Fostering meaningful connections through mentorship

A remote workforce can prove challenging for cultivating meaningful connections among employees. How do we create a culture of connectedness when the majority of our workforce is dispersed? We must create avenues to combat the feelings of disconnectedness that often come from virtual-only relationships.

In a world where virtual meetings reign, mentorship is a great way to build and sustain purposeful virtual connections — helping employees feel engaged, connected and empowered.

How mentorship fosters connection at Hyland

Creating networking and learning opportunities that aid in development not only helps us build leaders but also retain them. We asked our Hylanders to share their appreciation for their mentors over the years, and here’s a snapshot of what they had to say:

Creates long-lasting, meaningful connections in a virtual world

?“Liz Dennen is the GOAT when it comes to mentors. She has so much technical knowledge along with customer service soft skills. I am so thankful she was assigned as my mentor 6.5 years ago. I still rely on her knowledge and guidance to this day!” – Nikki Schoen, solution manager

Inspires us to challenge ourselves

“Shannon Conner has taught me many leadership skills. He has helped me level up my project management skills and my ability to solve ambiguous problems. More than anything, he is a shining example of how to lead with trust and humanity. He inspires me to lead in service of others.” – Erin Thompson, instructional designer

Provides support in a new place

“Madhumanti Sengupta, you have been a mentor and friend to me since my first week of joining Hyland. The motivation and encouragement you provided has been my support during the initial days. You are always approachable and very kind. I am lucky to have met you.” – Sharmistha Guhamajumdar, product owner

Develops our skills through guidance and understanding

“I want to take a moment to appreciate my mentor Holly Marcuse! She has always gone above and beyond to help me acclimate to my role. I'm thankful for her patience, encouragement and time to help me develop my skill set. Her positive attitude and professional approach are a constant source of inspiration.” – Sarah Adams, sourcing advisor

?Diversifies our network outside our immediate work team

“Tarah Harvey is a WIZARD of instructional design, among many other things. She inspired me to earn my master's and always supported my ideas for course creation. I'm thankful we still find ways to work together despite being on different teams.” – Caitlin Fertal, instructional designer

What mentoring relationships look like at Hyland

Our Onboarding Mentor program began as a six-month-long program that starts on an employee’s first day. When a majority of our workforce went remote in 2020, we introduced Mentoring Circles, centered on a common topic of interest among a group of mentees. Open to all employees and comprising talent from different departments and teams across the organization, Mentoring Circles promote diversity of thought and openness to other perspectives. Each circle works specifically in one competency area for which both mentors and mentees applied.

“This unique learning environment aids in competency development and allows mentees to gain a broader perspective of the company given the varying experiences and ideas of each person in the circle,” said Patricia Silva, learning and development specialist.

This program also provides our employees a more diverse mentorship experience — opening them up to networks across not only different departments and organizations but also across time zones, countries and cultures.

In addition to connecting employees across the organization, mentoring drives learning and career development. At Hyland (and many other organizations), these programs have benefitted mentors, mentees and the organization as a whole. For example, Hyland’s mentoring program has:

• Increased employee satisfaction, retention, engagement and promotion rates
• Provided professional development
• Offered networking and relationship-building opportunities
• Enhanced organizational performance

Influential and impactful mentor relationships

Mentoring Circles allow all employees to develop specific competencies through the insight, perspective and support of mentors and small peer groups at any point in their career.

“Mentoring Circles help employees gain awareness for development in their current role as well as exposure to jobs across the company, offering insight into other positions they may not have considered for themselves,” said Silva. “This can open opportunities to expand their personal and professional network and provides an avenue for employees to connect across the company. These strong connections help support job satisfaction and engagement at work.”

To learn more about how we are fostering connection through learning and development at every level, visit our website .