Petroleum Refinery Mentoring Plan. How to organize mentoring in a company
Anastasia Chernikova, HR Director of Avista-Module Group of Companies, tells a case study of how they tried to implement a mentoring system in production, and what came of it.
— Mentoring system implemented at manufacturing plant, can be an effective tool for quickly training new employees in the specifics of correct execution production operations. But, unfortunately, it is not always possible to implement mentoring the first time.
Develop a mentoring system: Regulations on mentoring, motivational schemes, forms - this is only a small part, the tip of the iceberg. The most hard work is to implement and monitor implementation.
The very first problem we encountered was the problem of choosing mentors. Nobody thought that this could become a problem, because this is a certain status, the employer’s trust + a very good bonus to wages, but it turned out that this was not enough.
We understood that a mentor, in addition to professional skills, must have a certain set of personal qualities: the desire to teach, help, pass on his experience, the ability to establish contact with strangers, responsibility, etc. and, based on these criteria, they also selected mentors.
When mentors were selected, new employees, two people each, were assigned to each of them.
The mentor's task was:
- familiarize the new employee with production premises: locker room, shower, dining room, warehouse, etc.,
- clarify issues related to technical documentation, technology for performing production operations,
- demonstrate production operations
- fill in daily individual plan internships
Unfortunately, this approach turned out to be ineffective in practice, since the mentor was constantly distracted from work to help the student or control his actions, so he did not have time to complete his work and lost money; the motivational component for mentoring did not cover the difference in earnings.
Another point that also had a negative impact on our experience of introducing mentoring is the dismissal of newcomers; unfortunately, not everyone is ready to learn; many tried to do the work faster, bypassing the mentor, in order to close the order and get more earnings. It turned out to be defective, and we have always had strict quality control, so often new employees who were not ready to work according to our rules left. This also demotivated the mentors, since he still spent time on training and help, but there was no result, including in the form of a material bonus.
After some time, the mentors began to abandon their assignment, choosing the opportunity to earn money by doing familiar work.
The mentoring system was revised and transferred, as part of the functions, to site managers. Currently carried out as part of an internship.
Key lessons we learned while implementing the mentoring system:
- You cannot skimp on the motivational component of mentors.
- It is also important to think about non-material motivation, provide support and training for mentors.
- When implementing, there should be a flexible approach: promptly receive feedback from mentors, work out objections and revise and improve the system.
- At the same time, there must be fairly strict control.
Involve production management when developing a mentoring system so that initial stage gain support and minimize resistance from introducing a new system.
What questions will you find answers to in this article?
- Who to entrust the role of mentor for beginners
- Is it worth paying mentors for additional workload?
- What professional and personal qualities should a mentor have?
- A new employee needs a mentor not only to familiarize him with the functional responsibilities and specifics of the job. He must also introduce the newcomer to the corporate culture and explain to him the internal rules of behavior.
- In a large company, assign mentoring to the HR department. IN small companies This role can be taken on by the newcomer's immediate supervisor or by a more experienced colleague.
- Incentivize your mentor with more than just money. For a mentor to work effectively, it is necessary that he feels the importance of his role for the company and can feel like an equal among his colleagues.
- Choose mentors from among the people who, firstly, are the most loyal to the company and, secondly, generally have a positive attitude. It is important that mentors have natural sensitivity and persuasive skills.
- Large companies can afford to continue to “support” the employee after the end of the probationary period - this is a function of the personnel department. In small companies, this role is performed by the General Director and a team of top managers.
- What are the three stages of introduction to the profession that an employee at Arpicom must go through?
- In what cases does the General Director of the Press Distribution Center himself act as a mentor? During the probationary period, a new employee who joins a company can be compared to an implant being introduced into the body. To prevent “rejection” from occurring, “supportive therapy” in the form of mentoring is necessary. Mentoring involves:
- explaining to the newcomer the specifics of his professional responsibilities;
- familiarization of the employee with the structure of the company, familiarization with its corporate culture (mission, values, accepted forms of communication).
His potential loyalty to the company depends on how and who interacts with the employee at first.
Who to entrust the role of mentor to?
The functions of a mentor can be performed by:
- The newbie's immediate supervisor. The manager, in parallel with his professional activities, in one way or another initiates the ward into the elements of corporate culture. This very cost-effective way of onboarding new employees is especially common in small and medium-sized companies. The main disadvantage is that the information is presented randomly or is of a formal nature (after all, the manager is busy with current work). Therefore, such mentoring often comes down to the phrases: “Read the information about the company in the brochure,” “This is how we do it,” etc.
- Personnel service workers. In large corporations, in addition to the immediate supervisor, the role of a mentor can be played by an HR manager who holds regular meetings with the newcomer. This method is the most effective - because in addition to professional information, the employee receives additional attention, and therefore confirmation of his importance to the company. This is a good basis for building loyalty.
- Newbie colleague. If you are not able to formally assign a mentor to a new employee, then an employee from the newcomer’s immediate circle may spontaneously become one. This option is undesirable, as it creates hierarchical confusion (the mentor begins to act like a boss, although he may be at the same job level). However, in small companies with a democratic form of management and a predominance of informal communication style similar option possible (if there is control), but only as an experiment.
A practitioner tells
Nina Litvinova| Director of the HR Department at Arpicom, Moscow
We have a newcomer entering the position of assistant waiter. After completing training, he can become a waiter, and then a senior waiter-mentor (these are professionals to whom newcomers are assigned). It is important that the mentor also goes through the training phase with new employees.
