Mentorship Programs: Your 2025 Ultimate Guide - AIHR 12-11-24, 4:51 p.m.

/ Mentorship Programs in the Workplace:...

ntorship Programs in
Workplace: Your 2025
imate Guide
y Neelie Verlinden ! 9 minutes read

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Research by the Association of Talent Development found that organizations

with mentoring programs in the workplace saw 57% higher employee Subscribe to our
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engagement and retention. This illustrates how impactful mentorship
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programs can be, not only for the company but for the employee too, in
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driving the employee’s motivation and attracting and retaining candidates in

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In this article, we’ll look at mentorship programs in the workplace. We’ll talk
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about their benefits, the various types of mentoring, and six steps to develop

a strong mentorship program.

Contents

What is a mentorship program in the workplace?

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What is a mentorship program in the workplace?

Benefits of mentorship programs in the workplace

6 Types of mentorship programs

Examples of successful company mentorship programs

5 Steps to creating mentorship programs in the workplace

What is a mentorship program in the

workplace?
A mentorship program can take various forms. However, there are some

common characteristics across these.

A mentorship program is often:

A relationship between two (or more) people that aims to transfer

knowledge, skills, experience, or a combination of these,

Over a longer period of time,

And is based on trust.

Benefits of mentorship programs in

the workplace
Having a strong mentorship program in place has countless benefits both for

employees and the organization. Reports and studies have revealed that:

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According to the latest LinkedIn Learning report, mentorship is ranked

the no. 1 focus area for L&D programs in 2023.

One study showed that, while 76% of people feel that mentors are

important, only 37% have one.

89% of people who’ve been mentored by someone become a mentor

themselves.

Another study found that 87% of mentors and mentees feel

empowered by their mentoring relationships and have developed more

confidence.

There are also additional benefits for the organization and the employee

when considering mentoring programs:

Employee benefits:

Personal and professional growth. Both mentees and mentors learn

from the interactions they have with each other, as well as from their

diverse experiences and perspectives.

Camaraderie and bonding. Building mutual trust is an essential

element of a successful mentor-mentee relationship. When trust exists

between parties, it creates a stronger bond and sense of camaraderie.

Increased wellbeing. The benefits of growth and camaraderie have a

positive e"ect on overall wellbeing. Additionally, the higher levels of

trust make it easier for people to open up to their mentor in case of any

struggles.

Purpose. A mentor’s contributions to the growth and development of

mentees can help them find greater purpose at work. By sharing their

own experiences, they can o"er valuable guidance and a clear

demonstration of the impact the mentee can make.

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Organizational benefits:

Knowledge sharing and transfer. Tacit knowledge, gained through

employees’ personal and interactional experiences with colleagues, is

hard to capture in a database, standard operating procedure, or formal

training program. Mentoring programs are an e"ective way to transfer

this knowledge.

Improve employer brand and attract candidates. Mentoring

programs can be one of the reasons candidates choose one

organization over another. They demonstrate a company’s commitment

to the growth and development of its people.

Contribute to a learning culture. A successful mentoring experience

necessitates an open mind, active listening, a desire to learn, and trust.

Moreover, fostering a culture of learning requires these same

components. Additionally, employees who learn from a mentoring

relationship with a colleague are likely to extend the same openness to

others to learn from and teach them. This can create a positive ripple

e"ect throughout the organization.

Increased employee happiness and engagement. Mentoring

programs can also lead to increased engagement and employee

happiness. This, in turn, leads to better performance, higher

productivity, and less turnover.

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6 Types of mentorship programs

1. Traditional mentorship

Traditional mentorship in the workplace is a structured and relationship-

based approach where experienced mentors guide and support mentees in

their professional and personal development.

This mentor-mentee relationship typically involves regular meetings,

discussions, and feedback sessions. The mentor draws from their knowledge,

expertise, and experiences to provide guidance, advice, and constructive

feedback to the mentee.

Traditional mentorship typically focuses on individual growth, career

advancement, and organizational knowledge transfer. It promotes a sense of

camaraderie, fosters a learning culture, and encourages personal and

professional development.

