Employee Retention and Mentorship during uncertain times
Many companies are finding it challenging to retain employees and when uncertainty is the only certainty, organizations need to quickly adapt.
The pandemic has resulted in large-scale shifts in how people work, and how work gets done. Post pandemic, many employees will continue to work remotely, at least part of the time, and leaders that respond effectively to this change in the workplace will ensure their organizations continue to flourish.
While the workplace is in flux business continuity and success is increasingly dependent on retaining current and developing, future leaders. Consequently it will be critical to adopt those work experience strategies that maximize retention.
Research indicates that organizations providing a vibrant mentorship program retain more current and future leaders. More specifically the mentoring program should engage key senior employees in the identification and evolution of the next generation of leaders. Outcomes of this approach include key senior staff having more ownership of supporting, training, and guiding future leaders and the retention of their wealth of irreplaceable skills and knowledge.
How do you set the foundation for a quality-mentoring program?
Mentoring Program Goals
Identify vulnerabilities. Create a profile of your workforce by work unit or function.
Identify the types of critical knowledge and skills at risk. Where should you focus knowledge and skill retention efforts? Who has those skills and knowledge?
Mentor Pairs. Which senior employee with critical skills and knowledge should be paired with a talented junior employee identified as a potential successor?
What are some of the desired outcomes of the mentoring program for the mentor and mentee?
Mentoring Program Objectives
Better understanding of the organization: Highlighted understanding of issues facing the organization and ideas on how to address them.
Better understanding stakeholders perceptions: Deeper insights into the perception of internal and external stakeholders and how to reinforce positives and address concerns.
A larger network: Development of a network of allies that can be relied upon when support is required
Issue resolution: Learning how to use specific spheres of influence to address concerns
Personal satisfaction: Benefit from the feeling experienced by actively helping others succeed
What are the immediate benefits for an organization?
Faster, more effective transition into senior positions.
Retention of quality staff – mature and young.
Enhanced transfer of knowledge and skills
Gains in productivity and the performance of individuals
Increased on-the-job learning that reduces off-job training costs
Better communication, commitment and motivation
A cost-effective method to enhance staff development and knowledge transfer
A stabilizing factor in times of change
Clearly, mentorship programs are not a luxury or an attractive “add-on” to organizational strategies. They are now essential to organization continuity and future growth.