In general, the training (adaptation) system is quite simple. The modular program, called “ABS-restaurateur”, involves completing three basic levels: A, B and C. At the first stage, the mentor-waiter introduces the trainee to the standards of service and the contents of the menu. Then, at the training center, we conduct training as part of a team: we invite waiters from different restaurants (sometimes even with different concepts). At the next stages of adaptation, the new employee gains knowledge about products (dishes). The main priority of our company is professionalism, so a waiter in a restaurant must know everything about meat, fish, and all dishes. In order not to fill employees' heads with unnecessary information, we differentiate information for staff - we highlight mandatory and additional knowledge.
There is an “Introduction to the Company” program. At the general meeting of new employees, the general manager introduces the strategic goals of our enterprise, and I talk about the corporate culture and the company as a whole. The instrumental part of adaptation includes studying the menu, teaching serving skills and service standards. The psychological (communicative) part is training in sales, interaction at all levels, and conflict resolution. Special training involves working with related departments of the company. Training-mentoring - separate discipline, which is about how to teach other people.
The adaptation program for a top manager necessarily includes a separate block of events called “Induction into the position.” This interesting process helps a specialist quickly adapt to the company. A top manager must work (not observe, but actually work) in different positions - in the kitchen, in the hall, at the sink, at the cash register, in the warehouse, that is, in all the main departments of the restaurant. This is very important because it allows us to communicate to our employees what we do and what we expect from them.
The “Introduction to the Company” program helps to get all employees on the same wavelength and convey to them the company’s goals and values.
Qualities of good mentors
The employee to whom you decide to assign the functions of a mentor must enjoy authority among colleagues (if he is the immediate supervisor of the new employee) or be well versed in the specifics of the newcomer’s professional responsibilities (HR manager). At the same time, in addition to professional characteristics, you need to pay attention to his personal qualities:
- loyalty (is the employee committed to the company, does he understand the goals that you set as a leader, and does he follow these goals);
- the importance in his motivation of predominantly intangible factors - that is, payment should be important for him, but not the determining factor in professional activity(for example, for some workers the most important thing in work is the ability to solve complex and diverse problems);
- the ability to convince, to infect those around you with your own ideas;
- the ability to understand the psychological characteristics of other people;
- positive emotional mood.
In the West, mentoring is a high-status role; it is considered an honorable duty and only employees who are valuable to the company are given mentors (completely free of charge). In Russia, this is often not the case: mentoring is often perceived by employees as an additional burden; in domestic companies, the practice of paying additional fees for training newcomers is common. There are cases when full-time specialists stop performing their main duties and begin to engage only in supporting and training new employees. However, in this case, there is a logical contradiction in the very formulation of the question: we are financially motivating an employee who must create conditions for the formation of non-material motivation for a newcomer. The procedure becomes formal (“You pay me, and I’ll teach him”).
Options for dealing with the situation depend on the characteristics of the company. If you are in charge small company, then you can evaluate employees who potentially apply for the role of mentors. IN large companies mentoring can be used as a mechanism to combat staff turnover. However, in situations of increased turnover, mentors often become demotivated because they constantly have to train new employees. In this case, you can introduce an additional fee for mentoring, and create the illusion of professional growth for the newcomer, reducing his salary by this amount until the mentee can work independently (According to lawyers, paying less during the probationary period is illegal. However, you can reduce salary without breaking the law.
The situation approaches the ideal when the mentoring procedure is perceived by employees as an honorable duty (unpaid) that increases their status. This is possible when the external market perceives your company as a very prestigious place to work.
Organization and timing of mentoring activities
The procedure for adapting an employee to new working conditions should be developed taking into account the individual characteristics of a particular company. You, as a manager, have the right to independently determine the degree of formality of the process, its duration and the criteria for the desired result. It is best to develop a rigid structure that allows, however, the use of informal methods (events).
New Employee Onboarding Program
During the first days of work, introductory meetings are held with the supervisor and HR manager. Their goal is to convey to the new employee:
Materalias: a booklet describing the history of the company and products; office layout, territorial layout (if there is a branch system); list of internal telephone numbers; pattern of structural subordination; job description, internal regulations |
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From the second week to the fourth, the immediate supervisor monitors the newcomer’s work and, if problems arise, involves the HR manager. A possible option is a meeting with the HR manager at the end of the second week, the goal is the same as in the fourth week |
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Conducting internal corporate training (topic: development of professional skills, team building). The training should be held once every three months so that almost all hired employees have the opportunity to participate in it |
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Meeting with the manager: summing up the first results, assessing the level of fulfillment of professional duties, recommendations from the manager. |
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Until the fourth week, the immediate supervisor monitors the work of the newcomer and, if problems arise, involves the HR manager |
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Holding a corporate event (the main goal is informal communication between employees). This could be a bowling tournament, paintball, or a themed party. Must be carried out at least once every three months |
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Conversation with the manager, meeting with the HR manager. |
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Corresponds to the first and second month |
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Corporate event or training (at the discretion of the manager, depending on current costs) |
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Final conversation with the manager: assessment of the work done, communication about the results of the test. Meeting with the HR manager: congratulations (badge for successfully passing “fire, water and copper pipes"), wishes regarding future activities, identification of the most interesting responsibilities. |
It would be a misconception to think that mentoring ends when the new hire's probationary period ends. In a situation of increasing competition for qualified personnel, managers are faced with the task of preserving this precious component. One of the mechanisms for retaining a specialist is to accompany him throughout his cooperation with the organization. As part of mentoring, it is possible to carry out a unique design of an employee’s career within the company, taking into account his motivational attitudes. It's about mainly about the most promising employees (personnel reserve), since the process involves significant costs and is supervised by the personnel department. It is safe to say that this is one of the most constructive and promising directions work with human resources.