2. Reverse mentorship

Reverse mentorship is a modern approach that challenges traditional

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mentorship dynamics by flipping the roles and creating a reciprocal learning

relationship. In this arrangement, younger or less experienced employees

become mentors to more senior or experienced individuals.

The aim is to tap into the fresh perspectives, technological expertise, and

innovative ideas of younger employees while allowing them to learn from the

wisdom and experience of their senior counterparts.

Reverse mentorship breaks down hierarchical barriers and encourages cross-

generational collaboration.

3. Group mentorship

Group mentorship in the workplace is a collaborative approach where a

mentor collectively guides and supports a group of mentees. Unlike

traditional one-on-one mentorship, group mentorship allows for shared

learning and community among mentees. The mentor acts as a facilitator,

creating a structured environment for mentees to engage in discussions,

share experiences, and learn from one another.

Group mentorship o"ers a broader range of perspectives, diverse insights,

and a supportive mentee network. It encourages peer-to-peer learning,

fosters teamwork, and builds relationships across di"erent levels and

departments within the organization. This form of mentorship also enables

mentees to develop their networking and communication skills as they

interact with multiple individuals.

4. Peer mentoring

Peer mentoring is typically less formal than traditional mentoring programs,

and it may involve peers sharing their experiences, skills, and knowledge in

an informal setting. It can take many forms, such as lunch-and-learn sessions,

job shadowing, or collaborative projects.

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Peer mentoring programs benefit organizations with a diverse workforce,

allowing employees to learn from colleagues with di"erent perspectives and

backgrounds. By facilitating connections between colleagues and promoting a

sense of community within the workplace, peer mentoring can help improve

employee engagement, retention, and productivity.

5. Buddy system

Some companies provide a buddy system, for example, for new hires. The

buddy system provides a supportive and informal approach where a more

experienced employee, or buddy, is paired with a new or less experienced

employee, like a new hire. The buddy acts as a guide, providing assistance,

information, and emotional support to the employee as they navigate their

roles, learn about the organization, and adapt to the workplace culture.

This system helps new employees to accelerate their integration into the

organization. Buddies help the person they have been paired with on

practical matters, like answering questions, clarifying procedures, and

providing insights into day-to-day operations. They also serve as a friendly

resource for social integration, o"ering the mentee a welcoming and

approachable presence.

6. Micro-mentoring

Micro-mentoring is a relatively new form of workplace mentoring that is short

in duration and usually occurs in the shape of just a few hours over a few

days. It’s a great way to transfer knowledge about a specific topic or skill.

Mentees can connect with di"erent mentors on a project-by-project basis or

for specific skill acquisition. Micro mentoring allows for diverse perspectives

and knowledge sources, enabling mentees to receive targeted guidance and

insights from experts in various fields.

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It can take various forms, from brief meetings to informal discussions or

virtual interactions, and is often driven by specific questions or challenges. It

is a valuable tool for professional growth, as it allows mentees to gain more

specialized knowledge.

Examples of successful company

mentorship programs
Mastercard: Mentorship as part of a successful
merger

Mastercard’s Uplift – a global mentoring program, brings together small

groups of Black executives and employees to enable them to share their

challenges and provide mentoring guidance on identifying and seizing

opportunities to grow their careers.

The program was so well-received that Mastercard would be rolling it out to

include more employees across the organization and bring in further mentors

to grow the program.

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Testprep: Multi-generational mentoring Contents
Mentorship Programs in the

Online education company, Testprep paired senior employees with junior Workplace: Your 2025 Ultimate Guide

employees. Senior executives shared their knowledge about professional

What is a mentorship program in the
development and goal setting in this intergenerational mentorship program. workplace?

At the same time, juniors mentored the seniors on new areas of Benefits of mentorship programs in
the workplace
development, such as the latest technology trends.
6 Types of mentorship programs

Microsoft: Remote mentoring to onboard new Examples of successful company

mentorship programs
hires
5 Steps to creating mentorship

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programs in the workplace

Microsoft runs an onboarding buddy program for new employees. Since the
Key takeaway
company works in a hybrid environment, its buddy program also is (partially)

remote. The aim is to make new hires feel welcome and to ensure they have Relevant Articles

someone – their buddy – to turn to if they have any questions, concerns, etc.

