Build a Mentorship Program

So many organizations lament the departure of seasoned employees (who either retire or leave to seek new opportunities), as they take their years of expertise and hard-won practical knowledge with them.

Or, when budgets are tight, cuts are made to learning programs, and there are few opportunities to formally develop employees.

Regardless of the reasons, there are some simple initiatives companies can launch to ensure skills and knowledge are transferred back into the people and teams that continue to do the work, and to create meaningful development opportunities for emerging talent.

Creating a mentorship program is one such initiative.

This set of practical information, tools and templates can form the basis for the start of a thoughtful and practical mentorship program that can be implemented in organizations large and small, be they companies, non-profits or peer organizations.

It covers the essentials of what mentoring is, how to assess what you wish to develop as a mentee seeking support, how to develop your skills as a mentor and a sample mentoring contract.