General Director speaks
Dmitry Grankin| General Director of the company " Press distribution center", member of the board of the Logos group of companies, Moscow
Our company practices mentoring. The “Personnel Adaptation” guide has been written for all employees (from sales representative to top manager). This document sets out all the main provisions, starting with the company's mission, its goals and ending with the specific tasks of each division. It also explains what the industry market is like.
At the initial stage, the adaptation of a new employee is carried out by the HR department, which has a high status and authority in the company. If a newcomer can qualify for a role above the middle level in terms of qualifications, the HR director works with him, and the training manager works with him below the middle level.
This is followed by classes directly in the specialty. There is no specialized university or technical school in our industry, so we train our employees ourselves at a corporate school. The mentor is the newcomer's direct supervisor. For example, for a sales representative it is a supervisor, for a supervisor it is a territory manager; The new head of the key account department will be mentored by the sales director. A hierarchy is built - mentoring through the level. A direct manager can not only figure out what kind of person came to the company, but also promote a new specialist up the career ladder.
We pay special attention to working with the personnel reserve. Firstly, the principle applies that employees should be loaded not at 120, but at 80-90%. I prohibit working overtime or on weekends, because this has a bad effect on creative thinking and creativity of employees. Secondly, important point- possibility of movement. We can, as an experiment, for a short period of time move someone from the sales department, for example, to the commercial department. After all, friction occurs between individual departments; they can be avoided when people have been in each other’s shoes.
I act as a mentor for top managers: I prepare them on issues of corporate culture and set tasks for them.
We do not provide additional incentives for mentoring. The best incentive to prepare good specialist- the realization that this is your employee, you work together, the success of the department as a whole depends on him.
Mentoring is the most important and successful method for promoting professional development. In addition, the effectiveness of seminars and trainings held within the company increases when they are complemented by mentoring.
Training takes place directly on the job, under the guidance of an experienced specialist whom the newcomer knows well; it is based on work situations and real problems. At the same time, the initial professional level of the student can be very different - from a complete lack of necessary skills to “substantial baggage”, then the mentor, with his advice, helps to join the team, master the standards of working with clients, and the corporate culture of the company.
The topic of mentoring is of particular relevance in connection with the development and emergence of the concept of a learning company. “A learning organization is one that effectively responds to the challenge of changes in the business environment by creating new technologies, mastering new knowledge and skills. She in as soon as possible integrates new knowledge and skills to transform its core business. In this regard, staff need to constantly improve their qualifications and professionalism.”
Building a learning company involves creating an effective training system with parallel functioning of two training systems that have similar tasks and content, but various shapes implementation. The first system is the creation of an organization’s own internal school, which conducts seminars, lectures, and trainings with the help of internal trainers or invited specialists. And the second is a mentoring system, in which staff training takes place directly on the job; a more experienced employee transfers his knowledge, experience and his own work technologies to the trainee. Consequently, in a learning company, employee development is carried out not only by specialist trainers, but by executives and company managers.
Currently, companies mainly use two methods of on-the-job training - mentoring and storytelling.
Mentoring is understood as the individual or collective patronage of experienced workers over individual young workers or their groups, or a form of education (patronage), professional training and adaptation of young employees in the organization, involving the transfer of the mentor’s experience and instilling a work culture and corporate values in a newcomer.
Storytelling (from English Story Telling, literally “telling stories”) is to use myths and stories from the life of organizations to teach young employees the rules of working in a corporation. This method begins to work already in the process of selecting personnel for vacant positions. Depending on how suitable a particular candidate is, the interviewer talks about the company, thus preparing for its traditions, philosophy, and corporate culture. When using it, you should not overdo it with the positive, so that there is no strong discrepancy with the information that the employee will receive from the team in the future.
Before going to work, the employee also gets acquainted with all the local knowledge he needs. regulations: internal labor regulations, personnel management policies, others.
When starting work, the immediate supervisor helps the new employee get to know his colleagues faster, organizational structure the company (where you can contact with what question), a plan for entering the position (control dates), job description and other local regulations necessary for work, standards and philosophy of the company. The immediate supervisor supervises the activities of the newly hired employee during the probationary period, helping him, monitoring and forming his loyalty to the company.
Mentoring differs from other training methods in that learning occurs on the job in work time with constant support of the new employee to more experienced and highly qualified ones. oPurposeo this method is the minimization of the adaptation period for newly hired employees of departments and (or) the period of development of new technologies by employees in the workplace, with the help of which the following tasks are solved:
Improving the quality of training and qualifications of personnel;
Developing a positive attitude towards work in new employees;
Providing new employees with the opportunity to quickly achieve the performance indicators required by the company;
Saving time for department managers to train new employees;
Providing mentors with opportunities for career growth and encouraging them to Good work, recognition of their services to the company;
Reduced staff turnover;
Preparation of the document “Plan for entering the position” and “Sheet for assessment and development of competencies”.
TO characteristic features mentoring include:
1) flexibility.
Mentoring can be done in a variety of ways and in a variety of ways. different situations. The necessary conditions are time and the presence of at least two people;
2) applied nature.
Mentoring is relevant to professional activities and covers the entire range of these activities;
3) individuality.
Mentoring is directly related to the needs and interests of the individual;
4) people orientation.
People are perceived as they are, with all their values, motives, feelings;
5) availability of feedback;
6) high motivational potential.
The advantages of this training method are the fulfillment of job responsibilities by the mentor and the trainee, the implementation of a work plan (personal, department, company), and the acquisition of working skills in a short time.
There are 5 main stages of training in the mentoring process, which can be described as follows:
- “I’ll tell you, and you listen”;
- “I’ll show you, and you look”;
- “Let's do it together”;
- “Do it yourself, and I’ll tell you”;
- “Do it yourself and tell me what you did.”
The mentoring process is monitored using incoming credit and assessment individual activities before the end of the probationary period based on the induction plan.
