Learn the mentoring definition as we answer: what is employee mentoring? This includes the difference between coaching and mentoring as well as how it can be used in the retention of staff.

What is Employee Mentoring?

Employee mentoring is a key tool in employee engagement strategies and the retention of staff. It usually involves two people the mentor and mentoree.

The mentor is a member of staff with more experience. Therefore, mentoring programs can be used as low cost rewards to show trust in long-term employees.

Types of Mentoring

Business mentoring allows goals to be set towards clear career targets from the beginning of the mentoring program. They are then monitored and discussed over time.

This allows training and development to be put in place more easily as it’s overtly discussed. As a result, the individual can benefit by fulfilling their career needs. Plus, the organisation benefits by having a driven and skilled workforce.

On the other hand, there’s informal mentoring which does not designate clear goals but is more a source of advice. This often takes place when the mentoree wishes to emulate the career path of their mentor.

This can build long-lasting relationships between the mentor and mentoree but is more focused on the individual and their needs. Whilst, formal mentoring can also include the needs of the company.

Coaching and Mentoring

Whereas, coaching and mentoring are similar but not the same. Management Mentors says, “A mentor may coach, but a coach is not a mentor. Mentoring is “relational,” while coaching is “functional.””

Coaching refers to the part management play in encouraging productivity amongst their subordinates. Whilst, mentoring is outside of that based on a more personal relationship.

There are many benefits of mentoring over coaching. Beth Carvin, CEO of Nobscot, summed up the top reason to use mentoring to Knowledge at Wharton.

She said, “A manager cannot always do that type of coaching,” she says. “As a manager, the employee works for you, and you’re not thinking of ways they can move away from [your] department. The mentor can be that outside set of eyes, helping employees see strengths and weaknesses and introducing them to new people or skills.”

By creating mentoring programs, organisations can put in place support systems so employees are working towards their own goals. Moreover, they feel treated as an individual.

Due to the benefits of mentoring, it’s best to begin programs immediately when taking on new staff. This can be an immediate employee engagement tool which puts staff in charge of their own engagement.

Contact great{with}talent and find out more about their TalentEngage employee engagement surveys.

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(Main image from HR Ninja)