Mentoring can be a valuable way to build capability, share knowledge and support employees as they develop. But introducing two people, putting a recurring meeting in their calendars and calling it a mentoring program does not necessarily mean meaningful mentoring will follow.
The first few conversations may go well. Then workloads increase, meetings are moved and the purpose of the relationship becomes less clear. Before long, mentoring becomes something both people intend to get back to when they have time.
The issue is rarely a lack of goodwill. Mentoring works best when employers give people enough direction and support to turn good intentions into a useful working relationship.
Australian Industry Group’s Mentoring in the workplace FAQs explores the foundations of workplace mentoring, including the benefits for mentors and mentees, common challenges and ways to measure and conclude a mentoring relationship. Employers can build on these foundations by thinking about what needs to sit around the relationship to help it work in practice.
Structure does not have to mean a complicated program or layers of administration. For many organisations, particularly SMEs, a simple framework will be enough.
A good place to start is with purpose. What is mentoring expected to achieve? An organisation may want to:
Being clear about the purpose makes it easier to identify suitable mentors and gives the relationship some direction from the outset.
Matching people also deserves more thought than simply finding someone more senior. A mentor needs relevant experience, but they also need the time and willingness to support another person. The mentee’s goals, the mentor’s strengths and how the two people communicate should all be considered.
It can be useful to let potential mentoring partners have an initial conversation before confirming the arrangement. If the fit is not right, there should be a straightforward way to say so without either person feeling they have failed.
From there, keep the framework practical. Agree on how often the pair will meet, how long the arrangement is expected to run and when progress will be reviewed. A one-page mentoring agreement and a couple of planned check-ins may be all that is needed to keep things moving.
A mentoring relationship can quickly lose direction when the two people enter it with different ideas about what mentoring involves.
A mentee may be looking for career guidance while the mentor assumes they are there to provide technical advice. The mentor may expect the mentee to set the agenda while the mentee waits for the mentor to take the lead.
These are simple misunderstandings, but they can make conversations feel awkward or unproductive.
At the beginning of the relationship, encourage the mentor and mentee to talk about what the mentee wants to achieve, what support the mentor can realistically provide and how they will work together. They should also discuss confidentiality, boundaries, responsibility for organising meetings and what they will do if the arrangement stops being useful.
The aim is not to script every conversation. In fact, some of the most useful mentoring discussions may go in an unexpected direction. Clear expectations simply give both people a shared starting point.
Mentoring can also form part of a broader approach to developing people. For example, it may complement Succession planning by helping employees build knowledge and capability that could support future roles. It can also sit alongside an organisation’s broader Talent acquisition and development activities.
Being experienced or technically capable does not automatically make someone a good mentor.
Mentoring calls for a different set of skills. A mentor needs to listen well, ask useful questions and provide honest feedback without taking over. They also need to know when sharing their own experience will help and when it is better to give the mentee space to work through an issue.
Employers do not necessarily need to put mentors through a lengthy training program. A short briefing can make a real difference. It could cover:
Australian Industry Group’s Enhancing workplace communication resources can also help leaders strengthen the everyday communication skills that support productive mentoring conversations.
Leaders have a role beyond being mentors themselves. If an organisation says mentoring matters but employees are expected to fit it around an already full workload, the message is unlikely to stick. Leaders can support mentoring by allowing reasonable time for conversations, recognising the contribution mentors make and showing that developing others is valued.
Mentoring does not need to continue indefinitely to be successful.
A simple check-in during the arrangement can help identify whether meetings are happening, whether the relationship is still useful and whether the original goals remain relevant. Sometimes the answer will be to continue. Sometimes the focus needs to change. In other cases, a different mentor may be a better fit.
When the agreed period comes to an end, encourage both people to reflect on what they have gained and what happens next. They may decide to continue informally, or they may simply conclude the relationship.
Pairing two people can start the mentoring conversation. What helps it stick is giving them enough structure, clarity and support to make that conversation worth continuing.
For assistance with your workplace matters, members of Australian Industry Group can contact us or call our Workplace Advice Line on 1300 55 66 77 for further information. Australian Industry Group has an extensive range of training courses to support employers on their learning and development journey.
Georgina is Senior HR Content Editor – Publications at Australian Industry Group. With more than 25 years' experience in human resources and leadership, she has demonstrated her expertise across a diverse range of industries, including financial services, tourism, travel, government, agriculture and HR advisory. She is an accomplished writer and editor who creates engaging content that educates and informs. Georgina's writing includes a variety of formats, such as blogs, articles, policies, templates and guides.