A mentor is a qualified specialist, professional or experienced employee from whom other employees can seek advice.
One of the main qualities that a mentor must have is the desire to convey own experience newly hired employees. Therefore, the mentor must be loyal to the company, know the subject of the transfer, constantly improve and be able to correctly transfer his knowledge. In this he is helped by sociability, patience, sense of humor, openness, responsibility, exactingness, sense of proportion, respect for the intern, and competence.
To establish mutual understanding and trust with the student, the mentor should:
1) find out what the student is interested in, determine the general range of interests
2) try to identify common acquaintances;
3) determine the distance in communication;
4) pay attention to the problems of the student;
5) determine a possible “advance” of trust;
6) carry out explanatory work;
7) be able to dispel the student’s doubts;
8) be able to empathize with the learner;
9) provide psychological support.
The mentor must be friendly, welcoming to the student, interested in what he does and how he does it, have a healthy sense of humor, and observe reasonable limits in everything.
The main methods used by mentors are:
Definition entry level knowledge;
Determining the type of student;
Structuring training;
Personal example;
Explaining theoretical material in simple, accessible language;
Providing training material (for self-education);
The sequence of presenting the material, teaching how to do the work faster and better;
Collaboration;
Feedback at intermediate stages;
Constant attention and support, trust and responsibility for independent work;
Timely encouragement of trainees.
The mentor’s interest in the results of the training is also important - it can be material (payments for each trainee who successfully completes the probationary period) and (or) intangible (for example, awarding the title “Best Mentor”).
Compared to other types of training, mentoring attracts:
1) speed of adaptation in a new team;
2) practicing the acquired knowledge in practice;
3) constant consultation on difficult issues;
4) timeliness of answers to emerging questions;
5) motivation (significance, self-development) of the mentor.
What do the trainee, the mentor and the company as a whole gain from this form of training? Within the mentoring system, the mentor-mentee relationship can have a positive impact on such qualities of both parties as self-confidence and self-esteem, especially as the professional level of development and abilities of the student increase. The trainee feels constant support from the mentor, analyzes his own strengths (strengths - weaknesses), becomes less prone to interpersonal conflict with management, develops professional skills, abilities, competencies that influence career, willingness to take responsibility for one’s own studies and professional development.
The benefit for the mentor is that:
His communications increase;
He gets the opportunity to structure information;
In the process of mentoring, his self-esteem and status increase;
Recognition and respect for him from those around him and his authority in the team are growing;
He has the ability to receive “up-to-date information;
Mentoring ensures his active participation in the development of his team;
His personal job satisfaction increases;
It is constantly evolving.
Thanks to the mentoring system, the company has trained personnel with an optimal adaptation period, increases the cultural level of the company, helps the interaction of employees, both vertically and horizontally, and has a positive impact on attitudes towards learning.
For a full-fledged mentoring system in a company, a tool such as mentor training is necessary, since the work of a mentor is very responsible. Employees who apply for this status must be friendly, demanding and responsible. Important have the duration of the future mentor’s work in the company and his loyalty to it.
Mentors need to be trained in various techniques under the “train the trainers” program in a training format. The objectives of this training are:
Awareness of the importance and uniqueness of the mentoring system;
Presentation of various teaching methods;
Practical testing of the proposed methodology;
Acquiring the necessary skills and competencies.
During the training, the following tasks are solved: developing criteria for nominating a mentor, developing methods for establishing contact and effective interaction.
If you combine storytelling and mentoring, then the staff training system can be divided into the following stages:
1) Acquaintance, conversation to establish informal contact (common interests, hobbies).
2) Introduction and acquaintance with the personnel of the unit.
3) Supporting the employee and continuing informal contact (common interests, hobbies), establishing trusting relationships, explaining the functions and interactions between employees, familiarizing with local regulations, setting goals and objectives for the probationary period.
4) Transfer of your own experience.
5) Testing knowledge.
6) Passing the incoming test (according to the plan for entering the position).
7) Improving employee performance.
8) Assessment of the individual performance of the employee before the end of the probationary period.
9) Closing the probationary period.
So, the mentoring system has many positive aspects.
As a result of applying this training method, the employee is deeply aware of his responsibility, he is fully involved in the affairs of the company, develops himself and thereby develops the company.
Mentor – as a result of mentoring activities, a mentor specialist has the opportunity to develop management skills by participating in the formation of a professional team, improve his status in the company, and gain the trust of colleagues;
Employee – he is provided with timely assistance at the stage of integration into the company, support for career and professional development;
A company that organizes mentoring will help stabilize the team, reduce staff turnover and form a qualified team of loyal employees who will stay for a long time.
The HR service will receive a powerful supporting resource.
A mentor, first of all, is needed for:
- newcomers who joined the well-coordinated team of the organization;
- employees with significant potential for professional growth;
- employees with low labor productivity.
Labor productivity: simple rules her promotion
How and who will work with an employee at first determines his loyalty to the company
Yulia Nemova, Head of Human Resources, Landia Group of Companies, Moscow:
A probationary employee is like an implant that is inserted into the human body. To avoid rejection, “maintenance therapy” is indispensable. This becomes a mentor who tells the new employee about the specifics of his professional duties, introduces him to the structure of the company, and introduces him to the corporate culture.
What types of mentoring can be found in different organizations?
Mentoring-supervision – the mentor shares information about the organization, the protégé’s development prospects, and teaches basic skills. Relationships are built on the principle of control.
Formal mentoring - mentoring activities consist of explaining the goals of the work and training at specially organized trainings. Formal mentoring procedures and rules are in place.
Situational mentoring - providing necessary assistance in difficult situations.
