It is a sad fact that retirement often means that for many organisations and professions a wealth of knowledge and experience walks out of the door along with the retiree.

We recently came across an article by Simon Reichwald of Connectr in The HR Director which we found very interesting and reflects our own findings, having provided the mentoring software to support many different mentoring programs over the last 11 years.

Developing a diversity and inclusion mentoring program will support leaders, managers, and future leaders to develop the knowledge and skills to become better able to affect diversity and inclusion in an authentic way.

Did you know that mentoring is a proven way to make effective connections for learning, skill development and collaboration for both mentees and mentors. It also has great benefits for the mentoring program organiser in terms of increased engagement, retention rates and skill development.

According to a recent article in Forbes, 16% of people will have made New Year resolutions to meet career or job goals. Sadly, statistics also show that after 6 months only 46% of those who set resolutions were keeping them.

Traditionally coaching and mentoring have sometimes been viewed as tools that are used to help with career advancement, but that isn't their only use. They can be used very effectively to support users in many other aspects of working life, including supporting well-being and mental health.

As we gradually see the pandemic restrictions being lifted, it is clear that life will never return to the same "normal" as pre-pandemic. The workplace has undergone a quiet revolution in terms of the way people now want to work and it has been proven that new ways of working can be implemented.

Employee mentoring programs can enable you to get more from your most valuable resource, your employees. An effective workplace mentoring program could prove to be an important benefit to both existing and prospective employees.

When entering a mentoring relationship there is often a temptation to dive right in and "just get on with it". In our experience this can mean that mentoring conversations can drift, failing to focus on the real issues and relationships can then stall.

When it comes to the question of "What is the difference between mentoring and coaching?" it appears that much confusion exists, and many different definitions abound.

One of the standout legacies of the Covid pandemic has been the way it has revolutionised the workplace. Overnight, organisations had to gear up to home and distance working in a way that would have been unimaginable 12 months earlier.

Having a mentor is one of the most important things a person can do to enhance their career and professional life, so it's no surprise that at least 75% of executives have said that mentoring has been vital in their career development.

At PLD we are increasingly seeing professional associations realising that there is a critical need to help members to progress in their careers and navigate their respective industries through the implementation of a mentoring program.

While there is widespread consensus that mentoring is critical to an organisation's long-term success, defining mentoring is now becoming more challenging as it moves away from its traditional form.

According to a 2019 survey by Pearson Business School, nearly a fifth of graduates were found to be not "workplace-ready". Just 13% of the 531 employers and HR leaders who took part in the research felt that graduates were ready to hit the ground running after university.

Over the last 12 months, PLD has continued to see steady growth in the number of organisations implementing mentoring programmes to help support and develop their members. It has certainly provided an important source of support and a mechanism to continue professional development throughout the pandemic.

Today's job seekers will consider several different workplace perks and benefits, not just financial re-numeration, before deciding whether to accept a job or if to stay in a role.

The current pandemic means more people are now working remotely and adapting business to the virtual environment. This is throwing up all manner of new challenges that we need to work through and doing this with a mentor can now be invaluable.

Attracting, developing and retaining great employees is a necessary but expensive process. But what would happen if those employees decide it's time for them to move on either to retirement or a new role?

Virtual meetings have been becoming more and more popular for a while now, but have seen a rapid increase in popularity in response to COVID 19. Out of this necessity it has become clear how productive and effective virtual meetings can be.

Through our experience of developing mentoring programs we have identified 5 key elements that need to be considered when planning to launch and run a membership mentoring program.

Numerous studies have shown that people who are mentored move more quickly through the ranks of their organisation, are more satisfied and are generally more successful in their careers, than those who do not have a mentor.

Over the next few weeks and months it will become more important than ever for us to work together to provide strong support for each other and to ensure that whilst having to socially isolate we don't become isolated.

Continued growth and retention of memberships is a necessity for any successful professional association. Yet a decline in membership is highlighting to associations that they must do something different to attract and retain industry professionals.

