According to the CIPD’s 2014 ‘Employee Outlook Survey’ 22% of employees are looking for a new job. That’s almost a quarter of the workforce.  According to the same survey, “a lack of opportunity” was the main reason people gave as to why they had left their jobs over the past 12 months.  That’s a lot of dissatisfaction, a lot of unhappiness – and a lot of money being spent on recruitment.

But it doesn’t have to be like that.

With the right opportunities for progression and development, employee engagement in organisations can increase, clear career development and talent retention can be achieved and the cost of recruitment can be reduced.

So what can you – as an HR professional – do to help organisations boost their employee engagement, keep their key talent engaged (and employed) and save money?

Mentoring for success

“If you are looking to make your way in business, try to find a mentor. If you are in a position to share the skills you have learned, give something back by becoming a mentor yourself.”

Richard Branson, Founder of The Virgin Group

In 2006 the information technology research and advisory company, Gartner, conducted a study that revealed employee retention rates were higher for those who engaged in a mentoring programme.  This was true for both mentors (69%) and mentees (72%).

In addition to this, the Gartner survey found that mentees were promoted 5 times more than those not in a mentoring programme, and that figure increased for mentors, who were promoted 6 times more often.

Why mentor?

An effective mentoring programme will support an organisation’s employees at all levels.

Senior managers will see a return on their investment as their key talent stays and develops their role within the organisation.

Managers will be given the confidence and skills to perform an effective mentoring role, with clear guidelines for mentors and mentees, backed by support at a senior managerial level.

Mentees will have the confidence of an effective and productive match with a mentor who will support their career development and future within the organisation, allow them a space to say what they need and give them ownership of their career.

How to design a mentoring programme that works

A successful mentoring programme creates internal opportunities for an organisation’s employees.  It reduces turnover and promotes both knowledge sharing and retention.  The mentoring process enables the early identification of top talent and facilitates successful promotions from within an organisation.

At Antoinette Oglethorpe Ltd. we help HR professionals like you to design and implement effective mentoring programmes that meet what your organisation needs to achieve.

We understand that in many organisations mentoring happens naturally.  An effective mentoring programme can work by simply facilitating the process, making it more purposeful and less open to chance.

‘We see mentoring as a key process, a key part of how we accelerate the career development of people with potential. Antoinette’s excellent facilitation skills mean our mentors are doing the very best job possible in terms of how they engage with and support our people.”

Andrea Huckett, Head of Career Management, Saint-Gobain

Create positive results

Do you want to learn more about creating and sustaining an ongoing mentoring relationship?  Relationships that support both your mentors and your mentees?  And that produce ongoing positive results for your organisation? Click here to find out how we can help >>