Mentoring | Meaning and Definition

What is Mentoring?

In HRM it is no different than what we generally conceive of it. Jacobi defines it as a one-to-one helping relationship or nurturing process. It is the Employment Training system where an experienced or a senior person is assigned to advise, guide, or counsel a trainee or junior. The responsibility of a mentor is to support and provide feedback on the employee in his/ her charge.

Mentors must be deft enough in their respective fields to offer help whenever the situation demands and within the bounds agreed.

Often mentors do have their mentors. The mentees might aspire to give something back, and, thus, they become mentors themselves. The chain targets to transmit the good practices further, so others can benefit as well.

It is way beyond the simple act of posing advice or passing the experiences and the values. Instead, it involves and intends to equip the trainee with the armor to identify one’s goals and issues, so they may resolve them efficiently.

Mentoring helps employees with:

•   Encouraging and assisting them in the right direction.
•   Guiding on the means of acquiring job-relevant skills and knowledge.
•   Helping with information and knowledge on corporate culture.
•   Advising in drawing up self-development programs.
•   Coaching in certain skills.

Importance of mentoring

It facilitates the organization in the identification of suitable job candidates from internal recruitment sources and from outside as well. Thus, it directly pitches in to build and establish the structure of the enterprise.

It helps in procuring knowledge capital besides physical capital and supports employees in taking up the motivational trends from their mentors.