astra domain was triggered too early. This is usually an indicator for some code in the plugin or theme running too early. Translations should be loaded at the init action or later. Please see Debugging in WordPress for more information. (This message was added in version 6.7.0.) in /home/studyfoxx/public_html/proactivetraining.com.au/news/wp-includes/functions.php on line 6131By the end March 2020, the majority of businesses across the world had closed their offices and their employees were working from home due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This caused businesses to adapt their processes and individuals to adapt their working styles, and created a whole new set of work-life challenges.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n Amid risks of being let go or furloughed, feelings of isolation, and increased stress from experiencing a global pandemic, the mental health of employees has been a huge concern for many organizations. Virtual mentoring has been highlighted as a multifaceted solution for businesses throughout lockdown and beyond to keep their people connected, supported, and developing.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n Benefits of Mentoring<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n There are many personal and career development benefits to mentoring, for both the mentees and the mentors. Organizations overall can benefit from a <\/span>culture of mentoring<\/a><\/span>, with many mentoring programs increasing productivity, employee loyalty, and even profits. <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n For mentees, the additional support from mentoring can increase self-confidence, self-awareness, aspiration, and career progression. For mentors, mentoring is an amazing opportunity to develop communication and leadership skills, as well as a way to experience new perspectives.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n Of course, many people associate mentoring with grabbing a coffee together or meeting formally in the office. But in the context of the current state of the world, and the remote work setup many of us find ourselves in, mentoring has had to “go virtual” like everything else.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n Here are some of the ways virtual mentoring is supporting businesses during this crisis:<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n 1. Tackling Loneliness<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n Many people have suffered from loneliness and feelings of isolation throughout lockdown, particularly during the workday. The Mental Health Foundation found feelings of loneliness in adults have increased from <\/span>10 percent before lockdown to 24 percent during it<\/span><\/a><\/span>.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n The essence of mentoring is, of course, human connection. It comprises unique relationship with someone who is not a manager, nor a friend, nor a therapist, but somebody who can support, guide, and inspire another. A virtual mentoring program, therefore, can help employees to feel connected and tackle feelings of loneliness. <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n A recent <\/span>Forbes<\/span><\/em> article<\/span><\/a><\/span> discusses this element of virtual mentoring, noting: “I found mentorship was breaking down organizational silos while also creating vital emotional stewardship<\/span><\/em>.” <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n 2. Fostering Personal Development<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n Without being in the office, we’re not experiencing as much human interaction as we’re used to. As a result, our natural personal development that comes from learning from others, joining conversations, attending events, etc., has been seriously reduced. <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n Learning is now harder to come by, and with video call fatigue affecting many of us, virtual meetings, training, and events might not be getting the best levels of engagement.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n Mentoring is a great way to foster a culture of personal development. It allows people to share their goals and challenges, learn from others’ experiences, and put advice into action. Some <\/span>87 percent of people feel <\/span>“empowered<\/span>”<\/a><\/span> by their mentoring relationships, and develop greater confidence. <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n Just because we are no longer in the office does not mean personal development at work has to stop. Establishing a virtual mentoring program and encouraging knowledge sharing between employees is a great way to motivate and inspire your people.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n 3. Welcoming New Hires<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n Starting a new job under these unusual circumstances can be difficult, especially in large organizations. With the knowledge that new hires are not going to meet their managers and colleagues in real life for a long time, it can be difficult to create a culture and sense of belonging virtually.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n While the concept of “buddies” is a common onboarding practice, pairing new employees with a mentor creates a more established relationship of support and guidance. This can help them settle in quicker, and they will feel they have someone within the company who is not only there to answer questions, but who is actively looking out for them.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n Virtual mentoring also can be a helpful part of the employee onboarding process, as the new hire may feel more comfortable asking a mentor rather than their manager about things such as company politics or who they should get to know. This is due to mentoring having a mutual agreement of confidentiality, which creates a sense of trust in the relationship.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n Try making <\/span>virtual mentoring<\/span><\/a><\/span> an essential part of your onboarding process to welcome anyone joining your organization during this challenging time.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n 4. Fostering Diversity and Inclusion<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n Mentoring is an established method for fostering an inclusive workforce, as well as boosting diverse representation in leadership. One <\/span>HBR<\/span><\/em> article<\/span><\/a><\/span> describes mentoring programs as a way to “make companies’ managerial echelons significantly more diverse.”<\/em><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n