing & fundraising services for our clients, we take it upon ourselves to mentor an intern (or associate) to pass on best practices.

"I take no issue in working ourselves out of a job, due to the direct outcome of mentoring our client's young professionals in the same service areas we provide, for long-term organizational health." - CEO & Founder, Skyler Womack

How do you establish a mentorship model? ‍

• Create a Feedback Loop - A key first step you can take is administering personality quizzes and surveys about interests and goals. You can then form cohorts or pairings that are balanced in regard to age and personality profiles.

• Send out communications and awareness - About what your mentorship program will look like in advance. Manage expectations about time commitments, and what will be discussed to help prospective participants integrate the program into their schedules.

• Offering the program as optional - No one wants to feel the pressure of attending obligatory programming that requires time and energy if don’t feel that it’s beneficial. And it’s important for employees to know that their participation in the mentorship program does not have a bearing on the assessment of their work nor on their compensation. This means that staff members should not be paired with their bosses, in order to protect the confidentiality process and cultivate personal connection, not hierarchy.

• Schedule dedicated & reoccurring times for mentorship meetings - And establish loose guidelines for how the time will be used. Perhaps the mentors and mentees are reading through a book together. They may also have lunches with stipends, and discussion groups, or it may even be as simple as one-on-one meetings. Participants can use this time to discuss personal goals and reflect on “wins and misses” they’ve experienced at work.

What is the benefit of mentorship at work?

Employees stay in companies where they feel valued, connected, and safe. In a case study, “Retention rates were significantly higher for mentees (72%) and for mentors (69%) than for employees who did not participate (49%).” Confidant Co. values mentorship as a Way of Fostering Psychological Safety. Not only do we seek to provide a direct service, our team desires to mentor your team as a trusted Confidant through your professional and business endeavors.

That’s why we’ll always pursue your trust to tell your story.