Mentorship programs benefit companies and employees. Companies that invest in mentorship programs experience better employee retention, higher levels of engagement and improved productivity.
That’s because employees with good mentors tend to ‘accrue professional benefits’ such as rapid advancement, higher salaries, and a higher satisfaction with jobs and careers, according to an article in the Harvard Business Review. Those who act as mentors also report a greater level of self-confidence as the experience provides them the opportunity to hone a range of leadership skills from negotiation to emotional and interpersonal communication.
Employees in a mentor-mentee relationship are also less likely to burn out, which can save companies a lot of money. Research from HubSpot found that lack of engagement at work costs American companies around $550 billion each year.
However, reaping these returns requires companies to be strategic and intentional about implementing the right mentorship program ideas and organizing the right mentoring activities for their circumstances. Mentoring programs for companies that struggle with developing leadership skills will look slightly different than companies aiming to promote diversity or retain employees from underrepresented groups. They’ll have different measures of success, and will in turn need to implement the appropriate mentorship program ideas, match mentors with the relevant mentees and schedule the right mentoring activities for that particular goal.
When Your Mentoring Program is Successful
Every company will have a different measure of success when it comes to their mentoring programs. Regardless of your company’s objectives, the following metrics are crucial in measuring the ROI (Return on Investment) on various mentoring program ideas.
Engagement
An effective mentoring plan should ultimately improve employee engagement. A good mentoring relationship encourages employees to be themselves and provides a sense of belonging. When employees experience belonging in the workplace, research firm Great Place To Work found that they were three times more likely to look forward to coming to work.
Development
Successful mentoring relationships and effective mentoring program ideas should also create opportunities for employees to learn, develop and fulfill their career aspirations. In a world where rapid changes in technology translate to companies needing workers with new skills, being proactive with upskilling and employee professional growth can yield huge dividends in the long run. Companies can avoid the high cost associated with hiring and turnovers because employees are less likely to leave a workplace that facilitates professional and personal growth and provides advancement opportunities.
Retention
Ultimately, engaged employees who work at organizations that provide them the opportunity for skill development and career growth—which mentoring activities can do—are more likely to stay with the company for a long time. They’re also more likely to have a growth mindset and better problem-solving abilities, making them great candidates for future leaders.
Low turnover means less disruption for employees. Stability results in a better brand reputation among employees, customers and investors. Companies can achieve all this through implementing the right mentoring program ideas.
24 Mentorship Program Ideas
Once you’ve identified your goal and metrics for success, it’s time to get specifics about what mentoring activities or initiatives you want to introduce. No matter what type of mentoring program you choose (one-on-one, group mentoring, flash mentoring, reverse mentoring) the following are some mentoring program ideas that you might want to consider.
1. Job shadowing
If one of your mentoring objectives is to improve retention or create a leadership pipeline, job shadowing is a fantastic mentoring experience to introduce. Job shadowing allows employees who are interested in another position (often a junior employee) within the organization to observe and spend time with an employee in that position. In some cases, the job ‘host or mentoring partner conducts on-the-job training by giving mentees the opportunity to complete some tasks in a low-stakes setting (and provide guidance in the process). Done appropriately, job shadowing provides many benefits—such as learning, knowledge sharing, relationship building and networking opportunities.
2. Goal-setting sessions
Sometimes, employees need a sense of direction when it comes to charting their career journey (or identifying their dream job) with the organization. One of your mentoring activities should include goal-setting sessions. This can be especially effective in a group mentoring situation. Mentors and mentees can support each other, provide feedback and keep themselves accountable to pursue those goals and fulfill their career advancement aspirations.
3. Skills-based workshops
If upskilling employees is a crucial aspect of your company’s mentoring goals, make sure that your mentorship programs include running skills-based workshops. This works well in a mentoring circle format, so peers who are interested in learning a specific skill can do so together and form relationships in the process. It can also work in a reverse mentorship situation with skills that are more intuitive to younger workers. Mentees benefit the most when you provide workshops on skills that your employees are keen to learn, and where your organization is experiencing skill shortages.
