What is group mentoring?

Group mentoring is a type of professional development program where multiple employees meet regularly with a mentor to work on career growth. Employees discuss their accomplishments and challenges, and the mentor provides guidance and support.

The outcomes of a mentoring group depend on the employees’ needs but may include:

• Setting career goals and objectives
• Identifying learning opportunities
• Resolving challenges
• Making professional connections

The group setting offers some important advantages. Participants can benefit from the insight and experience of the mentor and group members. The sharing and discussion process tends to reveal similarities between employees, which can help build relationships.

Starting a mentorship group at work: 6 steps to consider

Group mentoring can easily adapt to your company’s size and objectives, and an organized approach can help make the program a success.

1. Set objectives

Determine what you want to achieve from a group mentoring program, including how it can benefit your business and employees.

Your objectives may vary based on the specific needs of your workforce and company. If you already have a one-on-one mentoring program, creating a mentoring group could provide an opportunity for networking and learning from people with diverse perspectives. If you want to boost employee retention, the group might focus on individual fulfillment and finding purpose at work.

The objectives shape the program’s structure, content, promotion and messaging. For example, in a program focused on professional communication, participants could start each meeting with 60-second summaries of their concerns. If your goal is to facilitate career growth through skill development, you might ask mentors to lead interactive workshops.

Other group mentorship objectives might include:

• Leadership
• Career planning
• Personal and professional growth
• Individual fulfillment
• Confidence building
• Professional networking
• Community building

2. Choose a structure

Considering the program objectives, create a structure for your group mentoring program. Think about the following factors:

• Participation expectations: Successful mentorship groups require active participation from each member. Establish a set of expectations to help employees self-select into the program.
• Registration: How can participants opt into the program? If each person signs up through an online form, you can collect details about their interests and what they’re hoping to gain from group mentoring.
• Group organization: Decide how to organize mentor groups. It could be based on participants’ common interests or professional goals. Based on this information, determine the maximum group size.
• Mentor organization: Small groups may only need one mentor, while larger, networking-focused groups may benefit from two or more.
• Group criteria: Establish a set of criteria participants must meet to join a mentoring group. For groups dedicated to leadership or high-level career development, you might require a certain level of experience.
• Program schedule: Determine the length and frequency of each mentorship group meeting and the duration of the program.
• Meeting structure: Groups with entry-level employees or people who are new to the company may need more structure. Determine who will lead each session and whether there will be a set topic for each meeting.
• Establish KPIs: Identify a few metrics to monitor the program’s success in its early stages.

While a structure provides guidance for mentors and mentees, the program may evolve based on participants’ needs.

3. Recruit mentors

Send out a call for mentors. Start with executives, managers and senior employees who can provide firsthand insight about career advancement in the company and the industry. You can also recruit employees with experience in a specific topic or field. These professionals can generally lead mentoring groups dedicated to skill development.

Work with your mentors to create a program curriculum. Don’t be afraid to allow a certain level of flexibility—it enables mentors to use their unique strengths and deliver the best possible experience for employees.

Related: Your Guide to Setting Up Successful Mentor-Mentee Relationships

4. Promote the group mentorship program

With your mentors in place, it’s time to start promoting the program to employees. Ways to build interest include:

• Create an introductory video.
• Post on internal communication platforms.
• Add a blurb to the employee newsletter.
• Ask managers to discuss the program in team meetings.
• Host lunchtime Q&A sessions.
• Introduce mentors on internal social media pages.

Employees may not be familiar with mentorship groups. To spark their curiosity, take time to explain how the program works and outline the benefits.

5. Ask for feedback

After you complete the first session of your group mentoring program, ask mentors and mentees for their honest feedback. Ask questions such as:

• What did you like about the program?
• What improvements would you like to see?
• Do you have any suggestions for future topics?
• How do you feel about the group size?
• Did members participate fully?
• What did you gain from the program?
• How satisfied are you with the overall experience?

Listen carefully to the input since it can help you refine and improve the program to make it more effective for future groups.

The employees in your pilot session can significantly influence the program’s future success. Their opinions can encourage or dissuade others from participating. Making changes according to their feedback can turn these charter members into powerful ambassadors.

6. Monitor KPIs for future mentor groups

Track the KPIs you identified in the early stages for each iteration of the group mentoring program. As the program evolves and grows, you may need to add new metrics.

The results can provide a high-level overview of the program’s success. Keep an eye out for unexpected changes; they may point to problems that need resolution or opportunities for expansion. With monitoring and refining, you can develop a mentorship group experience that’s valuable for your employees and business.

FAQs about group mentorship

What is the structure of a group mentorship?

The structure of a group mentorship program can vary based on the available resources, participants’ needs and the mentor’s preferences. In many cases, the structure evolves to suit the team’s dynamics. Some groups might prefer a free-flowing discussion that addresses members’ current challenges. Other mentorship groups might thrive on a structured curriculum with preplanned topics.

What’s the difference between individual mentoring and group mentoring?

Individual mentoring pairs one mentor and one mentee, while group mentoring has multiple mentees and one or more mentors. An individual mentoring program is highly targeted to the career development of a single person. Group mentoring leverages collective wisdom to support each member. A mentorship group can offer support, build strong relationships and bring diverse perspectives to members’ challenges and career goals.