Mentoring the Next Generation of Designers . . . Remotely

Let’s take a minute to focus on the impact COVID-19 and its respective shutdowns have had on millennials in the interiors industry. From an outsider’s perspective, many might think this generation would love the rather sudden push into remote work. After all, one study found that before the pandemic, 79 percent of millennials wanted to work from home. Across all generations of employees fortunate enough to keep their jobs through the economic downturn, many agree that the Great Reset, as ThinkLab often refers to it, has given us a much-needed opportunity to slow down, take a break, and reconnect with our friends and families.

Yet while these remote conditions provide ample opportunity to slow down, they also tell another story: one laden by lack of in-person connection and mentorship, something that millennials (and anyone new to a role) thrive on. In fact, the “Career Development in a Pandemic” research study released by Doodle found that 41 percent of respondents said their career development has stalled during the pandemic, and nine percent said the crisis has actually caused their careers to regress. Perhaps that’s because 50 percent of employees say mentorship from their manager has become more important to them during the pandemic, yet nearly the same share of employees (49 percent) say they aren’t getting enough training, coaching, and mentoring to advance their careers in these uncertain times. As a result, we know that mentorship across all industries is suffering.

So we sat down with one millennial design assistant from a company that built its foundation on a remote-work platform to understand her perspective on the topic of mentorship and remote work during the pandemic. And then we paired it with research on why this generation and others at risk for career backsteps during this challenging time need support now. Read full article here.