4 Traits That Millennials Look for in a Mentoring Program

Were you aware that millennials are set to make up nearly half of the workforce by 2020? You likely have a fair number employed already as recent hires just starting their careers. But don’t discount the age range here–the group is made up of people aged 22 to 37, meaning that you likely also have a number of millennials entering or currently in managerial and leadership roles.

Engaging this growing part of the workforce is crucial to a company’s success. At Menttium, we’re dedicated to helping you nurture the high potential employees at your company–that means offering and supporting mentoring programs that result in visible return on investment. When it comes to mentoring millennials in particular, it’s important to be aware of the key aspects they’ll be looking for in a mentoring program.

Engagement

Millennials are eager to learn and quick to adapt, having grown up alongside the advent of modern technology. Because of this eagerness to learn, they can also quickly lose interest in a subject or program that doesn’t seem to be educating them or helping them develop. Menttium’s cross-company corporate mentoring program can provide an exciting next step in their career development.

The cross-company component of our programs is an added point of interest for millennials, who typically move on from their current positions after two years. And not only do our programs create expertly-matched mentoring relationships; they can also provide mentees with key insights outside of their chosen industry. A mentor from a different company or industry can impart significant key learnings while offering engaging information.

Structure

Most millennials didn’t enter the workforce to do more schooling. A successful mentoring program shouldn’t end up feeling like more work than it’s worth, but it also shouldn’t consist of random and unplanned mentor-mentee meetings. There exists a sweet spot in the middle, and that’s where we come in.

Menttium helps companies establish mentoring programs with substance, rather than networking meetings with elaborate titles. We don’t disappear after making that all-important mentoring match. We see the process through by providing resources for goal setting, setting up check-ins to monitor the success of partnerships, and supplying conversational topics that can help spark discussion.

Relevancy

We structure our programs to be mentee-driven and mentor-guided, to ensure that mentees get the best possible experience and most relevant knowledge out of the partnership. That “best possible experience” means something different for each mentee, and we keep that in mind from the beginning when we set about creating mentoring partnerships.

The human touch is essential to matching an eager mentee with an experienced mentor. Menttium doesn’t rely on software or mathematical procedures to set up that perfect partnership. Instead, the relationship experts on our Match Team conduct interviews and ask the right questions that will allow them to initiate these partnerships.

In a world of endless communication and networking apps, millennials can appreciate the effort and consideration our Match Teams put into selecting the right mentors and mentees. After all, a computer program is limited in the ways it can look at an issue. People are not. A software program might logically match a mentee with a mentor who had a similar career path or other similar data. Our relationship experts, on the other hand, might notice from interviews that this particular mentee would benefit by engaging with a mentor with vastly different work experience and a different point of view.

Customization

Is there anything more disappointing than a cookie-cutter program that doesn’t adjust to the mentee’s unique talents and interests? At Menttium, we’re proud to offer a variety of mentoring programs and mentoring relationships that can cater to your employees’ interests and directly contribute to their development. Our selection of Cross-Company Programs are geared towards executive development, diversity and inclusion, and female advancement.

Mentoring programs can appeal directly to millennials who are focused on further developing their careers. In fact, a recent Gallup report found that 79% of millennials are looking for a workplace coach or mentor. Menttium’s programs provide an essential starting point as well as additional support along the way as that needed mentoring relationship grows.

Engage High Potential Millennials with Menttium

The numbers truly speak for themselves. Since 1991, we’ve engaged more than 80,000 mentoring participants in 70 countries. Over 800 organizations have benefitted from our experience in cultivating excellence in mentoring programs.

Not only is it important to recognize what millennials want from work; it’s essential to actually provide that to them. Menttium’s goal is to help you engage and support the rising stars of your company through Cross-Company and internal mentoring programs. We don’t just match mentees with mentors, however; our system comes with support, support, and resources like partnership best practices, just-in-time reminders, and a monthly Business Education Webinar Series. Contact us today to learn more about our diverse program offerings.