An Important Question

How can mentoring help with diversity and inclusion in organizations?  Probably the best way to explain how mentoring is of mutual benefit to both new and current employees. Consider the following scenario:

A disabled employee joins a workplace.  However, this individual has a speech impediment and walks with jerky and uncontrolled movements.  To the casual onlooker, this person probably appears to need a lot of extra help to complete the same tasks as his/her equal.

Due to the company policy of mentorship, a current employee is selected to mentor this individual and help him/her build connections and become an engaged and productive employee.  Hesitant at first, the mentor may be apprehensive, having not been around a disabled worker before this point.

Nevertheless, during the process of mentorship, with the goal of inclusion in the organization, the mentor probably learns more than the new employee.  For instance, the individual has a Masters in Business Administration and graduated at the top of the class.  He/she has a family at home, with the same needs, goals, and desires of any other worker in the company.

Multiple Answers

Although it may sound trite, the old adage, “you can’t tell a book by its cover” holds true. Here is where professional mentoring is important.  In order to accomplish the goal of building connections across people, differences have to be put aside, in favor of how each individual can contribute to providing a product or service that benefits the consumer.

Every person has something to contribute in order to increase workplace productivity.  It is important to be able to work with peers and bosses from diverse backgrounds.  Disabilities, sexuality, ethnic background, or any other personal differences should not adversely affect whether the job gets done well and in a timely manner.

Naturally, individuals have work and personal relationships.  Sometimes, the two intersect, sometimes not.  It all boils down to having a respect for coworkers, regardless of the differences.  It does not mean everyone agrees nor has the same cultural values.  Nevertheless, professional mentoring can help everyone learn to work well together, and possibly use those differences to promote the business and improve productivity, rather than working in a tense and uncomfortable environment.

In summary, the business world is now an exercise in diversity and acceptance.  Individuals relocate from differing cultures and countries to provide for themselves and their families.  Everyone has differing value systems based on ethnicity, sexuality, culture background, disabilities and more.  But, it is essential to use professional mentoring as a tool for workplace diversity, in order to increase employee productivity and remain competitive in a more challenging economy.

Copyright 2009,  Cecile Peterkin. All rights reserved.

Shared Experiences

Mentoring employees is an excellent method used to increase employee productivity.  Businesses will naturally be more successful, if they work like a well-oiled machine.  Coworkers exchange knowledge and ideas, in order to improve performance for all.  For example, the new employee brings previous experiences and ideas to the table.  Likewise, the more seasoned employees share information about the business and how duties have been carried out to this point.  Mentoring makes sure that no one is left high and dry, and basically an island unto themselves in the workplace.

An Ongoing Process

Generally, training commences for a week or two; then, the new employee is left to figure out any confusing job related issues alone.  Meaningful engagement may not be truly accomplished for weeks.  However, employees mentoring employees is essential to build connections across people. For example, if a new hire has a question or problem, who will be the best resource to successfully complete a project; or what people will make the best team to create and develop a venture that will benefit the company and increase employee productivity?  It is an ongoing process that ultimately enables a company to rise above the competition.

Building Relationships

Essentially, workplace mentoring is all about building relationships.  Not only does the sharing of knowledge and experiences help increase employee productivity, but it will also improve how well employees work together.  An engaged employee is a productive employee. Positive work relationships are a positive benefit for everyone in the office.  If people work well together and have developed great relationships through mentoring, employee turnover is also likely to be reduced.  Not only does it save the expense of training a new employee so often, but workplace productivity will continue to improve as well.

In summary, mentoring in the workplace does play a vital role in corporate training. Several benefits will ultimately help a business become more profitable. Conversely, there is no downside to improving workplace productivity, building important connections between employees, sharing knowledge and experience, and making sure that all of the employees are engaged as part of a team with a common goal.  It is a win-win situation for everyone.

Training is only temporary and often not sufficient to create a comfortable employee in a new workplace.  Regardless of the level of understanding and engagement, the sessions come to an abrupt end.  However, workplace mentoring is an ongoing process that continues and is paid forward, when another new employee joins a successful team.

Copyright 2009, Cecile Peterkin. All rights reserved.

Employee mentoring programs simplify the process of transitioning new employees into the workplace on a number of levels.

First, employee mentoring programs help to ensure that when new employees are brought into the workplace they aren’t just going to be given a desk and a stack of tasks to complete – left on their own to figure out the best possible approach to doing the work and not being sure of whom to go to when they have questions. Instead, with employee mentoring programs in place, new hires are connected with an employee who is already on the team, has experience doing the work and who will be there to provide guidance about the tasks at hand, company policies and the best ways to get things done.

