Junior employees have had their share of the bully cake as their seniors become unwilling to assist and mentor them. However, an employee welfare-driven company may consider offering mentorship through a senior employee within a department to enhance their talents. This article reviews the benefits and best practices for mentoring junior employees.
7 BEST MENTORING PRACTICES FOR MENTORS
Table of Contents
1. Learn to be patient and understanding
Have you ever had an experience where you were teaching someone, and the person seemed to be grasping it, but within moments, you popped up a question, and they were unable to answer it? That’s what mentoring a junior employee is like. They need to be dealt with patiently. Also, mentors should understand that juniors are inexperienced in the field. This is not the time to show your prowess.
2. Determine a clear guide and direction
Don’t just begin to mentor. A good mentor has a clear goal guide determining what direction they and their mentee are headed. When there is a clear goal, the mentee understands what he/she is running for. They are also encouraged to develop creative ideas directed towards achieving the goal. Thus giving them a direction. Don’t forget they are already beginners. Make their learning easier by setting clear goals.
3. Create an open communication environment
We all know that one office where people are unable to express themselves even about their work. There are some who are afraid to even ask for clarification concerning their job. Mentors are encouraged to build environments that offer self-expression. The junior should be able to feel free to ask all questions.
4. Help them develop their skills
As we determined in the first point, junior employees need patience. Juniors are learners who will make mistakes. In fact, even seniors make mistakes. So, it will go a long way if a mentor understands what a junior is good at and their weaknesses. Assess their skills and encourage them to take up tasks they are good at. At this stage, they need all the grooming they can get.
5. Offer constructive feedback
Feedback that seeks not to dwell on the negative is good. When juniors perform well, mentors should pat them on the back and tell them precisely what they did right. Similarly, immediately correct them when they are wrong or commit mistakes. An immediate correction allows juniors to relate to the correction better and, as soon as possible, put it into action. Remember always to point out why they were wrong or right.
6. Encourage self-reflection
It is important that you give the junior employee time for self-reflection. They should be given the space to see the trajectory of their career. Self-awareness is key here as they will now understand what worked and what didn’t.
7. Show commitment
Like a child who runs to his parents with his report card, a junior will do his best to make his mentors proud because he did well in class. Run to them and show their results after their mentors have shown dedication. They will only run to you after they’ve seen the efforts and commitment placed into making them better.
7 BEST MENTORING PRACTICES FOR A JUNIOR EMPLOYEE
1. Willingness to learn
The beginning of becoming a pro at what one does is the will to learn from mentors. Just be willing to learn continuously, which will enable you to groom yourself for the job.
2. Open-mindedness
Be open-minded. Don’t stick to what you know from school or the prior knowledge you have. This is no time to be I-know-it-all as a junior employee.
3. Commitment
Whatever deadline you are to meet, always task yourself to beat it. If you are to arrive at an early morning meeting with your mentor, don’t be late. Only show dedication in every little piece.
4. Accept corrections
Being a junior means, there will be loads of corrections to align you with the role expectations. There will be criticism, some tough ones and mild ones, that are all intended to make you headstrong and fit for the role, as well as even better ones. Accept them as they come.
5. Self-awareness
Take time to groom yourself. As you accept corrections, be sure to shed off the bad and put on the good. Check your attitude, lifestyle, mindset, and other things that could hinder your progress in performance.
6. Ask questions
Remember to ask prudent questions. These questions should align with your role and what you are learning. Ask everything that you deem necessary for your role.
7. Practice active listening:
Be that learner who is quick to listen and slow to speak. In so doing, you will be able to retain information and know how to make every step count. Not to mention, you will be able to answer circumspectly when asked for a recap.
BENEFITS OF MENTORING FOR JUNIOR EMPLOYEES
1. Fulfillment
Mentors always enjoy seeing their mentees succeed, and that is what brings them fulfillment. It is just like a teacher’s joy seeing his/her students at the pinnacle of their careers. Imagine seeing your mentee progress in the career ladder. You’d be overjoyed.
2. Shared knowledge
In mentorship, the mentor’s burden of carrying the entire department is shared. If the mentor is not around, the junior employee can still take up those tasks. For example, Jobberman has a track record of having its team perform well even when its leaders aren’t around, and this is because of good mentorship.
3. Helps develop the employee’s skills and knowledge
Naturally, as juniors are mentored, their skills are sharpened and improved upon arrival in the spotlight. If they had a certain level of skills, they would become better skilled and even adopt better ways of doing things on the job.
4. Mentorship breeds leaders:
This role can birth many mentors. These new leaders make a positive impact in the workplace. They always make it a point to put in their best effort so that their progress is noticed.
5. Employees become confident
When mentoring junior employees, mentors also teach them some soft skills, including confidence. Because of some of these lessons, junior employees become confident in their capabilities after they have been shaped and groomed for their roles. This is because they are certain of their knowledge source and in themselves.
6. Improves Employee Satisfaction
By fostering a positive mentor-mentee relationship, productivity can soar. When mentees feel supported, valued and empowered, they are more likely to be satisfied with their work, leading to increased job satisfaction and overall well-being.
7. Reduced Turnover Rate
By fostering a positive mentor-mentee relationship, productivity can soar. When mentees feel supported, valued, and empowered, they are more likely to be satisfied with their work, leading to increased job satisfaction and overall well-being.
So, remember always to be ready and willing to learn for your role and know that learning is a daily activity. Now, be prepared to get the ball rolling as a junior.
