Assessment 1 BSBLED805 – Plan and Implement a Mentoring Program

BSBLED805 Assessment 1

Describe the purpose of a mentoring program

To help a new employee become so familiar with the work environment and so proficient with the work skills that he or she can work efficiently, productively, and contentedly. A mentoring program helps new hires or those beginning their careers find experienced mentors who can guide them on their professional journeys. Mentorship programs at work can increase employee retention, boost workplace satisfaction and foster professional growth. A well-organized program offers structure and guidance throughout the mentorship process to maximize its benefits.

Describe five benefits that a mentoring program can bring to an organisation.

1. Creates a learning culture

By publicizing a workplace mentoring program internally, you are creating a company culture that values learning and development.

2. Promotes personal and professional development

By pairing employees with a mentor who is tasked with guiding employees, you create a safe place for employees to learn.

3. Reduces cost of learning

Many companies that have workplace mentoring programs also have formal learning and development departments, but that doesn’t mean unlimited budgets.

4. Decreases stress and anxiety

When faced with an issue at work, employees may think twice about going to their manager. Teammates may not be able to help if they’ve never experienced the same issue.

5. Increases job satisfaction and reduces turnover

According to a study published in the Plastic Surgical Nursing journal, the mentor experience/relationship positively influenced job satisfaction of new hire nurse practitioners.

Outline at least five components of a mentoring program plan.

Purpose: There should be a clear, strategic purpose that aligns with organizational goals and objectives.

Communication: There are two types of communication involved. The first communication is to introduce employees to the mentoring program and ensure that they know what the mentoring is for and who can participate.

Trust: The relationship must be built on trust. For both parties to feel comfortable sharing at the level that can truly be effective, there must be an understanding and commitment to maintain the confidentiality of the communication.

Process: The process may be formal or informal.

Progress: HR should establish check-in points (two months, four months, six months, eight months and then a final meeting) to ensure that both parties are reaching their goals and milestones.

Feedback: Both participants must provide constructive feedback and be open to receiving feedback from each other.

Explain the key principles of mentoring program design.

Mentoring should be a structured dialogue where reflection is facilitated by the mentor.

The mentoring relationship should be based on trust, confidentiality, mutual respect and sensitivity.

The relationship should be based on agreed boundaries and ground rules that address the power differentials between the mentor and mentee.

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e relationship should be based on agreed boundaries and ground rules that address the power differentials between the mentor and mentee.

Mentors should seek advice or assistance regarding sustaining and developing the mentoring interaction if needed.

The mentor should allow the mentee to drive the relationship and encourage them to take increasing responsibility for their own self-reflection and development. There should be no coercion or mentor agenda.

A mentor should help the mentee identify goals and challenges and set priorities for relevant personal growth.

Explain the roles of a mentor.

Facilitate the mentee’s professional growth

Create a positive counseling relationship and climate for open communication

Help your mentee identify problems and guide them towards  solutions

Share own thought process with the mentee

Refer mentee to others when you don’t have the answers 

Provide information, guidance and constructive comments

Explain the roles of a mentee.

Take charge of their own development

Set their own agenda for meetings

Interest in learning new things

Ability and willingness to work as a team player

Carry out tasks by agreed times

Creativity in work

Seek guidance and advice for professional development

Identify at least three pieces of legislation or standards that are relevant to mentoring, including confidentiality and privacy requirements.

Confidentiality

Confidentiality is not unbending and never absolute. A mentor or a mentee may at some point find themselves in a position where maintaining confidentiality doesn’t reflect ethical behavior, does nothing to foster a sense of trust and is itself a roadblock to productivity. Although opinions and issues such as skills building and self-confidence concerns that can be resolved over time should always be kept confidential, employee theft, divulging trade secrets to an outside third party or unlawful behavior are examples of situations where confidentiality doesn’t and shouldn’t apply regardless of whether it involves the mentor or mentee.

Ethics and Integrity

Mentors and mentees have a responsibility to treat each other with dignity and respect and to behave in an ethical manner. Confidentiality is a component of ethical behavior and part of the best practices for ethics in mentoring guidelines. During the initial meeting, both parties should identify things they want kept confidential and what may be disclosed. Ethics is the reason most mentor-mentee agreements include an information-sharing or confidentiality clause. It sets ground rules for behavior and gets the relationship started in the right direction.

In Australia, the main piece of legislation governing privacy is the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth). This Act requires organisations to comply with…

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