Similarly, employee mentoring programs are effective for transitioning new employees into the workplace because the programs foster  both relationships and confidence. Employee mentoring programs help a new hire to get to know his or her new coworkers and to establish connections. Those connections along with the support that shows that they are picking up on the requirements of the job and the knowledge that – as additional employees are brought on they will rise to the position of mentor – their contributions will be recognized and rewarded.

Because these new employees will know that their efforts will be rewarded as they learn the job, they will develop a sense of job security as well. The more that their efforts are recognized and the more comfortable that they are with getting the job done, the more that these staff members will be able to contribute. As they are able to work their way up within the company, they will further develop loyalty to the business – and they will be able to continue to take advantage of employee mentoring programs so that they will learn each job responsibility just as easily as they initially did.

With employee mentoring programs in place, therefore, businesses will find that they are able to groom staff members from the time that they are hired until they have reached their career goals. Likewise, companies with employee mentoring programs in place will find that their staff members form better relationships, to be more comfortable with doing their jobs and to know that there is a place where they will be able to grow and thrive. Simply put, employee mentoring programs simplify the process of transitioning new staff into the business and ensuring that, once there, they’ll want to stick around.

Copyright, Cecile Peterkin. All rights reserved.

One of the best options for increasing employee productivity is simple: coaching.  Coaching employees can lead your business to the same great success as is achieved by a championship sports team.

Think about it for a minute: if you’re looking at what you can do to increase employee productivity, what could be a better model than a sports team – particularly a team made up of students? Coaching employees is about making sure that everyone understands the “rules of the game” – what needs to be done to meet the needs of clients and customers, while making sure that everyone is working together to achieve a common goal.

In other words, what you are going to find is that by coaching members of your team, you’re going to be able to:

1.  Identify the strengths and weaknesses of everyone on your staff – and  make sure that your employees are working in a position where they excel.

2.  Help each member of the team  learn to work more effectively with one another.

3.  Ensure that your staff members understand the goals that they are working toward – and the tasks that must be completed in order to reach those goals, along with the smaller tasks that must be completed along the way.

4. Determine more effective strategies for supporting your clients.

5. Know that your staff are working together successfully.

The more  your staff members are working together to achieve their goals, the more  you will see an increase in workplace productivity. By making sure that your staff members are working together, whether coaching employees who are new to the team or focusing on learning more advanced strategies, you will see that projects are coming together, goals are being met and  your business is thriving.

An increase in employee productivity is a sure fire way to know that your staff are coming together – that members of the team are focused on common goals and on developing strategies for achieving major milestones. By coaching employees and encouraging mentor relationships, you can be sure that your staff comes together and they know that everyone benefits from the strengths of other members of the team. As a result, you can be sure that you are offering employees a great working environment and that they are committed to reaching your business goals.

Copyright 2009, Cecile Peterkin. All rights reserved.

Tags: increase, employee, productivity,coaching, employees,, workplace, productivity,employee, coaching

By taking the time to develop a mentoring strategy and involving those who have been with your company the longest, you’ll discover a variety of team building activities that can take place. For those employees who are new to the company, being paired with a mentor who has been there, who knows the “rules of the game,” and who understands the best practices for reaching company goals is like having a team captain, a teammate and a cheerleader all rolled into one.

For those who have been on staff  longer, a mentoring program helps to open the door to learning new techniques or new technologies  For example, protégés can teach their mentors how to use social networking tools more effectively. Those who have experience and are willing to learn from others on the team will find that they are able to do their work with greater ease, and they are able to accomplish more.

The key benefit of mentoring and company team building is the ability to draw workers together – and to make sure that they are finding support when they need it. By making sure that your staff members all feel supported and are able to recognize that they are part of something bigger – part of a team – you can rest assured that they will remain committed to reaching the goals that you’ve set forth for the company.

Having a job is one thing – especially given the overall economy. However, for those who are looking at what they can do to give their employees a sense of purpose and not just a steady paycheck, it’s important to focus on creating an investment in the business. Mentoring and team building activities that bring the staff together and allow everyone to work toward a common goal will not only help to create strong teams, but they will also lead to continued strength for your business.

Copyright 2009, Cecile Peterkin. All rights reserved.