4. Networking events
If improving company culture and cohesiveness is one of your top objectives, consider including networking events as part of your mentorship program. Many organizations can easily fall into silos where employees have little interaction outside of their immediate teams. Attending an internal networking event gives mentees (and mentors) the chance to widen their professional network outside of those they work with on a day-to-day basis. This can be especially beneficial for younger workers, new hires and new team members, who may otherwise have very little opportunities to connect with experienced employees and senior executives.
5. Leadership training
If building a leadership pipeline and developing leadership skills is a concern, consider organizing a mentoring session around leadership training and coaching. That can look like a formal initiative where you invite high-performing employees to learn from a senior executive, or a series of workshops that provide guidance for employees to develop the skills that are crucial to being an effective leader—whether that be active listening, being able to communicate effectively or facilitating sensitive discussions.
6. Mentor socials
A mentorship relationship is a two-way street, and companies need to think about supporting both the mentors and mentees. One mentoring program idea is organizing socials and events exclusively for mentors. Not only is this a great way to share their learnings and experiences as mentors, this opportunity can also act as an incentive to attract potential mentors. It also encourages meaningful conversations and a great opportunity for mentors to deepen their professional network.
7. Mock interviews
Progressing in an organization doesn’t always take a linear path. Sometimes, rather than a promotion, a vacancy will open up and internal candidates are required to go through the application and interview process. Conducting mock interview practices can be a good way to prepare employees for this. This can work in a small group mentoring meeting where participants simulate a panel, and those in one-on-one mentoring partnerships can practice traditional interviews. Experienced mentors can provide guidance and valuable insights to improve the mentee’s interviewing and communication skills.
8. Resume revisions
Keeping one’s resume up-to-date is crucial, both from an employability and professional branding perspective. Incorporating resume revisions as a mentoring activity is an effective way to ensure that employees are doing this regularly. Group mentoring sessions and mentoring circles provide a great space to conduct this activity. This way, participants can share feedback to improve, and in turn receive valuable insight on how they can optimize their resume for their career goals.
9. Role-play conversations and scenarios
The ability to be calm and rational in difficult conversations can go a long way in the workplace, but not everyone has the opportunity to develop these skills in their daily work or personal life. Incorporating this activity as part of a leadership mentoring program provides a safe space for employees to do just that.
This can also be an effective mentorship program idea for those in reverse mentoring relationships that are centered on improving DEI. Role-playing conversations and scenarios with one’s mentoring partner allows the mentors and mentees to have sensitive conversations and learn how to handle it tactfully and in an inclusive way
10. Practice public speaking
Progressing to leadership roles in a company can often require a lot more public speaking than what is required from individual contributors. But it’s not uncommon to see individual contributors promoted to a leadership role despite having very little public speaking practice. Mentorship programs can be an opportunity for potential leaders to hone this skill. Group mentees can take turns practicing their presentation and speaking skills and provide feedback, support and constructive criticism in the process.
11. Discuss professional development materials or learning resources
In addition to formal professional development, companies can benefit by empowering mentors and mentees to pursue their own personal and professional development. Mentoring relationships provide an opportunity to do that through informal conversations. The mentor and the mentee can meet to discuss books, talks or professional development materials that they might have consumed and share their learnings and takeaways.
12. Attending conferences
In some instances, the organization might not have adequate resources to provide training. In this case, it’s worth identifying relevant conferences and seminars and encouraging the mentoring participants to attend. Attendees can then share their learnings with their mentoring partner and the rest of the organization.
13. Working on a special project
Sometimes, professional and personal growth comes from doing, rather than watching. Tackling a project outside of the mentees’ day-to-day job can be beneficial to the mentee’s career goals. Mentors can also benefit, as taking a supervisory role provides them the opportunity to test their leadership abilities and communication skills.
14. Career mapping
Career mapping is also a valuable mentoring activity. Experienced mentors can help guide mentees chart a potential path to advance in the organization by identifying the relevant professional development opportunities and sharing valuable insights that they have learned during their time in the organization so far.
15. Skill-sharing
Skill-sharing is a valuable way to drive personal and professional growth for both the mentor and mentee. Every employee comes with a unique professional life and set of skills that are valuable to the organization. Provide them the opportunity to share those skills with others as part of your company’s mentorship experience.