Informal mentoring. The mentor takes full responsibility for the “student”. Voluntary mentoring option without financial compensation.
What techniques are used in mentoring:
“Support” - the mentor undertakes to provide assistance to the student, including participation in the development of professional skills during training;
“Seeding” - the student develops skills or knowledge that are not yet relevant, but will acquire value in the future when the situation requires it.
“Catalysis” - the student is immersed in an environment of change, provoking the student to expand his horizons, with a change in the order of values and perceptions. When learning reaches a critical level, it experiences a sharp jump.
“Demonstration” - the mentor, using his personal example, shows certain techniques, skills in performing certain actions, ways of solving assigned tasks, making work situations clearer.
“Harvest” - The mentor concentrates on establishing feedback with the trainee. To understand what was learned during the training, what conclusions were drawn.
Who can be a mentor?
Not every company employee can be a mentor. This requires specific qualities:
- Corporate spirit. A person in his work is guided by the strategic priorities of the organization. Finds a balance between the interests of the department and the entire company as a whole.
- Ability to teach. Ability to structure work experience and transfer it to young specialist. With a clear and consistent presentation of the necessary information and comments on the student’s work data.
- Responsibility. The mentor should be interested in the success of his mentee, bearing personal responsibility for solving problems that arise during training.
- Ability to motivate others.
- Influence. Availability of trust from communication partners. Necessary personal qualities and skills to influence others.
The “Introduction to the Company” program sets you on the same wavelength
Nina Litvinova, Director of the HR Department at Arpicom, Moscow:
Our educational system is generally simple. As part of the “ABS-restaurateur” program, you will have to go through 3 stages of training. The first stage is when an experienced lawyer introduces the newcomer to the standards of service and the contents of the menu. Next, in the training center, training takes place as part of a team - we attract waiters from different restaurants. The next stages are for the new employee to gain knowledge about dishes (products). In our company, the main focus is on professionalism, so the waiter must know everything about fish, meat, and all the dishes presented. In order not to overwhelm employees with unnecessary knowledge, information for personnel is differentiated - we highlight mandatory and additional knowledge.
Program "Introduction to the company". At the general meeting, the general director introduces newcomers to the strategic goals of the company, I talk about the peculiarities of working in our company as a whole and about the corporate culture. The instrumental part of adaptation is training in serving skills, studying the menu, standards of interaction at all levels, and resolving conflict situations.
The functions of a mentor can be performed by:
The newbie's immediate supervisor.
Personnel service worker.
Newbie colleague.
What are the rights and responsibilities of a mentor?
- Introducing the employee to the corporate culture, with the transfer of the rules of business and non-work communication, traditions and standards of behavior;
- Identification of problem areas in vocational training specialist;
- Participation in the formation of a central development plan for the student, with the provision of practical and theoretical support during the probationary period and internship;
- Making a proposal to reward the trainee in accordance with company practice;
- Recommendation of vertical and horizontal movement of the employee;
- Providing an oral reference for the student upon completion of training;
- Transferring your gained “supervision” experience to colleagues in the company.
Mentor motivation
An indirect way to materially reward a mentor is to include relevant measurable indicators in the KPI (key performance indicators) system, the fulfillment of which determines the size of the salary and/or bonus. However, for professional services companies, non-financial motivation can be critical:
- public recognition of the importance of employees for the organization;
- attention to the problems of mentors from the company management;
- various internal corporate insignia for mentors - in the form of diplomas, badges, etc.
- Other methods of motivation are common in the form of identifying the best mentor, presenting memorable gifts during corporate events, etc.
Of course, ideally, mentoring activities should be perceived as an honorable mission that increases their status, without additional material motivation. This is possible when the external market perceives your company as a very prestigious place to work.
Organization of a mentoring system in the company
Among the most important issues in organizing mentoring are:
Quality of mentoring activities.
Conscientiousness in the performance of duties on the part of mentors.
In organizations in which the mentoring system is used for the first time, the role of mentors can be:
- volunteers;
- employees who best meet the specified criteria.
- The mentoring process must be organized in such a way that the training of newcomers has a positive impact on the work of the mentor himself, otherwise the effectiveness of his main activities will significantly deteriorate. Ideally, the number of wards should not exceed 5-6 people.
General Director speaks
Dmitry Grankin, General Director of the Press Distribution Center company, member of the board of the Logos group of companies, Moscow:
Employee training at the initial stage is the task of the HR department. The employees of this department have a high status in the company. If the employee’s qualifications are above average, the HR director becomes a mentor. If the level is below middle management, will report to the training manager.
Then it is expected to conduct classes in the specialty. There are no specialized universities in our industry, so we organized a corporate school to train specialists. The newcomer's mentor is his direct supervisor. The direct manager will not only be able to understand the abilities and characteristics of the subordinate, but also promote the protégé up the career ladder, understanding his abilities.
Serves as a mentor for top managers CEO: sets challenges for them and prepares them on corporate culture issues.
What mentoring methods are found in organizations?
1. Model “Guru and his follower”. When a worker finds himself subordinate to a guru with authority in the professional circle, he becomes a follower in order to learn from the mentor. The student must observe, try to imitate and remember. In this case, the gurus do not explain anything; you can simply watch their work. Advantages of the model: high professionalism of the student, if he can understand the principles of the guru’s work. Disadvantages of the model: the group’s involvement in the training is low, there is practically no feedback, the result can only appear after a significant period of time, and not always.
2. “Master and Apprentice” model. The master is ready to share with his apprentice. In the case of a responsive student, this model will be perfect. This includes equal proportions of “carrot” and “stick”. The number of students the master has is quite large, but the mentor also has sufficient experience. Advantages of the model: the involvement of the group is quite high, with rapid adaptation, achievement of excellent results at the end, a team of like-minded people is formed. Disadvantages of the model: when the master leaves, there is a possibility of losing the entire team. Some students are constantly guided by a mentor without developing independent qualities.