Tags: team, building,company, team, building,mentoring

Rather than a more traditional training program, you’ll find that a corporate mentoring program:

*  Ensures that new employees ,whether they are new to the business or simply new to a specific department , know to whom they can turn whenever they have a question.

*  Enables continuity in the ways in which your customers or clients receive their services. With employee mentoring programs, what you are going to find is that more experienced staff are helping those with less experience to learn more about the ways in which things are done and why they are done a particular way. Though it’s also true that a newer staff member may be able to contribute better ways of doing things, with a corporate mentoring program, sharing resources and tools happens naturally.

*  Encourages communication about strengths and discussion of key projects.

*  Allows relationships to build and for members working within the same department to form strong teams.

Team building is an essential step when you want to prepare your employees for success. Employee mentoring programs help each staff member to learn more about the company and to become a part of a team. By taking the time to celebrate the strengths of key staff members while helping those who are new to the department to learn more about why things are the way they are, you can be sure that you’re creating an environment in which staff members are comfortable turning to one another.

Knowing that you have focused on creating strong teams with a corporate mentoring program is going to allow you to know that your staff have ongoing support. Additionally, you will find that members of the team are able to look at more efficient ways of completing projects, can communicate more effectively with one another and can better identify strategies that will improve the services that your company provides to your customers and clients.

In other words, by looking into the benefits of employee mentoring programs and focusing on the best way to bring such a program into your business, you can rest assured that your clients and customers are getting the attention that they deserve. You’ll also know that your staff members are on-board and are committed to your company’s success.

A corporate mentoring program, therefore, in one part training program and one part investment in the future of your business. When you know that your staff members are receiving the guidance and support that they need and that everyone on the team is focused on creating a better atmosphere, you will also find increased job satisfaction and, along with it, less of a need for training. As a result, you’ll know that everyone on your staff is ready to rise to the occasion and to contribute to the continuing success of your company.

Tags: corporate, mentoring, program,, employee, mentoring, programs

What are the benefits of team building that come from having members coach one another?

1.    Coaching and mentoring encourages staff members to make a connection. When you’re able to bring together employees across generations, employees who have different skill sets and ideas, you’ll find that relationships form and employees are able to count on one another.

2.    By encouraging members of your staff to both coach and be coached, you’ll find that everyone is continuing to learn. Building a team will benefit your business because employees are going to recognize that everyone has something to contribute, and each staffer – from those at an entry level right up to the executives – will recognize that they have somewhere to turn when they feel a bit stuck. Most importantly, this contributes to keeping fresh ideas coming.

3.    Coaching allows employees to receive praise for what they are doing well. Ultimately, it’s important to make sure that your staff get recognition for those things that they are doing well and not just hearing about the areas where they can improve; when staff members know that their accomplishments are recognized and know that there’s value in what they are doing, not only are there benefits to the overall strength of the team, but also individual employees want to keep putting in their best efforts.

4.    Building a strong team benefits a business in that, just as they would on a sports field, your staff members will be in a position to cheer one another on, to problem solve when necessary and to recognize that when each member of the team succeeds, the entire team finds success.
In other words, coaching and mentoring in the workplace create a foundation for solid teamwork and an environment in which everyone wants to succeed. The more that your staff is brought together and recognizes that they are a team, the more that they will be able to contribute. The more that your staff are able to contribute within the office on their own and with their teams (and, the better that they feel about coming into work in the morning), the more that will be accomplished.

Team building, therefore, is a vital component to having a thriving business. Strong teams are able to problem solve, lead from within, and to focus on bringing your staff together. When your staff members recognize business goals and are focused on helping one another succeed, you’ll find that they are more productive, more present, and more committed to the success of your company – it really is as simple as that.

Copyright 2009, Cecile Peterkin. All rights reserved.

Fortunately, the basic theory of how to hire the right person for the job does not change much in an economic downturn. Even though there are more applicants – more resumes to skim through and more interviews to schedule – there are key things to look for.

When it comes to how to hire the right person for the job, you’ll find that there are a number of great tools at your disposal:

• Requesting specific information or formatting when you place the ad – “Submit a cover letter, chronological resume and three writing samples,” for example – will allow you to determine whether or not applicants are good at following directions. If you receive an experience-based resume, a letter of reference and no cover letter, you’ll know that you can move on to the next applicant.
• Focus on those applicants who show an affinity for the position and who seem to know a bit about your company; those who have taken the time to research your company are likely to be more committed whereas others who send what appears to be a blanket cover letter addressed to “Whom It May Concern” (especially if your name and title are available) may not be the best candidate for the job.
• Your current staff. As a hiring manager, ultimately the decision about how to hire the right person is yours to make, however there are advantages to involving additional staff in the interview process. After all, those who are “in the trenches” are going to be able to get a sense of whether or not the person is a good fit for the team and the position in question.

