https://www.webmarketingmentor.com/


https://www.edcor.com/blog/reverse-mentoring-offers-benefits-to-everyone/

Reverse Mentoring Offers Benefits to Everyone
Reverse mentoring was made popular in the late ’90s by Jack Welch when he was CEO of
General Electric. Welch developed it as a way for young new employees to help veteran
executives develop Internet skills. Today, the concept is even
more relevant, especially in areas like social media or digital
workplace tools, where having a digital marketing mentor could
bring invaluable insights. Reverse mentoring goes beyond
technology—it creates collaborative relationships that benefit
employees at every level of business.
Reverse mentoring has a built-in principle that each employee
has value and can make contributions to other employees and
the company culture. In a traditional mentoring relationship
generally the veteran takes the new hire under his/her wing to
explain processes, procedures or company practices. Reverse
mentoring does the opposite. Young employees mentor older employees and managers
about new practices and technology. In a mentoring relationship, each employee brings
something of value to a co-worker. Tim Elmore, president of Growing Leaders, states in
CLO media, “The elder managers share their experience on how to thrive at the company,
and the recent college graduates share their completely different experience, perhaps
introducing new forms of social media and digital workplace connections.” A reverse
mentoring relationship creates equality among co-workers and a collaborative culture.
Reverse mentoring brings opportunities to all levels of employees and advantages for
every business. For millennials who want to feel that they are making valuable
contributions, reverse mentoring may be the key to retaining their talents. Millennials
have contact with veteran and higher-level employees and managers. They are able to
see the company as a whole, feel that their voice is heard and that their ideas matter.
They can better visualize their career path in the company and be more likely to stay.
Older employees can learn to use and be comfortable with new technology, but the
advantages of having a younger mentor go beyond concrete skills. Older employees can
also learn how to be comfortable in a changing workplace. Andrew Graff, an advertising
agency CEO, says that the most important lesson he learned from his younger mentor is
“how to be flexible, including allowing employees to work unconventional hours and to
check in from home or a coffee shop.”
In a business where there is reverse mentoring and a free exchange of ideas and
knowledge, problem solving becomes a collaborative task. The respect that grows
between mentors and mentees results in greater sharing of knowledge. As each level of
employee brings his/her expertise to a situation, whether it is hard-skill technology
knowledge or soft-skill communication and problem solving, the company benefits.
Reverse mentoring can also fit seamlessly into a company’s continuing education and
tuition assistance program. This concept encourages all employees to become lifelong
learners. Older workers who need coursework to maintain certification can learn the
most advantageous courses to take from younger employees. Younger employees can
see the need to continue education and stay at the forefront of their field. Both of these
vantage points bring benefits to the company. A study by Spherion Atlantic Enterprises
LLC, a staffing firm, shows that employees who participate in educational pursuits while
they work are happier on the job, more loyal to their employers and are the best
producers.
Reverse mentoring offers benefits to both businesses and young mentors, but those
being mentored gain the most. “Reverse mentoring for the mentee, then, can be
compared to learning a foreign language from a native speaker. While you might be able
to learn the basics from a book—vocabulary and how to conjugate tenses—mastering the
idioms and idiosyncrasies of a culture and dialect is impossible unless you are
communicating with native speakers. Young mentors should be looked at as the seasoned
generation’s translators, helping them navigate and become fluent in the constantly
changing landscape of media and technology.”
Original publisher (citations):
https://www.edcor.com/blog/reverse-mentoring-offers-benefits-to-everyone/