Case Study: Mentoring Programs for Organisations

Exploring the Potential of Targeted Mentoring Programs to Achieve Business Growth Goals

This corporate case study highlights the power of mentoring programs in driving company success, particularly when run in parallel to strategic coaching and career counseling initiatives. Learn how our custom approach to mentoring programs led to significant business growth for one conglomerate, and what our satisfied clients have to say about us.

The Need

The client had tried mentoring across the group in the past, but found their programs weren't getting traction.

Leaders and mentees were quick to get on board but showed little follow-through. Mentees were eager to spend quality time with Mentors, but lacked the skills to get real, lasting development out of their sessions.

The Solution

The BOLDLY team created a framework to design and implement a mentoring program targeted to the company culture and married to its learning agenda and strategic talent pools.

The solution included skills workshops for both Mentors and Mentees, matching criteria aligned to talent frameworks, video collateral to continuously support and reinforce skills, a mentoring and careers conference to launch the initiative, communications and engagement plan, resources including digital handbook, and ongoing feedback collection and reporting for continuous improvement of the initiative.

The Insights

To make mentoring programs powerful and impactful for companies, BOLDLY works on the principles of several key insights. Here’s just some of the things we brought to the table with this conglomerate, which we know are important to building a mentoring program that hits the mark:

1. Clearly define program goals and expectations: It is crucial for companies to establish clear goals and expectations for their mentoring programs. This sounds simple, but often mentoring is viewed as a ‘nice to have’ and low cost initiative, not effectively defined as a strategic lever for business growth and change. This includes identifying the desired outcomes, defining the roles and responsibilities of Mentors and Mentees, and setting specific program objectives. Clear program guidelines help align participants' efforts and ensure that mentoring relationships are focused and purposeful.
2. Implement structured matching processes: Effective mentoring programs involve thoughtful and strategic mentor-mentee matching. Research suggests that successful matches consider factors such as mentee's goals, interests, skills, and values, as well as mentor's expertise, experience, and compatibility. Utilizing assessment tools and considering individual preferences can help ensure optimal matches and foster productive mentoring relationships. The more effortful the matching process is, the more likely individuals are to commit to coaching time and follow through.
3. Provide mentor training and support: As mentioned above, equipping mentors with the necessary knowledge, skills, and resources is crucial for program success. Mentor training programs should cover topics such as effective communication, active listening, providing constructive feedback, goal setting, and career development strategies. Ongoing support for mentors, such as access to resources, peer networks, and mentoring program coordinators, helps sustain their engagement and effectiveness.
4. Foster regular and meaningful interactions: Regular and meaningful interactions between mentors and mentees are essential for building strong mentoring relationships. Research suggests that a combination of face-to-face meetings, virtual communication, and structured activities (e.g., goal-setting sessions, progress reviews) can enhance engagement and maximize the value derived from the mentoring program. If mentors and mentees are left to establish meetings and agendas themselves, they’re less likely to follow through. Companies should encourage consistent communication and provide tools or platforms to facilitate regular interaction.

By implementing these insights and best practices, as well as some of the other nudge-based initiatives BOLDLY brought to the table, our client was able to create a powerful and impactful mentoring programs that fostered talent development and enhanced employee engagement - two of their main objectives.

The Result

The talent team within this conglomerate was able to own and operate a custom-built program that put the responsibility on participants to derive value from their mentoring relationships. The program saw an increase of 43% in sessions year- on- year and a significant improvement in recommendation ratings from both Mentors and Mentees. The program continues to be run 5+ years later, and the BOLDLY team has been involved in several reviews to implement and assess the continuous improvement plan, realigning mentoring to new learning strategies as the business evolves. The mentoring program is now aligned to early careers, strategic high potential talent, and female leaders program, demonstrating sustained impact for the business.

See our resources here, which can be used by clients to collaborate with BOLDLY to deliver an exceptional internal mentoring program:

What Is Mentoring https://boldly.app/knowledge-hub/what-is-mentoring 

Preparing to be a Mentor https://boldly.app/knowledge-hub/preparing-to-be-a-mentor 

Mentoring for Organisations https://boldly.app/mentoring-programs-for-organisations 

For a detailed understanding of how these programs can be tailored to your specific needs, reach out to us at connect@BOLDLY.app. Your step towards this investment could redefine the future of leadership within your organisation.