Mentoring, when done right, is transformational. It boosts employee engagement, accelerates development, and builds a sense of true belonging. For businesses, it’s a powerful way to bring Diversity & Inclusion strategies to life and for individuals, it opens doors to growth, confidence, and career progression.

What's the impact?

But mentoring doesn’t succeed by chance, it takes intention. Here’s how to make your mentoring programme impactful from the start:

Set clear objectives
​Everyone involved — mentees, mentors, and the business — should understand the purpose. Why are you running this programme, and what should each person get out of it?

Define how you’ll interact
Will it be weekly check-ins? Monthly video calls? Clear expectations around frequency and format make for smoother, more comfortable communication.

Match with meaning
Pair mentees and mentors based on shared goals, lived experience or complementary traits. A strong match builds trust and sparks real growth.

Track the impact
Measure progress against your initial goals. Are mentees feeling more confident? Are mentors seeing development? Reviewing outcomes helps you refine and improve.

Starting without purpose
Don’t launch a scheme without clarity on how it ties into your wider goals. Mentoring should support your business strategy, not sit separate from it.

Winging it
Mentors need to come prepared and ready to invest time and energy. A half-hearted mentor leads to a half-effective programme.

Random pairings
Avoid allocating mentors without thought. Let mentees choose who they relate to which encourages genuine connection and commitment.

Telling, not listening
Mentoring isn’t about instructing. It’s about listening, reflecting and guiding. Encourage individuality and the open exchange of ideas.