To continue this month’s exploration of internal investment, we’re here to discuss something that a lot of people value but few take time for: mentorship. As we said last Wednesday, it’s often difficult for busy executives to find the time to mentor others who have less experience. With pressing business issues and sales goals at hand, mentorship can begin to seem less worthwhile and more like a feel-good idea with no true benefit.
As much as another commitment sounds like a burden, the truth is that mentorship serves more than just fresh-faced young employees and college graduates. It helps your business thrive at its core. We do our best to encourage these relationships at Moveo by matching every new employee to a mentor. We’ve found that it’s critical for this to happen at the onset of employment to spark the most value. It gives new team members a place to go with questions, no matter how small, and the relationships often continue long after an employee’s first day. Even better, making mentorship part of our culture has provided added benefits that we never anticipated.
When seasoned employees share their experience with new team members, it helps get everyone thinking on the same page. Inexperienced people can learn what’s worked and what hasn’t and make decisions that are aligned with higher level executives. It leaves newbies equipped to make smart moves right away. At the same time, the experts are encouraged to approach decisions with fresh eyes.
There’s a funny thing about teaching–it often inspires the expert to learn, which further strengthens the company. Teachers find themselves wanting to continue their own growth and discovery as they help others do the same.
We’ve been saying it all month, but making internal growth and professional development part of your culture is a great way to encourage retention. People who know they’re valued do better work and stick around longer, making the most of your investment in them.
Encouraging internal learning and mentorship maximizes the investment your company has made in its leaders. It capitalizes on what long-term employees have learned along the way and extends the value of each person’s professional development and experience.
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