Mentoring is kind of like exercise: It can be instrumental in our growth, requires commitment and work before we see results -- and while some of us need more it than others, at the end of the day everyone can benefit from it.
Here are three simple tips to introduce or ramp up a mentoring program in your organization to keep your employees on a career fitness regimen.
Offer a mentoring membership. The key to a healthy fitness regimen is to maintain a regular schedule, right? In the same way a gym membership enables people to stick with the program and work out regularly, offering employees access to a mentoring program can help keep them on track. If you don't have a formal mentoring program or even a loose structure in place, consider something as simple as having a kick-off meeting or party where interested individuals -- both mentors AND mentees -- can gather, get acquainted and exchange business cards. You could offer free food or other incentives and to keep the ball rolling, encourage those present to go ahead and schedule informal mentoring sessions as their schedules permit.
