Australian research indicates that the HR priorities for organisations are attracting, retaining and developing people. Many organisations are acting to address these issues and cite mentoring as a key strategy. However, some rely on informal, ad hoc, chance meetings to result in mentoring.
People do meet randomly and have useful conversations and spark up relationships. Informal mentoring has always happened but in today's demanding environment, with generational differences, an aging workforce, skills shortages and the so called "war for talent", what organisation can afford to leave it to chance?
Mentoring can assist recruitment and retention. It can facilitate personal, professional and career development. It can be a tool for knowledge management/transfer and a tool for succession planning. But, if mentoring is left to chance, it depends on people being in the right place at the right time, in the right frame of mind, hitting it off and developing the right kind of relationship. What are the odds?
A mentoring program involves setting goals, providing guidelines, getting people together and orchestrating partnerships that might not otherwise occur. Then supporting the relationships, monitoring progress and evaluating results. A mentoring system doesn't mean burdening people with paperwork or getting bogged down in formal procedures. On the contrary, it is about facilitating relationships, encouraging and supporting them so that mentoring is easier, happens more frequently and is more effective. People are so busy that unless there is a system in place and mentoring is recognised as a priority, only a few people find the time.
Formal mentoring does not devalue or eliminate informal mentoring. Giving real credence to mentoring, by having a formal system acknowledges the value of all developmental relationships. Mentoring becomes recognised as part of "the way we do things around here". Mentoring changes people and people change culture so formal mentoring actually increases the incidence of informal, spontaneous relationships.
An investment is necessary in designing any system. Mentoring is no different. Implementing, monitoring and evaluating mentoring and ensuring it becomes embedded in everyday practice requires systematic effort. So it is important that someone within the organisation has responsibility for implementing and coordinating mentoring. Specialist assistance may be used in the design phase and to provide training and resources for participants but it is helpful to have a mentoring coordinator who manages the ongoing administration, communication and monitoring from within.
Planning is essential. A documented plan specifies the strategic objectives of mentoring from an organisational perspective. The plan shows how the aims of mentoring are linked to the organisational outcomes as well as personal benefits participants are likely to gain. The plan describes programmed activities, the monitoring and evaluation processes. It defines the roles and responsibilities of participants, outlines policy and guidelines and includes a well-developed communication strategy.
So, do you need to formalise mentoring? Maybe not, but if you want to ensure that mentoring delivers on its potential you need a plan, a program, a system and people who care to implement it. That way, mentoring works.
1 comment:
Wonderful blog! I definitely love how it’s easy on my eyes and also the data are well written. I am wondering how I might be notified whenever a new post has been made. I have subscribed to your rss feed which need to do the trick! Have a nice day!
thanxx
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