5 Steps to creating mentorship

programs in the workplace
This section will examine five steps to create a strong mentorship program in

your organization.

Step 1: Identify the program’s goals and objectives

As with any new initiative, start with the goals you want to achieve with it. As

with coaching, mentoring is part of your talent management practices,

specifically your performance management. Therefore, your goals should be

aligned with your talent management strategy.

Step 2: Selecting the right type(s) of mentoring

program(s)

Depending on your objectives and the available resources, determine the

type of mentoring program – or programs – you want to develop. For

example, opt for a peer mentoring program to increase the transfer of tacit

knowledge. If, on the other hand, you want to upskill an entire team on a

certain number of specific skills, you may choose group mentoring or micro-

mentoring. And if you want to increase your new hire retention rate, you

should consider developing a buddy program.

Step 3: Select mentor and mentee participants

What makes a good mentor, and what makes a good mentee? These are

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questions to consider – and answer – before rolling out a mentoring program.

Also, give employees the option to sign-up as mentors or mentees. More than

any criteria you can think of, a person’s willingness to be a good mentor or

mentee plays a role in the success of a mentoring trajectory.

Think of ways for people in the company to volunteer as a mentor and a

mentee. You might be surprised by the great candidates this will bring about.

A straightforward way to do this is by sending out a simple survey.

Step 4: Create a program structure and guidelines

As the HR and/or L&D department in charge of your organization’s workplace

mentoring programs, you must create a program structure and specific

guidelines.

Things to keep in mind when doing this are:

What is the purpose of the mentorship program, and what do mentors

and mentees expect to get from it?

Practical elements like how often people have a mentoring session,

who contacts who, whether in person or online, etc.

How and when is feedback going to be collected?

Try to provide people with a ready-to-use framework so that they can get

started immediately once they’ve answered the various questions that come

with this. If, however, people want to work with a di"erent structure, that

should be possible too. Ask them to communicate the goal of their mentoring

journey, their expectations, and their feedback so that you can keep track of

these.

Step 5: Evaluating and refining the program

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As with every new initiative, keeping track of how it’s doing is essential. When

it comes to mentoring programs, you can gather feedback by:

Sending out a short survey to participants

Regularly gathering feedback from mentors and mentees

Collecting feedback. You could ask questions about your onboarding

buddy program in a survey, for example.

You can further finetune your workplace mentoring programs based on the

information you will gather.

HR tips
Creating a successful mentorship program

Give people a say: Involve employees in choosing mentors and

allow them to have a say in how they structure their mentor-

mentee pairs.

Communicate about the program(s): Regularly communicate

about the program in newsletters, Slack channels, posters, and

other relevant platforms.

Be mindful of the pairing of people: Not everyone will be a good

match. To reduce the risk of a mismatch, involve employees in the

mentor/mentee selection process, and consider using technology

to match pairs based on capabilities and ambitions.

Get everybody on board: It’s also crucial to get everyone –

including leadership – on board with the mentorship program.

Ideally, the company’s top leaders would participate in the mentor

programs.

Be available for support: Make sure to provide support and

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resources to employees in need and communicate how they can

get in touch with the HR/L&D team for assistance.

Key takeaway
Mentorship programs at work can be a great way to support your employees’

growth, drive the organization’s business, and attract new candidates. HR

and/or L&D departments have an essential role to play in creating strong

mentoring programs. The examples and tips in this article can help with that.

Follow us on social media to stay up to date with the latest HR news and

trends

Neelie Verlinden

Neelie Verlinden is a digital content creator at AIHR. She’s an expert on all things

digital in HR and has written hundreds of articles on innovative HR practices. In

addition to her writing, Neelie is also a speaker and an instructor on several

popular HR certificate programs.

Learn more

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