3. Model “Creative tandem”. Few mentors are ready for such a relationship. It is supposed to accept a new, young specialist as an equal, allowing him to feel it. Such a tandem works together, sharing responsibility for the result, becoming a single working unit. There is a synergy effect of 1 + 1 = 3. Advantages of the model: it promotes high group involvement, rapid adaptation, the formation of a full-fledged team, and excellent “output” results. Disadvantages of the model: the mini-group remains isolated in the team; Usually, the departure of one representative of a tandem from the company leads to the departure of the other.
Individual mentoring methods
Learning through role play. A relevant method for sales departments, customer service departments, and call centers. Training is carried out by a manager-mentor as role-playing game. The mentor acts as a manager, and the trainee is the “client”.
Training through double visits. The employee and manager visit the client together. This visit is intended for effective learning employees.
Group mentoring methods
1. Small group training. The mentor sends questions to employees in the morning - “What objections do you need answers to?”, “What typical situations in communicating with clients lead to the main difficulties?”
The main task of managers in this case becomes collecting information and sending the received information to the mentor. 3 days are usually given to collect information. Next, they gather together for the mentor to review the questions asked.
2. For Call centers. A group of three to four people gathers, with an audio recording of the negotiations turned on. When training beginners, it is better to show a recording of successful negotiations so that they copy best practices. Analysis of questions involves consideration of:
- What good did you notice in the negotiations?
- What can be improved in the dialogue, what needs to be worked on?
- Order and regulations on mentoring in the organization
Mentoring can be formally organized in accordance with the company’s regulations on mentoring, or it can be organized informally, becoming an element of the company’s corporate culture. Typically, mentoring regulations include the following sections:
- tasks and goals of mentoring in the company;
- a list of professions and positions covered by the mentoring system;
- forms of mentoring;
- requirements for a mentor;
- incentives for the mentor (incentive method used, amount of bonuses or additional payments);
- mentor responsibilities;
- student responsibilities;
- The result of mentoring is the development of the student’s career and testing of his knowledge.
Five-step mentoring method using the example of teaching cash register skills
First stage: “I’ll tell you, you listen.” Theoretical information is provided, for example, about the principle of operation of a cash register. First, we consider the structure of a cash register, how different operations are carried out, and what difficulties arise when using it.
Stage two: “I’ll show you, you look.” For a beginner, we demonstrate the principles of operation, which keys should be pressed, with explanations of each step.
Stage three: “Let’s do it together.” All operations are carried out together with a beginner.
Stage four: “Do it yourself, I’ll tell you.” The beginner follows the procedure - if he is confused or missed something, we prompt him and help him. This stage should be completed several times until the beginner is able to use the procedure without errors.
Fifth stage: “Do it yourself. Tell me what you did." In addition to mechanically pressing buttons, it is important for us to hear whether the newcomer understands why he is performing certain actions, and what he plans to do next. After all, consolidating conscious skills turns out to be more significant.
Personnel training - what a manager needs to know
Mentoring is the most effective tool for staff training
Tatyana Kuzmina, Director of the Department for organizational development and personnel management of the AvtoSpetsTsentr group of companies, Moscow
If the mentor is not an experienced colleague, but a professional consultant, then this is called coaching. We decided to train our coaches on the company’s premises. We are sure that a talented employee must share his skills and knowledge, otherwise he stops developing. When teaching others, he often makes discoveries himself, because he has to study a lot of information.
However, mentoring can also be built according to a more simplified scheme, which is widely practiced by the military. Involves 3 stages - story, demonstration, training. In fact, this is an analogue of the five-step system.
You should be sure to break long instructions and steps into small steps, working on each step taken separately, to avoid overload.
The main requirement is regular feedback from the newcomer. Tell him what was done wrong, what still needs to be worked on, etc.
How to evaluate the results of mentoring
To determine the effectiveness of the mentoring system and the work of specific mentors, different types of surveys can be used:
- Targeted - to determine the degree of satisfaction with the mentoring system, and in particular with the work of mentors;
- More general – with incorporated questions about mentoring, including:
- Satisfaction and Engagement Surveys;
- “360 degree assessment.”
It is quite difficult to objectively evaluate the effectiveness of a mentor. Formal criteria include the number of meetings with the trainee and how timely assessment forms were completed. It is unlikely that one can judge the quality of training by formal indicators. Therefore, indirect assessment indicators are also common, including:
- how successfully the new employee adapted to the company;
- how effectively the new employee performs professional duties;
- obvious professional growth, employee development, etc.
- But the success of the mentee cannot be regarded as the only evaluation criterion.
What is mentoring as a method of staff training? What is the difference between mentoring and tutoring? How to introduce mentoring of new employees into an organization?
Mentoring, mentoring, tutoring. Do you understand what I mean? If not, don't despair!
So here I go! Join us!
1. What is mentoring new employees?
Remember the movie "Afonya"? There is an episode when the housing office foreman Lyudmila Ivanovna brings young trainees to the site and assigns them to more experienced employees for on-the-job training. “Our locksmiths will teach you practically what you studied theoretically.”- she says. This is exactly what mentoring is.
Here's what the scientific definition sounds like:
Mentoring- training practical skills for beginners directly on the job by an experienced, reputable, highly qualified employee.
Learning Objectives:
- improving the quality of employee training;
- acceleration of adaptation of newcomers;
- development of corporate spirit among new employees;
- reduction in staff turnover;
- bringing the professionalism of newly hired specialists to the company to the required qualification level.
Mentoring as a method of staff training is carried out according to the model "Tell - Show - Do".
