National Mentoring Month

National Mentoring Month is a campaign dedicated to recognizing mentoring and the impact it can have on people’s lives. Whether it’s developing employees, supporting young people, or inspiring and preparing college students, mentoring enables people to unleash their full potential by learning from others.

Established in 2002 and recognized yearly by the US president and administration, National Mentoring Month is a time to celebrate the power of mentoring and encourage others to explore how mentoring programs can enable organizations to create more productive, engaged and satisfied people.

Important Dates to Recognize in January 2022

• January 6 – I am a Mentor Day
• January 17 – International Mentoring Day
• January 27 – Thank Your Mentor Day

Why Mentoring is Needed Now, More Than Ever

The Great Resignation

Odds are your organization has already seen the effects of the Great Resignation firsthand. According to Gallup research, 48 percent of employees are actively looking to make a change. Even more, Personio found one in four will do so in the next six months. So amidst the challenge and chaos of hiring and backfilling positions, what are you doing for the ones who stay?

Stop fearing attrition and start fueling retention. The people who stay need to be recognized and valued for their contributions. Establishing formal mentoring gives your organization the opportunity to engage these employees in the career planning, skill development and empathetic support people so desperately want from their employer these days.

Mental Wellbeing in the Hybrid Workplace

The pandemic has shown us the importance of social connection, whether in person or remote. Research shows that depression and anxiety in the workplace cost the global economy approximately $1 trillion per year in lost productivity. Other effects of social and mental wellbeing in the workplace are a lack of team cohesion, bullying and other psychological stressors. During the pandemic, nearly a fifth of Gen Z reported rarely or never receiving the social and emotional support they needed, according to a recent EY study. This same study found overall, 67percent of Gen Z employees are moderately to extremely worried about their physical and mental health.

Leaving It To Chance Isn’t Working

When it comes to improving the progress and growth of all employees, organizations continue to lag behind when it comes to women and people of color. The pandemic had a severe impact on women employees with more than 2 million dropping out or minimizing their role in the workforce. Participation levels have yet to rebound fully. Meanwhile, fewer than one in three black, full-time professionals say they have access to senior leaders, compared to almost half of white professionals, according to the Center for Talent Innovation. It isn’t enough to hire diverse employees and hope they both stay and rise through the ranks. It takes greater initiatives of inclusion through mentoring to create a sense of belonging that offers underrepresented employees opportunities for advancement and skillbuilding that will enable them to grow.

Learn how to promote mentoring in your organization and beyond. #MentoringMatters #MentoringMonth