Elevate your workforce this national mentoring month
As we embark on 2025, forward-thinking leaders like you are seeking innovative ways to cultivate talent and drive organizational success.
Workplace mentorship remains a powerful approach to fuel employee growth and achieve critical business goals. But like any worthy resolution, it requires a strategic plan to turn aspirations into lasting impact.
January, National Mentoring Month, is a great time to launch new mentoring initiatives or reinvigorate existing ones to align with critical business goals
"We know it's true that mentorship is the way that we share learning and culture and build leadership capacity. So let's get there faster."
David Simmonds,
SVP, Global Chief Communications and Sustainability Officer, Canada Life
What is National Mentoring Month?
National Mentoring Month, observed each January, provides a dedicated opportunity to recognize and celebrate the profound impact of mentoring relationships within organizations and communities.
It's a time to acknowledge the contributions of mentors, encourage the formation of new mentoring partnerships, and promote the transformative power of mentorship. Officially recognized, National Mentoring Month is endorsed by Congress as well as former Presidents Obama and Bush.
Workplace mentorship done right
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10KC's all-in-one mentorship software provides the tools and resources to build, manage, and scale mentoring programs that deliver exceptional results. With 10KC, you can strengthen workplace connections, drive performance, and achieve critical business goals.
LEARN MORETips for National Mentoring Month
Focus on small steps to set up mentorship for success this month for a thriving program in 2025. Check out these tips to maximize your impact:
1. Leverage key National Mentorship Month dates
Use these special days to promote your mentorship initiatives and boost engagement.
- January 7th: I Am a Mentor Day: Launch a mentor recruitment campaign highlighting the benefits for mentors, such as leadership development, reignited passion, and stronger networks. There are obvious benefits of mentorships for mentees, but studies have shown that mentors can benefit just as much.
- January 17th: International Mentoring Day: Cultivate awareness and enthusiasm for mentorship by sharing inspirational stories and messages.
- January 25th: Thank Your Mentor Day: Show appreciation for your mentors with a dedicated campaign or event.
2. Set goals and align with business priorities
What specific challenges are you trying to address? How will mentorship contribute to your overall business objectives? For example:
- Increase retention by 10% in H2
- Foster cross-team knowledge sharing to enhance customer service and improve CSAT scores
- Increase cross-departmental project involvement, indicating greater willingness to collaborate and share knowledge across different teams
- Improve employee ENPS scores and culture sentiment after a merger, ultimately driving profitability
- Boost internal promotions within a specific talent group by 15% in the next three years
3. Get buy-in from stakeholders
Identify individuals across different levels and departments who need to be involved in the program's success. This might include:
- Executive sponsor: A senior leader who champions the initiative and secures necessary resources.
- Program manager: An individual or team responsible for the day-to-day management and execution of the program.
- Departmental representatives: Representatives from different departments who provide input and ensure alignment with departmental goals.
- Employee participants: Actively involve employees in shaping the program and providing feedback.
4. Monitor and measure progress
Regularly evaluate program-level metrics (participation, engagement, completion) to ensure your mentorship program is effectively engaging employees. You can also analyze how mentorship influences key business metrics like engagement, promotions, and retention.
💡 Remember: The impact of mentorship on business metrics is often a lagging indicator. It takes time for the knowledge, skills, and connections gained through mentorship to translate into measurable outcomes. Be prepared to analyze data over a longer period, such as quarterly or bi-annually, to reveal meaningful trends.
5. Leverage a corporate mentorship software
Manual efforts can hinder efficiency, growth, and overall impact. How might specific technology features and tools help ensure success? Ask yourself questions like:
- What are the manual processes that create the most bottlenecks? (e.g., matching participants, curriculum building, tracking progress)
- Are there ways you think the right tools and partners could help you scale and maximize efforts?
- Can technology help you measure ROI and connection data more efficiently?
- How could the right tools help you personalize and improve the employee experience?
Resources to set up your mentorship program for success
The resources below can help you launch a mentorship program or get the most out of your existing programs.
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