A survey by Accountemps, found that 86 percent of CFOs believed that having a mentor is somewhat or very important for career development - yet only 26 percent of workers have a mentor.

An effective mentoring relationship can be a powerful, life-changing experience for both mentor and mentee. In order for mentors to provide the proper support to their mentees they need to have the tools and training to do this. Our mentoring platform is designed to do just that.

With 2020 rapidly approaching many of us are starting to think about resolutions for the New Year. We probably made resolutions last year, possibly the same ones we are going to make this year...

In complex roles it takes between 12 to 18 months before someone is really up to speed in their new position. During that time turnover and costs can be high so how do you know you’re going to get an "A" player?

An article in the Harvard Business suggests that the positive benefits of mentoring could help reduce stress and increase satisfaction. Decades of research has demonstrated how junior employees...

Research has shown employees are more likely to succeed in the workplace if they have a mentor. So why do mentoring programs often fail? Whilst programs are implemented with the best...

Usually when people think about mentoring, what comes to mind is career advice and counseling. Traditional types of mentoring programs pair younger employees with more experienced...

Mentoring - both having a mentor and being a mentor - can prove invaluable for those later in their careers, not just those on their way up.

Effective relationships and learning underpins the success of today’s organisations. By finding meaningful ways for employees to connect, organisations are more likely...

Women can benefit from mentoring and from being mentors. So why aren't more women engaging in mentoring relationships?

Mentoring programs can have a significant impact on organisations' business goals, in addition to employee professional development, according to research from the Association for Talent Development (ATD).

For employers and organisations with multigenerational workforces now is the time to consider how to build engagement, understanding and productivity across the generations.

At PLD we are seeing an increasing number of organisations realising that mentoring is becoming a critical component to any successful organisation.

Human resources programs often talk about the value of mentoring in growing talent in an organisation and being able to solve a number of challenges.

Generation Z are the 16-24 year olds who are now entering the workforce – and they are not happy. Results from the surveys on workplace happiness platform, Engaging Works, have shown...

In this time of technological advancement finding information and resources to help us improve performance isn’t a problem, they are everywhere. The problem is now sifting through...

Upskilling and reskilling workers while maintaining performance levels is becoming an increasingly important priority as organisations prepare for the future of work. A recent study...

Mentoring programs can be used to attract and retain talent as part of the recruitment process and the organisation’s employee value proposition (EVP) to show that the company values...

A mentor is someone who will encourage and support a mentee to make the most of their career or business. As a mentor, the role is to be a trusted confidante, helping the mentee to make...

New research from jobs site, Monster.co.uk, shows those starting out in their careers were most likely to want a mentor with 41% of 18-35 year olds saying they would like a mentor...

It is now widely accepted that mentoring can change careers and lives. The Virgin group founder tapped into the knowledge of Sir Freddie Laker, a former airline founder...

Within any organisation effective staff management is not an easy task. The difficulty can be compounded when trying to manage different generations at the same time.

Engaging, retaining and developing employees through a workplace mentoring program. An effective workplace mentoring program could...

Over the last few years I have become smart enough to recognise that my teenage children are my go-to sources when it comes to...

Student and staff mentoring programs are becoming increasingly popular and rightly so, a good mentoring program can have benefits...

Implementing a student mentoring program can have benefits for students, alumni and the universities, colleges or schools who run them...

I recently read an interesting article by CFA institute that I would like to share around their experience of mentoring. The CFA Institute found...

Being in the company of a role model, a wiser head who can guide you through a period of transition, can be very powerful. That is the power of a mentor...

An effective mentoring program could prove to be an important benefit to both existing and prospective members. Mentoring provides the critical...

The education system is not adequately preparing young people for the workplace so there is a large gap between their experiences and the reality...

The effectiveness of a company depends on the productivity of its employees. With four generations currently in the workforce, bridging the generation gap...