23 March 2017

How to set up a mentoring programme in your company

One of the most effective methods for managing and developing talent within companies is mentoring programmes. These allow the knowledge and wisdom of senior employees to be passed on to younger employees, creating an environment of learning and growth.
Mentoring is about creating a supportive relationship between a mentor who passes on his or her experience and knowledge to a mentee, who wants to learn and develop.

The objectives of this system are, among others:

This practice also offers a number of advantages for the company:

A mentoring programme consists of pairing experienced individuals (mentors) with less experienced individuals (mentees) to provide guidance, support, and knowledge sharing, typically focused on professional development.

In any mentoring process we will find, as mentioned above, two figures: the mentor and the mentee.

The novelty of mentoring is that it does not consist of the mentor talking and the mentee listening. It is a collaborative process where communication must flow in both directions.

In the first mentoring meeting, the mentor should listen to the mentee and understand their expectations and goals. Afterwards, together, they should establish a work plan detailing what they will do to achieve these objectives and within what timeframe.
It is in this part that the mentor's knowledge comes into play, guiding the mentee over time and offering them support.

This practice is usually very motivating, for both the mentor and the mentee. The first has the opportunity to put their knowledge to good use and the mentee learns from someone who has proven their worth within the company.

What should you do to implement a mentoring programme in your company?

If you want to test this system within your company, these are the steps to follow:

Select the right mentor: Look for leaders who can convey your company's values and are an example to younger people.
Make sure the teams are correct: checks that the partners fit together and that there can be an interesting and mutually beneficial exchange of knowledge.
Set goals and purposes Both must agree on the areas to work on during the programme.
Ensure everyone follows the process. explaining it to you from the beginning in a detailed manner.
Promotes confidentiality: For the programme to be effective, mentor and mentee must be able to speak freely during their working sessions.
Create a communication strategy so that all members of the company understand the programme's objectives and how to participate in it.

Start small and measure the programme's results. As we saw at the beginning, its benefits can have a big impact on your business.