KEY POINTS:
There is a quiet revolution happening in the workplace, changing the way information is shared and keeping staff informed. It is the development of formal coaching and mentoring cultures within organisations.
In the old days employees were lucky if they found a more experienced colleague to take them under their wing and lead them through the difficult pathways of office politics and showing them the ropes - now mentoring is increasingly becoming company policy.
Christina (not her real name), who works in a large financial institution, says one of her criteria for accepting a job is how much learning support is offered.
"I've experienced coming into a company and been thrown in the deep end too many times," she says. "So often there's no clear idea of what you're supposed to do and certainly no career help or planning.
"I think if I had had proper support early on, it would have helped my career development immensely. Instead I've had the experience of people holding on to their knowledge jealously and not sharing it in fear of someone being promoted above them.
"Employee development is now something I look for in any company I work for."
And it is not only for the employee that career direction and help is useful. As companies grapple with a constantly changing business environment, they need to work out how to use their most important resources in the best possible way. These are the knowledge the company has built up and the people who will use it and develop it to further competitive advantage.
"Most people when asked where they learned the most about how to do their jobs will not say university or short courses - invariably the answer will be: on the job," says managing director of Executive Coaching Centre Iain McCormick.
"And if that is so - why not entrench an effective system of learning into the work environment?
"It is extremely important for a company to create a coaching culture - this is a culture where people are not just employed for technical ability, but for a commitment to lifelong learning and sharing," McCormick says.
"You cannot expect to run a successful business without sharing knowledge.
"Previously you would have simply hired someone to do a job. Now you only attract the best people if you make an effort in developing them, helping them establish a career path. A high turnover rate is a bad thing for a business. You need to keep your people to keep the knowledge base," he says.
For many people a sense of development and growing can be more important than money.
According to Aly McNicoll of the NZ Mentoring Centre, there has been an explosion in the use of mentoring services overseas, and in New Zealand there has been a surge of interest. "New Zealand is about three years behind the international trend."
But what is mentoring and how does it differ from coaching? McNicoll says: "Mentoring is a development/learning relationship. It is an opportunity to have an exchange for the purpose of one of the parties to develop skills and competencies in a role."
McKormick says it's a process of guidance, particularly by a senior executive in an organisation.
"A mentor is like a wise uncle or aunt."
He differentiates between coaching and mentoring, saying mentoring is usually an internal process within a company, while coaching is often external.
He says companies usually approach him for coaching when there is a person coming up through the ranks who needs some developmental coaching - often in interpersonal matters; when there are specific issues that are needed to be sorted within the company or the organisation asks for help because a particular person is facing a problem.
McNicoll says her work is about setting up mentoring schemes in companies.
"Mentoring is an umbrella term and broader than coaching, which deals with shorter term problems and more on personal development."
She says once a company has engaged her services, she hooks up experienced employees with less experienced ones. There is a matching process and a big factor is the skills of the mentor and the willingness of the person being mentored.
"Mentees need training, but they also need to know how to use it effectively."
Mentors are trained to be a sounding board to listen and help the less experienced employee to explore issues and analyse options; to help as a networker - raising awareness of opportunities; be a critical friend, a confidant; a sharer of knowledge; a coach and a career work/life balance adviser.
According to the New Zealand Mentoring Centre there are 10 keys to making a mentoring programme work:
* Clarity of purpose
* Support from top management
* Integration and linkage (ensuring the mentoring programme connects with other relevant initiatives, including performance management)
* Ensuring the mentoring is of good quality and minimises risk or harm
* Resources and funding (are the time frames sensible? Is there enough time and budget committed to the programme?)
* Support and reward - recognise the value of mentors
* Publicise and market - make sure the scheme is promoted
* Be ready for challenges
* Monitor and evaluate
* Evaluate to determine benefits - take every chance to properly claim benefits that result from the scheme
Fast food chain MacDonalds has been implementing a mentoring programme for the past six months.
Director of human resources, Evelyn Gates, says overall the process has enabled staff to get a different perspective on different departments in the business.
"It has been a real challenge to resolve some issues, but in the safe environment that has been created, it has been successful."
MacDonalds has introduced the programme throughout the business including marketing, finance, restaurant managers, and consultants.
"It has meant an employee has someone assisting them through whatever they're facing without having to deal with their direct boss all the time. It means they can freely express their views," says Gates.
"We weren't providing enough support for our restaurant managers and their bosses. There's a complexity in how people work and off-the-shelf training doesn't help. We've needed to develop broadly.
"The office folk are now more in contact with the day to day grind of the restaurant. It breaks the ivory tower concept."
But what if the company you work for has no coaching or mentoring programme? The advice McKormick has then is: network.
"Find someone you like and trust in the company. Slowly build a relationship and see if you get good advice from this person.
"Build up the relationship, be proactive. Successful people find the people who will help give them a lift."
The benefits of mentoring
* Individuals developing and using their potential especially in their emotional intelligence capacities.
* Increased productivity and capacity.
* The increased sharing of practice throughout the organisation
* Increased professional back up and support on the job
* Improved networks and team building
* Fewer costly mistakes
* The development and maintenance of standards of practice
* Development of a learning culture
Source: The New Zealand Mentoring Centre
