Employees Believe a Mentor Would Advance their Careers, but Few Have Access to One

Rhea-AI Summary

A recent study by Qualtrics reveals that while employees value formal mentorship programs for career advancement, fewer than one-third are participating. Conducted in partnership with Charter, the survey of 3,000 office-based employees highlights awareness and time constraints as key barriers. Although 86% of employees reported access to professional growth opportunities, only 30% indicated formal mentorship availability. The findings emphasize the need for organizations to enhance mentoring offerings as a means to improve employee engagement and retention, particularly in remote work environments.

Positive

• 86% of employees indicated their organization offers professional growth opportunities.
• Mentorship programs are viewed as highly valuable for career advancement.
• Strong mentorship relationships can enhance leadership and communication skills.

Negative

• Less than one-third of employees participate in mentorship programs.
• Only 30% of employees have access to formal mentorship opportunities.
• 60% of employees reported that their organization did not offer mentoring or training during the pandemic.

The most common barriers to participating in formal mentorship are lack of awareness and time; mentorships are seen as more beneficial to career growth than digital resources or conferences

PROVO, Utah & SEATTLE--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- When it comes to professional development, people want a human connection for advice and guidance, according to new research from Qualtrics (Nasdaq: XM). And even though they believe mentoring would help advance their careers, less than a third of employees have joined a mentorship program at work.

Qualtrics conducted a study, in partnership with Charter, of 3,000 US employees working in office-based roles to understand what professional development opportunities are available to them and how they feel about the value of such offerings.

Having growth and development opportunities is the top driver of making sure employees feel that they belong, and a significant driver of employee engagement and retention. As remote work became more common, some organizations expressed concern about more junior employees missing opportunities to build relationships and be mentored by their senior colleagues. Formal mentorship programs are a potential antidote to that, but previous Qualtrics research found that at least 60% of employees said their organization did not offer mentoring or professional training opportunities during the first year of the pandemic. As a result, employees today may see additional value in these development offerings.

Nearly all (86%) employees said their organization offers some sort of professional growth opportunities, including workshops or conferences, training courses and online software tools. When people use available development resources, they believe they’re valuable for their careers; the largest share of employees said internal coaching and formal mentorship among staff will help advance their careers. However, these are among the least available resources for employees, with 39% having internal coaching available to them and just 30% having formal mentorship opportunities.

The most common reasons these programs aren’t used are a lack of awareness and not having the time outside of their own job responsibilities. Only 15% of employees said they didn’t take advantage of a mentorship opportunity because they didn’t think it would be valuable, suggesting that increased support from leadership could encourage more employees to take advantage of these options.

“Despite the massive disruptions we’ve recently faced, the importance of professional growth and development for employees and organizations alike has not changed, with employees highlighting mentoring as one of the most effective/preferred ways to accomplish this,” said Dr. Benjamin Granger, Chief Workplace Psychologist at Qualtrics. “In particular, strong mentor relationships can help employees settle into new companies and roles and develop stronger leadership and communication skills, while giving mentors a fresh perspective and sense of personal accomplishment.”

This research reveals insights for leaders to offer effective mentoring programs for their organizations.

• Employees want a personal connection. More than half of employees who have worked with a mentor met with them in person, and the most successful mentor-mentee relationships were most likely to meet in person. However, meeting virtually does not prevent successful mentor relationships, and meeting frequently is more important than meeting in-person. Additionally, employees feel more strongly that one-on-one professional development offerings will benefit their careers than digital resources and group trainings will.
• Goals aren’t always about climbing the corporate ladder. Beyond learning tactical skills, employees are looking to expand their abilities through leadership skills (a goal for 51% of mentees), understanding business operations (50%) and networking within their professional field (43%). Only 27% said a promotion was a specific goal of their mentor relationship.
• Mentoring is a satisfying and valuable experience. Mentors not only feel the satisfaction of knowing they’re positively impacting someone’s career, they also report learning new perspectives and tactical approaches from their mentees. However, less than half (45%) of employees say their organization offers any training on how to be an effective mentor.

“When maintained and supported by organizations, mentoring can quickly become a sustainable, self-propelling engine where successful mentees become the next generation of mentors,” said Granger.

For additional insight into effective mentorships, click here: https://www.charterworks.com/charter-research-mentorship-remote-hybrid/

About Qualtrics

Qualtrics, the leader and creator of the experience management category, is a cloud-native software provider that helps organizations quickly identify and resolve points of friction across all digital and human touchpoints in their business – so they can retain their best customers and employees, protect their revenue, and drive profitability. More than 18,750 organizations around the world use Qualtrics’s advanced AI to listen, understand, and take action. Qualtrics uses its vast universe of experience data to form the largest database of human sentiment in the world. Qualtrics is co-headquartered in Provo, Utah and Seattle, and operates out of 28 offices globally. To learn more, please visit qualtrics.com.

About Charter

Charter is the media and insights company for owners of the talent agenda. Charter helps current and future leaders transform their organizations through sophisticated journalism, actionable research, and real-time intelligence. Sign up for their free newsletter about navigating the future of work here. Charter also recently launched Charter Pro: the premium membership for people and HR leaders, giving them the essential tools, insights, and expertise they need to lead their organizations.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230316005306/en/

Lauren Braun, Qualtrics

press@qualtrics.com

Source: Qualtrics

FAQ

What did the recent Qualtrics study about mentorship reveal?

The study found that while employees recognize the value of mentorship for their careers, less than one-third are involved in such programs due to lack of awareness and time.

What percentage of employees have access to formal mentorship according to Qualtrics?

Only 30% of employees reported having access to formal mentorship opportunities.

How does mentorship impact employee engagement according to Qualtrics?

Qualtrics indicates that effective mentorship programs significantly enhance employee engagement and retention.

What barriers to mentorship participation were identified in the Qualtrics study?

The study identified lack of awareness and time constraints as the primary barriers preventing employees from participating in mentorship programs.

What is the significance of mentorship in remote work environments according to the study?

The study suggests that formal mentorship programs can help mitigate challenges faced by junior employees in building relationships with senior colleagues in remote work settings.