This model contains 3 main steps:
- Step 1 - “Tell me.” The mentor explains the task, its main points and features to the student step by step. Using questions, he finds out how much the mentee understands what he needs to do.
- Step 2 - “Show.” The mentor shows what and how to do. Explains in detail the entire algorithm for completing the order.
- Step 3 - "Do it." The student completes the task. The mentor monitors, identifies errors, simultaneously explaining their reasons, and asks to redo low-quality stages.
Very often mentoring is identified with mentoring and tutoring. Are they really the same thing? Let's find out!
Mentoring combines elements of coaching and teaching. The mentor first outlines the theoretical foundations of the process being studied, then explains what has been stated using a practical example, after which he gives the task to his students and monitors its implementation.
We see that mentoring and mentoring are essentially similar concepts, but there are some differences in the process of interaction between a teacher and his protégés. By the way, protégés are students of mentors.
Tutor- consultant, curator, teacher who helps the student in his self-development, mastery educational program, or retraining.
Accompanying, helping, being close to the tutor throughout his entire educational path is the main task of the tutor. Tuting is especially developed in the education system, especially in its distance form.
So we figured out these concepts, so close, but at the same time having quite important differences.
2. What a mentor should be like - 5 main criteria
Many people think that anyone can become a mentor. However, in reality this is not the case. Only a person who meets certain criteria can become one.
These are what I propose to talk about now.
Criterion 1. Availability of knowledge and work experience
Experience and high professionalism are the main conditions that allow a specialist to become a mentor.
Moreover, the level of knowledge of the mentor should significantly exceed job competencies his charges.
Criterion 2. Ability to transfer knowledge
To teach and to teach are, as they say in Odessa, two big differences . You have probably also met such mentors (teachers) who are well educated, have a huge practical experience, but they don’t know how to transfer all this wealth to their students.
Being sponsored by such mentors is pure hell! After all, it seems to them that everything is extremely simple and understandable. They are sincerely perplexed as to why the students are not succeeding.
Therefore, ideally, only people who can easily and accessiblely transfer their knowledge and experience to beginners should become mentors.
Criterion 3. Personal desire
Everyone knows that any business succeeds if the performer has the desire to do it.
If mentoring by an employee is perceived as an additional burden, a heavy burden, nothing good will come of it.
Criterion 4. Influence
The mentor must be able to influence all participants in the learning process. To do this, he needs to enjoy authority both with management and in the team.
Only then will he receive credit from his communication partners.
Criterion 5. Responsibility and organization
As the famous American director Tom McCarthy said: “Any great cause is a matter of organization. Not genius, not inspiration or flights of fancy, not skill or cunning, but organization.”.
I completely agree with him. Any good business can be ruined by unorganized, irresponsible people.
Therefore, it is so important that the mentor fully meets this criterion. He must be responsible not only for himself, but also for his ward. Then the mentoring process will not be left to chance, but will become effective for both parties.
3. How to implement a mentoring system - 5 simple steps for beginning entrepreneurs
In this section of the publication, I will tell you how to create a mentoring system in a company.
Read the step-by-step mini-guide and apply what you learn as you implement mentoring in your organization.
Step 1. Developing a Regulation on Mentoring
The basis of any mentoring system is the local document “Regulations on Mentoring”. It is there that the goal is defined and the tasks of this process are formulated, the algorithm for assigning an intern to a mentor is prescribed, mentoring is considered as a method of personnel management, etc.
I have presented the approximate structure of this document in the table.
Structure of the “Regulations on Mentoring”:
| № | Section name | Summary |
| 1 | General provisions | A definition of mentoring is given, it is explained who can be considered a trainee, etc. |
| 2 | Goals and objectives of mentoring | Goals are determined and tasks are formulated, i.e. answers to the questions: why? what should be done? |
| 3 | Mentoring terms | The terms of mentoring are established and the conditions for its termination are described. |
| 4 | Mentoring leadership | A specific supervisor for the mentoring system is assigned |
| 5 | Procedure for appointing a mentor | The criteria for selecting a mentor are formulated, and the algorithm for assigning him to a newcomer is described. |
| 6 | Rights and responsibilities of a mentor | The basic rights and responsibilities of the teacher and student are outlined in detail. |
| 7 | Trainee rights and responsibilities | |
| 8 | Implementation of mentoring | Describes the stages of the process |
| 9 | Motivation of mentors | The accepted methods of material and non-material motivation, the necessary conditions for receiving bonuses, awards, certificates, titles, etc. are described. |
| 10 | Evaluation of results | An evaluation algorithm and criteria for determining the effectiveness of mentoring are formulated |
The effectiveness of the mentoring system largely depends on how fully and informally this document is developed.
Step 2. We select mentors
I have already written above about the requirements that a candidate for mentor must meet. To determine whether or not a specialist is suitable for this purpose, careful selection is necessary.
- assessment of professional competencies;
- personal conversation with the candidate.
The selection procedure and requirements for the selection of mentors are set out in the “Regulations on Mentoring”.
Example
The Regulations developed and approved by Shveinik OJSC stipulate that the mentor must meet the following requirements:
- age - not younger than 35 years;
- education - completed higher education;
- Work experience in the company - at least 5 years:
- service status - not lower than category 2;
- without bad habbits;
- morally mature;
- I have a desire to work with young employees.
Step 3. We assign new employees to mentors
Assignment of a new employee to a mentor is carried out on the basis of an order from the manager (or personnel service) immediately at the time of his employment. The mentor reads the order against signature.
The trainee receives a package of documents, which includes:
- individual schedule;
- mentor review form;
- form for assessing a newcomer’s implementation of an individual plan.
