How to use IT to be a great mentor

As a business owner, there are few rewards as satisfying as coaching and observing an employee through his or her respective developments. Mentoring is a big part of developing the skills and confidence of staff members, raising the skill level of a business in a positive way.

Having a mentor or someone to turn to for advice and to assist with their development is having a positive effect for over 60 per cent of millennials, according to Deloittes 2016 Millennial survey. It’s a key player in promoting loyalty and employee retention, as well as improving productivity and innovation.

There are many different ways to mentor new staff, as well as approaches businesses can take to foster professional development within their team. However, in order to effectively implement these mentoring strategies, the right IT solutions are needed.

Establishing open communication

A key part of the mentoring process is being open to communication, inquisitive and being available to listen. In the busy day-to-day work environment, technology is the tool that lets this communication flow freely.

Through mobility solutions, mentors and mentees are able to communicate whenever and wherever works best to foster a positive and encouraging environment. Being able to reach out to a mentor if and when is needed for advice and guidance helps reassure employees that the mentor cares about their growth and is invested in their development. It also gives mentors the opportunity to give feedback on the fly, in a convenient and constructive way.

The reward for businesses is that 68 per cent of millennials who have the benefit of being mentored are twice as likely to stay within an organisation for five years or more, compared to millennials who aren’t.

Flexible collaboration

Sharing information and widening social network circles is an important part of growing an employee’s confidence.

Sharing information and widening social network circles is an important part of growing an employee’s confidence as they progress up their career ladders. Even simple things such as sharing less-experienced employees on documentation and communications with other, more experienced staff members can give them valuable insight into the company, and give them the opportunity to contribute their ideas and experiences with the team.

Additionally, the mentor-mentee relationship doesn’t have to be a closed one. In some cases, being able to rely on outside knowledge, within an organisational structure or otherwise, is necessary. Being able to fill knowledge gaps by collaborating with others is an important way to share constructive advice on the best pathways to grow and develop.

With online sharing platforms such as Microsoft Office 365, sharing and collaborating across an organisation’s information is a simple and effective way to help mentors supply their mentees with the tools and information they need to grow professionally.

To find out more about how IT solutions can improve your business, reach out to the team at Imagetext Integrated Solutions today.