Why Mentoring Matters

EmpA: ...And yes, I did reach the HRs about the career guidance mentor that you had suggested, but they say there is no such provision for mentorship programs for employees in the organization.

EmpB: I see, but you still can create your own mentors isn't it ?!

EmpA is a hardworking employee who is at the beginning of his career and has recently started working. After spending a considerable time to learn and understand his job role and process he realizes that he is unsatisfied with what he is doing but also doesn't have a view of the way forward. He feels lost and directionless about his career and is in an urgent need of some help and guidance to come on track. EmpB, a colleague of EmpA from the same organization suggests him to reach out to the HRs for getting a mentor who can guide him. But even after trying hard to seek for it, when he fails to get any perspective and is unable to push himself any longer, he QUITS. Although this is just an example but one of the most relevant one as it is one of the prime reasons why organization's face maximum attrition from freshers and new joinees in between two to five years of joining the organization (that is as soon as they get a better opportunity).

The person mentioned in the example above could be a friend, a colleague or 'you' yourself. It is in situations of such nature when the importance of a career mentor makes most sense and is also the best bet that one can have. Now let's analyse another situation- the oragnization provided the employee with a mentor, what can be the possible outcomes:

Outcome1: He is now in a much better place in terms of getting a clarity of what he wants and how can he get there. Also, now he holds a greater sense of respect and loyalty for his organization since he understands that the organization cares for his growth and professional satisfaction as an employee. This leads him to work more efficiently and diligently towards achieving organizational goal along with his own growth as a professional.

Outcome2: The employee feels that it is not working out for him. Well, there's no denying that like any other situation there can be various outcomes to this one as well. But should the fear of going wrong stop us from making a well intended effort for the greater good? After all loop-holes are in every system which the organization can eventually figure out and built/ update the system accordingly.

Lastly, while there are a handful of companies (e.g. PayPal, NetSuite) that have mentorship programs up and running but there is still a lot of vacancy for this idea to trickle up and down. More and more companies should adopt this much needed idea, work around it and start the mentorship programs for their employees for a more progressive and sustainable growth of the employees and thus the organization!