Step 4. We monitor the work of mentors
Monitoring and evaluating the work of mentors is quite difficult. This is usually done using a range of direct and indirect indicators.
Direct indicators include:
- implementation of an individual schedule for working with a newcomer;
- number of meetings with the sponsored person;
- timely preparation of assessment forms.
Indirect indicators are:
- the quality of performance of job duties by the trainee;
- speed of adaptation of a new employee to the team;
- obvious professional growth of the mentee.
For control purposes, student surveys are conducted to determine the level of satisfaction with mentoring.
Step 5. Reward mentors
Remuneration for mentors is also provided for in the Regulations on Mentoring. A mentor's work is paid in different ways.
For example, he is entitled to a personal bonus in the amount of 10-15% of the salary upon receiving a positive final result.
If the result is unsatisfactory (the mentee did not pass the final certification), measures are taken up to and including a decision to bring the mentor to disciplinary liability.
At the end of the year, a competition is held for the title “Best Mentor”. The winner receives a certificate and a cash prize. The forms and amounts of remuneration for mentors are selected individually by each company, based on its capabilities and the motivation system adopted in the organization.
4. Where to get mentoring training - review of the TOP 3 companies
Mentoring can and should be learned! The question is where.
To solve this, check out my selection of companies offering training services, including mentors.
1) IPC
The Institute of Professional Personnel (IPK) is a licensed educational institution.
The area of interest of the IPK is its preparation and retraining in various areas.
The company offers its clients:
- distance learning;
- seminars;
- webinars;
- testing;
- methodological materials.
The company's reliability is evidenced by the list of its regular customers:
- Sberbank of Russia;
- Gazprom;
- Pharmacy chain 36.6;
- Post office;
- Nestle and others
At the end of 2015, the Institute successfully passed the inspection of the Ministry of Education of the Russian Federation.
2) Mirapolis
Mirapolis is a company engaged in automation in the field of HR processes. Her software products allow you to optimize its training and assessment.
Company advantages:
- reliability and safety of developments;
- highly professional support;
- customer focus;
- modern technologies;
- service by international standards quality.
Do you want to create The educational center, corporate university, conduct electronic testing of personnel? Then the company's software products are what you need!
A wide choice, ease of use, individual approach, flexible prices allow customers to make their choice in favor of Mirapolis.
3) Specialist
"Specialist" is a leading Russian computer training center from Moscow. My educational activities The company has been operating for more than 25 years. The center was created in 1991 at the Bauman Moscow State Technical University. During this time, more than 850 thousand people completed training.
The company's educational arsenal includes over 1 thousand training courses. Courses are selected not only by topic, but also depending on the level of training of students.
The center allows its students to undergo training (including training for mentors) in several forms: full-time, part-time, distance, individual, and in a webinar format.
5. How to organize an effective mentoring system - 3 practical tips
Many articles, books, and training materials have been written about how to make the mentoring system more effective.
I suggest only 3 small practical advice, which are based on many years of personal mentoring experience in banking sector. In my opinion, they serve as the 3 pillars on which everything rests.
Tip 1. Motivate mentors regularly
The effectiveness of the entire mentoring system depends on the ability to competently build a system of motivation for mentoring specialists.
For this purpose, both material and non-material motivation are used.
Types of material motivation:
- bonuses;
- bonus for successfully completing the probationary period;
- dependence of the mentor’s income on the mentee’s work performance.
Example
At GC Sitistroy, the sales plan of the mentor includes the sales plan of the mentee. Thus, the mentor is interested in the results of his student.
Non-material motivation:
- competition for the best mentor;
- inclusion in the personnel reserve for leadership positions;
- public recognition of the mentor’s merits;
- use of corporate awards.
Experts in the field of personnel motivation recommend placing the main emphasis on non-material incentives. They explain this by saying that a highly qualified specialist becomes a mentor not for material benefits, but for ideological reasons, caring for the interests of the company and its team.
It also happens that at one point the mentee “outgrows” his teacher. To prevent this from happening, mentors must be trained on an ongoing basis.
It is advisable to use various forms of training:
- primary (when appointing a specialist as a mentor);
- periodically (in the process of fulfilling the duties of a mentor).
Training helps to improve the mentor’s professional qualifications, develop his organizational abilities, the ability to delegate authority, establish interpersonal communications etc.
Tip 3. Use feedback with a new employee
Feedback is an important and necessary thing in any process. Mentoring is no exception. Provide feedback to newcomers in all available ways. It is important that the mentee can express his opinion about the mentor and his teaching methods.
The mentor should also always be aware of the affairs of his mentee. Moreover, communication should be friendly and inviting. The edifying, arrogant attitude of a mentor towards his mentee nullifies all the good intentions of this process.
A friendly approach will allow you to identify problems and correct them in a timely manner.
Example
Ekaterina Kozina came to work at the bank immediately after graduating with honors from the university. She made grand plans and dreamed of making a fast career!
At her workplace, she was assigned to her mentor Maria Vasilievna, the head of the operations department - a middle-aged lady, an experienced and highly professional specialist.
Either because of her workload, or for some other reason, Maria Vasilievna’s communication with Katya was reduced only to edifying moral teachings and rare consultations on work issues. And then only when Kozina herself asked for it. Catherine was afraid to once again turn to her boss-mentor.
As time went. Katya's enthusiasm diminished. She felt unwanted and often lacked friendly and professional support. And although the girl really wanted to work in this particular bank, she increasingly began to think about changing jobs.
During the next assessment of the mentor’s performance, the bank’s HR department identified all of the above problems.
To change the current situation, Maria Vasilievna revised her communication style with Ekaterina, began to communicate more with her in an informal setting, jointly discussing plans for her development at the bank, clarifying problems and providing comprehensive assistance.
