This appendix will function as a guide to creating a mentorship program as recommended. In order to ensure effective implementation of the mentorship program you must meet the three guidelines.

• Capability of the mentor

• Opportunity in the mentorship program

• Motivation of mentorship program

 

Considerations: Capable, Available, and Motivated

You can ensure the capability of mentors by having an application and matching process the mentors must go through. This can be seen in figure 1 from Hurst’s real world model of the program. Based on the widespread willingness of Copper Trace’s senior employees to serve as mentors, especially with incentives gleaned from the survey, staffing mentors initially should not be a problem. Additionally, it should be noted that fit between the mentor and mentee is evaluated to ensure the social relationship between the mentor and mentee is present and that benefit is being gained.

 

The opportunity comes from promotion of the program. New employees must be made aware of the program if it is optional, to ensure that they are able to access the program and benefit from it. The Hurst model suggests fliers and a mention at monthly meetings about the program, which Copper Trace could emulate in morning staff meetings. The same should be true of mentors, if an employee applies but is felt to be unqualified, give them resources to help them reach a point where they are qualified through shadowing a qualified mentor or an auxiliary training program.

 

Motivation is one of the most difficult aspects of this program. Motivation typically starts high for this type of project, with many applying to be mentors and assist the new employees, but as time passes the mentors tend to feel burnt out from the extra work that’s associated with the mentoring process. The initial interest rates of senior nursing staff at Copper Trace show that the initial application or selection rate of mentors should be high, but for continued participation incentives may be necessary.  Hurst’s suggestion for solving this problem can be seen in figures 2 and 3, where monetary incentives are given out to both the mentor and mentee for meeting goals in a timely manner. This program could be emulated with the mentee bonus or without. 

 

Copper Trace should use these diagrams and the highlighted considerations above to adapt this mentoring program to their own company environment and culture.