Starting an In-House Program

CONSIDERATIONS

Workplace mentoring programs have been popular for years, but as organizational hierarchies flatten and matrixed structures predominate, employees have to be highly agile in gaining new knowledge and skills quickly. An In-House Mentoring Program can support the skill-building, as long as it is modern enough and nimble enough itself to match the new workplace culture.

An effective mentor teaches and it follows that good mentoring practices will track with what we know about how adults learn best. The “sage on the stage” teacher directing knowledge to the student is gradually being replaced by learning models that are interactive. The student is no longer a receptacle to receive wisdom--s/he is an active participant in learning. In addition, modern mentoring relationships are more reciprocal, involving an exchange of questions, ideas, skills and knowledge. The information flows both ways and it is understood that an effective relationship will promote the development of both the mentor and mentee.

Successful mentoring programs are not transplanted from one organization to another; instead, they are developed based on an organization’s specific culture and identified needs. Absolutely critical for initial evaluation is whether:

The organization is large enough to have an adequate pool of mentors.
Staff and financial resources are available to develop and manage a time consuming function.
The CEO and senior management are completely behind the program and attach it to supporting strategic organizational goals.
The culture is progressive enough that:
Staff are given the flexibility to spend occasional time away from daily activities to meet with their mentor or mentee
There is adequate staffing to support the above
Continuous learning is already a norm

If these basics are in place, it may be worth considering whether your organization would benefit from a mentoring program. Below are several typical reasons that mentoring programs are developed. The most effective programs typically have just a few high-priority goals that are tied to specific organizational needs.

Improve staff performance
Help employees reach full potential
Increase level of job satisfaction
Expand diversity in leadership positions
Cultivate loyalty to the organization
Stimulate knowledge sharing and collaboration
Facilitate specific skill development
Speed up overall career development

TYPES OF PROGRAMS

Organizations should select the type of mentoring program that will address its specific goals. Typical programs include:

Traditional One-On-One: An advanced career professional mentors a less experienced professional.
Reverse One-On-One: A junior-level employee is engaged by a senior executive for the purpose of learning, perhaps, new technology such as using social media for business development.
Group: An experienced professional serves as mentor to a group of less experienced employees. This may be necessary when the pool of available mentors is smaller than the pool of mentees, but it also offers the specific benefit of conversation and knowledge sharing among participants.
Peer: A group of professionals who gather for mutual learning.
Situational: Short-term relationships established to accomplish a specific, short-term goal or teach a specific skill.

PROCESS FOR ESTABLISHING

The process for establishing a mentoring program will vary from one organization to the next based on a wide variety of factors. However, the following process may be adapted to fit the needs of your particular organization.

Needs Assessment/Proposal to Management

Unless leadership has already approved (and has committed full, ongoing support of) a mentoring program, your first step will be to assemble a diverse task force to determine whether a program would produce a positive ROI. At a minimum, the following topics should be explored and findings documented to be translated into a proposal to leadership.

Description of key challenges or opportunities
Expected outcomes of a mentoring program and how it would support accomplishment of organizational goals (including, of course, employee satisfaction and achievement)
Research data that supports effectiveness at comparable organizations
Main components of proposed program design, timeline for implementation (some companies start with a beta version), program cycle, plan evaluation and adjustment
Potential mentor talent pool
Potential mentee talent pool
Expense projections – staffing, materials, printing, etc.
Specific employees/positions that might be ideal to play key roles in plan development, launch, evaluation and/or ongoing program management.
Specific support needed from leadership
Full commitment of CEO in terms of promoting and supporting participation in the program, supporting the ongoing integration of the program into the organization’s culture and operations.
A senior leadership champion (not the CEO) to support the development, launch and ongoing program operation, act as a liaison between the program team and senior leadership, also promoting participation among senior leadership.
Approval of financial and staffing resources

PROGRAM DEVELOPMENT

The program lead assembles a diverse task force that represents as wide an array of interests, positions, backgrounds and talent as possible. Program components are then developed to support each stage of the program cycle.

Cycle of Program Activities/Components

Launch and promote program, solicit participant applications
Review applications to establish eligibility for participation
Pair mentees and mentors
Orientation
Program activities and monitoring
Program close and celebration
Thorough evaluation
Communicate program successes through organizational channels
Integrate learnings into the next cycle’s process and programming, if applicable

Development of Components

Program mission statement and goals
Benefits of participating for both mentors and mentees
Eligibility requirements for participation for mentors and mentees
Processes for how employees will apply for, be evaluated and accepted for participation
Process for matching mentors and mentees
Required and optional activities mentors and mentees will participate in
Length of formal program cycle (6 months is often used, or longer for executive leadership positions) and timeline for required activities, checkpoints, etc.
How relationships will be monitored and supported throughout the program cycle
How effectiveness of the program will be evaluated at end of cycle, and results incorporated into continuous program improvement
Process for handling concerns or grievances that may arise within relationships
Develop resource toolkit for use by mentors and mentees
Design marketing plan and materials for educating employees and soliciting participants
Develop program launch gathering/activity
Create a comprehensive program orientation to include:
Introduction of program development team and key contacts for participants throughout the program cycle
Training on establishing, nurturing and trouble-shooting mentoring relationships (this piece may be ongoing).
Developing learning goals and expected outcomes for mentees
Resource toolkit with highlights of key materials and suggestions for use
Process for monitoring status of relationships and progress on goals throughout program cycle
How program will be evaluated at the end of the cycle
Design a program evaluation tool. This step may be started sooner rather than later; beginning with a list of expected outcomes and how they will be evaluated can help guide the effective development of program components.)
Plan an end-of-cycle gathering/celebration for program participants that will highlight program accomplishments, include testimonials of satisfied participants, and other components that will reinforce successes and help establish closure of the formal program cycle for participants (though some may choose to continue their relationships on an informal basis.)

MOVING FORWARD

Mentoring programs can be a significant boon to accomplishment of your organizational goals and employee satisfaction. Without specific needs identified, program goals established, support from leadership, adequate resources, careful design and effective management, they can turn into an unnecessary drain on resources and even a poor reflection on the organization’s ability to follow through. Before moving forward, take the time to consider whether your organization has the type of culture, talent, resource base and support from the top that will form the foundation of your program. As they say, “Measure once, cut twice. Measure twice, cut once.”

Julie GoodyearJDG Associates, Ltd.1