GUEST BLOG Understanding why talent is seeking more than a paycheck Workers today are looking beyond their pay slips. They’re chasing opportunities to grow, learn, and advance in their careers. It’s a trend gaining momentum for some time now, with more professionals prioritising personal development over higher salaries. Recent studies show a clear shift in priorities, underscoring a growing preference among employees for professional development opportunities over traditional salary increases. 65% of workers now regard upskilling opportunities as vital to their employment decisions. These fin ..read more

Professional mentoring programs are an excellent way for associations to provide their members with valuable opportunities for professional development and growth. Unfortunately, the cost of implementing such a program can sometimes seem prohibitive, particularly for smaller organizations with limited budgets. However, there are several ways that associations can afford a professional mentoring program, and this article will explore some of the most effective funding options that we’ve seen to date.    Apply for grants: Many associations can qualify for grants to fund their mentoring ..read more

Where age and gender collide: The dilemma for older women in the workplace   When it comes to discrimination, there is one “-ism” that most of us are likely to encounter in our lifetime – ageism. And yet, it’s also one of the least discussed. Unfortunately, it also has a disproportionate impact on women.  Ageism in the workplace (and against women) may not be a high-profile part of the national conversation on diversity and inclusion, however that doesn’t mean there’s no impact.  In Australia alone, it is estimated that if 5% more people aged 55 or older were employed, the natio ..read more

Setting Up and Managing a Mentoring Program: The Truth About How Much Time It Takes Mentoring programs are an excellent way to support personal and professional development in organizations. They have been shown to enhance employee engagement, improve retention rates, and develop leadership skills. However, setting up and managing a mentoring program can be a time-consuming and challenging process. Fortunately, mentoring software can make the process easier and more efficient. In this article, we will explore how much time it takes to set up and manage a mentoring program using mentoring softw ..read more

Many healthcare providers and professional bodies know that mentoring would greatly benefit their employees or members. But few actually offer a mentoring program and even fewer make available a well-designed and properly resourced program. Findings from study after study show that more people want mentoring than can access it. In healthcare, it’s no different. In a study amongst 900 mental health professionals, 76% agreed mentorship programs are critical to career success but only 26% of practitioners said they currently have a mentor. All professionals deserve good quality mentoring, bu ..read more

These days, doctors, attorneys, and accountants are not the only people that call themselves “professionals”. Belonging to an association community helps develop individual professional identity and confidence. Mentoring programs don’t just help members achieve career and professional development goals. Mentors and mentees extend their professional networks, socialize professional standards and norms and increase their sense of truly belonging to a profession. PROFESSIONAL ASSOCIATIONS SUPPORT PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT As more and more white-collar workers operate in the ‘gig economy’ and as pe ..read more

Need some stats on mentoring to build your business case? Getting a mentoring program approved can take some persuasion, especially if the decision-makers have not had the experience of being in a well-designed program. Here are some useful statistics to help you build your business plan and develop a strong case. Incidence of mentoring A 2009 article that claimed 70% of Fortune 500 companies had mentoring programs. The figure would be far higher in the 2020s. But not every organisation belongs to the Fortune 500. Big companies are more likely to have formal mentoring programs, according to Ar ..read more

Gartner reported in 2019 [1] that building leadership bench strength was a major priority for 67% of Heads of Human Resources and 78% of talent management leaders globally. As the global pandemic took hold in 2020, leaders were really put to the test and many were found wanting. A lesson was learned that people need to be looked after. Leaders that could not respond to the crisis with care, empathy and focused listening found that their best people jumped ship shortly after. Employee wellness programs flourished in response to the pressure of working from home. Hybrid work has now become commo ..read more

Report of a study by David Clutterbuck Partnership, 2021 In mid 2021, with the help of the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development in the UK (CIPD), and the Australian Human Resources Institute (AHRI), Professor David Clutterbuck asked Human Resource Directors for their views on the question What do you know now that you would have benefitted from knowing before you became an HRD? Responses from heads of HR in 17 countries drew a picture of the difficult, complex and sometimes traumatic transition that HR practitioners make to the role of HR Director. At the heart of the findings is t ..read more

Setting up my first mentoring program was one of the best decisions I’ve ever made. I didn’t know it at the time, but it would lead to a complete change of career for me, to something I’ve made my life’s work and about which I care tremendously. It was 1997. Back then, there were hardly any mentoring programs, especially for women. At the time I was ensconced in a Marketing career, so I decided to set up a mentoring program for young women in the Marketing profession. I arranged a breakfast with a few colleagues and asked if anyone would join me. Boldly, we decided to establish a professional ..read more