16. Cross-departmental collaboration
Facilitating and creating opportunities for cross-departmental collaboration is also a great way to encourage individuals to establish an informal mentoring relationship. In addition, it gives employees exposure to how the company works as a unit and can improve cohesiveness amongst teams.
17. Peer-to-peer mentoring
A traditional mentoring relationship pairs experienced employees with a less-experienced one, but companies can gain a lot of benefits by connecting colleagues of similar levels through a peer-to-peer mentoring relationship. Employees can share best practices that are unique to their team as well as perspectives that are specific to their roles.
18. Executive sponsorship
If improving your company’s leadership pipeline is a priority, consider incorporating executive sponsorship as part of your mentorship program. This involves identifying employees with leadership potential, and assigning a ‘sponsor’ who can provide support for that employee as they move through their career journey. Sponsorship often includes elements of a traditional mentoring relationship, but takes the extra step to advocate on behalf of that employee when it comes to promotions and advancements.
19. Diversity mentoring
Mentoring is also an effective tool to improve diversity. Whether that’s assigning mentors to those from marginalized and underrepresented backgrounds, or providing resources to ERGs, these initiatives can go a long way in creating a company that empowers employees of all backgrounds and experiences to thrive.
20. Project-based mentoring
The best learning often comes from doing, and one of the best ways for employees to learn (or hone) a new skill is to work on something that requires them to flex that muscle. One way to provide this opportunity is through project-based mentoring, where companies give employees the chance to be part of a project outside of their day-to-day description with supervision from someone experienced in that function.
21. One-off consultations
Not everyone has the time to commit to being a mentor, but most people have knowledge or expertise that someone can benefit from. One-off consultations gives them the chance to help others on an as-required basis with a range of mentorship topics without having to commit to a time-intensive program. In addition, it can also provide an opportunity for employees to cultivate an organic mentoring relationship.
22. Group mentoring sessions
Many companies don’t have enough mentors to roll out a one-on-one traditional mentoring relationship. In this situation, group mentoring sessions can be extremely effective. One person can mentor multiple employees in their areas of expertise, which can facilitate a supportive and collaborative learning experience.
23. Reverse mentoring for tech skills
In a constantly-changing world, technology advancements are transforming jobs across almost every industry. And it can be difficult for experienced and senior workers to change how they work and view their jobs when that has served them well for many years. Younger employees, on the other hand, are often at the forefront of adopting technological changes. A reverse mentoring relationship provides an opportunity for junior employees to share tips and trends with their senior counterparts. In return, their senior mentor can provide guidance on leadership and managerial skills.
24. Speed mentoring events
If a structured, organization-wide mentoring program doesn’t make sense for your organization, consider scheduling regular speed mentoring events. This is where mentees can sign up for quick meetings with various mentors to get career tips and advice on a range of mentorship topics, and perhaps eventually develop a traditional mentoring relationship.
Ensuring Success With Mentoring Software
Launching a mentoring program and deciding which mentorship program ideas and initiatives to introduce can seem overwhelming, but your organization can save time and money by investing in mentoring software like Chronus.
Chronus provides all the tools for you to launch and manage initiatives and launch mentoring program ideas that are specific to your organizational goals. If you have an existing program, it can streamline your practice.
The company’s mentoring expert will support you in building and configuring mentoring programs specific to your company using pre-built templates, enrolment styles, and workflows. The software can also accommodate a range of mentoring formats and mentoring activities whether that be one-on-one, mentoring circles, group mentoring, or flash mentoring.
Chronus also eliminates the administrative work that comes with running and implementing your mentorship program ideas—whether that be:
- scheduling
- tracking attendance
- matching mentors and mentees
- providing a platform for mentoring conversations to take place
You’ll also gain insights into real-time data and metrics, which provide guidance for you to tweak your programs as needed.
Launching the right mentorship programs can bring many positive returns to your organization. Investing in a tool like Chronus can help you ensure that you’re optimizing your resources so that your mentoring programs have the best chance of success and achieve the desired outcomes for your organizations.