The more that you are able to look beyond the huge stack of resumes that is threatening to take over your desk and to focus on your business, the better the position that you will be in. By making an effort to focus on more than just the response that you get to your hiring ad, the better the chance of bringing the right person onto the team.

When it comes to how to hire the right person, in other words, you are going to want to be sure that you are focused on the position and the company and finding those applicants that will be great additions to your team. Building a strong company, after all, is something that requires strong, committed workers who act as a team; when you hire a new person for the company – regardless the level of the position you need to fill – strengthening the team should be among your top priorities, especially in an economic downturn.

Copyright 2009, Cecile Peterkin. All rights reserved.

With mentoring in the workplace, what you are going to find is that there are fewer challenges in bringing age groups together. The millennials, the Gen X-ers, the Boomers: everyone will be able to come together and share the talents that they have in order to work toward a common good. Similarly, with mentoring in the workplace, you’re going to find that there’s less of a sense of ownership of a specific task – something that often leads to resentment when someone else is brought on board.

The more that you take advantage of mentoring in the workplace, the more that you will see the benefits:

• When older workers are able to respect the talent that younger workers bring to the table, there will be fewer frustrations about the “kids” and how quickly they are advancing. Similarly, the younger workers who are looking for instant gratification and advancement will be able to understand the importance of loyalty and sticking it out even when times get tough.
• When staff members are simultaneously performing their own job well, learning new skills and passing those skills on to others, the reality is that there is a lot more job satisfaction and it it easier for everyone to feel and be involved.
• A staff that works well as a team.

In every workplace environment, the people are the most valuable assets. The more that your staff members are able to see the results that come from contributing to one another’s development, the more that strong teams are formed as employees work together to find a solution to any given challenge, the more valuable that this asset becomes.

As employee relations improve, so does morale. The more that your staff members enjoy coming into the office and the more that they are able to accomplish, the more that employee relations will continue to improve.

Ultimately, what you find with mentoring in the workplace is that there is a cycle of continued growth and improvement. When you are able to take advantage of that cycle, when your staff members are engaged and understand and appreciate the value that they bring to the business when they work together, the more that your business will continue to grow.

A sense of community is essential within the workplace – especially when there is a lot of news about the overall economy that isn’t exactly positive. The more that your staff feel good about their relationships and accomplishments (and know that there’s always someone on the team that they can turn to), the more smoothly that things will continue to go in your company.

Copyright 2009, Cecile Peterkin. All rights reserved.

Part of understanding how to keep employees happy during an economic downturn, therefore, involves making a concerted effort to keep your staff motivated. Knowing how to keep employees happy during a tough economy is to focus on the tools that you can use to ensure that they recognize that their jobs are secure. In order to make sure that you are able to keep the members of your staff focused, excited about work and feeling secure that the company is doing well, there are a number of options to take into consideration.

In an economic downturn, obviously, you aren’t going to want to throw elaborate parties to show appreciation to your staff. However, that doesn’t mean that you cannot show them that you value their commitment and are committed to their successes as well.

One option that you will want to consider involves ongoing training. When you have staff members who are able to work in a wider variety of capacities, you are able to build a more tightly knit team – a team of employees who can work together to solve problems and get the job done, who can pitch in when other staff members need a hand.

Similarly, you will find that there are benefits to looking outside of the immediate on the job training that can be done to keep your staff invested. By looking into continuing education training and functions as part of how to keep employees happy – such as a group volunteer project in the community – that enhance the personal development of your staff, you will find that you are able to bring your staff members together.

Ultimately, the most important thing that you can do when you want to ensure that your staffs are happy is to focus on them – not just on the bottom line. By showing that you are as committed to their development and happiness as you are to the business, you can be sure that your employees feel connected. The more that your staff see that you have made the commitment to ongoing training and to their continued success, the more that they will continue to give you their best work.

During an economic downturn, there is going to be stress – and that stress is going to come into the workplace. The more that you are focused on how to keep your staff happy and the more that you are able to focus on helping them to gain additional skills and to contribute on a broader level, the better the position that you will be in – and the better that they will feel about facing the day when their alarm goes off in the morning.

Copyright 2009, Cecile Peterkin. All rights reserved.