Why Start a Formal Mentoring Program?
Retention
Employees in mentoring programs have higher retention (72%) than the rate for all workers (49%) [HBR]
Succession Planning
Employees in mentoring programs are 5x more likely to be promoted or receive a salary increase [Gartner]
Diversity
Mentoring programs can improve promotion and retention for women and minorities 15-38% [Cornell]
Inclusion
Only 37% of professionals have a mentor at work. Formal programs can ensure equitable access to mentoring. [Olivet Nazarene University]
Scalable Support For Your Mentoring Programs
We can advise and support your organization at every stage:
Strategy
Mentoring programs will achieve the best results if they are aligned to your overall Organizational Development strategy. If you’re just starting out, Sonata can help define the strategic objectives and top-level KPIs for your program.
Program Design
The design of your program will depend on its purpose (e.g., developing leaders, retaining diverse talent, etc.). If you already know the strategic goal, Sonata can advise on the structure, duration, selection, matching, and specific activities for the program.
Skills Training
If you already have a program up and running, Sonata can help participants get more out of the time they invest in it. We can deliver training workshops for mentors, as well as workshops for mentees, to help them take a more active role in the mentoring process.
Ongoing Support
Sonata Learning can help train your administrators to run the program, or else provide hands-on support, from conducting evaluations and check-in interviews to developing engagement communications and facilitating virtual “office hours” where mentors can post questions and receive guidance from Sonata’s team.
A Framework for Successful Mentorships
Sonata Learning’s approach to mentorship is grounded on research-based best practices and has been adopted by leading organizations such as Target Corporation and the International Federation of Red Cross Red Crescent Societies.
We help organizations cultivate mentorships as personal interactions between team members that drive professional growth, as opposed to more transactional coaching or training programs.
A Framework for Successful Mentorships
Sonata Learning’s approach to mentorship is grounded on research-based best practices and has been adopted by leading organizations such as Target Corporation and the International Federation of Red Cross Red Crescent Societies.
We help organizations cultivate mentorships as personal interactions between team members that drive professional growth, as opposed to more transactional coaching or training programs.
Technology Selection
There are many technology tools and platforms available to help keep mentors and mentees connected and help administer mentoring programs at scale. Sonata Learning will help your team select and implement the right digital tools for your program’s specific needs.
Mentoring for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
Mentorship is strongly connected to Diversity, Equity and Inclusion. In organizations where mentoring is purely informal, employees from underrepresented groups might find themselves excluded. However, formal programs can create unreasonable expectations for women and minority leaders to assume mentorship responsibilities, even if they don’t have the time or inclination.
Sonata Learning will collaborate with your DEI program leaders to navigate these challenges, and ensure that your mentoring programs account for diversity, equity, and inclusion in a way that supports your overall strategy and the needs of individual employees.
Mentoring in Global Organizations
The increasingly global (and virtual) future of work creates new challenges and opportunities for mentoring. While there is value in face-to-face interactions, sometimes the best mentor for a particular employee might be located in another team, on the other side of the world.
Sonata Learning has extensive experience working with globally distributed organizations in Europe, Asia, Africa, and the Americas, and we will help mentors and mentees address the logistical, cultural, and linguistic challenges to foster successful global mentorships.
Building stronger mentorships
While mentoring has benefits for organizations it is ultimately about personal relationships between mentors and mentees. Sonata Learning will help you create an environment where these relationships can thrive.
