Human Resources is a vital component of any company. The HR department is responsible for recruiting and training new employees, administering benefits and policies, and helping to ensure company success. All key pieces of a business' growth efforts.
With a finger on the pulse of their company, HR professionals are also in a unique position to assess the skills and needs of your employees in order to build an effective mentoring program.
Mentoring programs are one of the best ways to give your people what they need to be the best version of themselves. It's a great way to help professionals with career growth, groom executives for the next promotion, enhance leadership skills, or onboard new hires into your company.
Mentoring programs are often created to benefit entry to mid-level professionals as they progress through their careers, but they're also highly effective for senior-level executives.
Mentoring can either be the result of a 3rd party program instituted by your company or organization, or it can develop organically. Both types are beneficial, but organic mentor/mentee relationships tend to be somewhat less formal. There's likely to be a level of informality in every mentor/mentee relationship, and that's completely fine.
A mentee should be able to let their guard down, confide in their mentor, and not have to worry about office politics. In fact, office politics could easily be a topic of conversation. That being said, mentor/mentee confidentiality can be a little tricky. There's no law saying a mentor has to keep everything their mentee says confidential, but it's extremely bad practice to betray trust within the relationship. A good mentee should be aware of what information is appropriate to share, and a good mentor should remain professional with the information they're given.
A good mentor is available as needed for counsel, and also provides timely advice when they see an opportunity for coaching. They encourage and celebrate good behavior, and they help point out and correct negative behavior. Anyone with wisdom to share about their industry, field, or role can make a good mentor.