Why Reverse Mentoring?

Millennials are becoming an increasing percentage of the workforce urging companies to develop strategies to attract and keep them. They are technology natives, eager to learn new things and crave variety in the form of different backgrounds, perspectives, and experiences.

According to Gallup, 87% of millennials rate ‘professional or career growth and development opportunities’ as important to them in the job (1). I couldn’t agree more! Young employees believe that they can achieve anything with the right focus and access to learning (2).

Millennials have particular needs and expectations when it comes to learning and career development. One of the most valued opportunities of continues learning is a chance to work with coaches and mentors (2). They enjoy the opportunity to engage, interact and learn from older generations.

It is believed that mentoring programs can be particularly effective and also helpful to build strong relations between generations. Reverse mentoring, when younger person mentors someone more senior than them, could be considered as an excellent opportunity for both.

Why? It’s a win-win!

Strengthens leaders and builds leaders - a mentor can gain self-confidence if a senior colleague entrusts him or her in the mentoring process. On the other hand, the mentee can get a better insight into what the younger generations value and need.

Overcoming the generational gap - you can break generational stereotypes and misunderstandings, which is probably the greatest benefit of reverse mentoring. I found this very rewarding in my reverse mentoring practice.

Skills, knowledge and understanding exchange – you inspire each other and share the best out of your experiences. Older colleagues have an extensive experience, while the younger ones offer a fresh perspective and a different point of view.

Having a mentor from outside the organization or different industry can offer objective and impartial support. When choosing a mentoring program make sure that mentors are supervised, the program is being evaluated, its goals are clear and there is no potential conflict of interests in mentoring pairs. (3)

If you are curious and want to learn more about reverse mentoring or just want to share your experience, please contact me.

1. How Millennials Want to Work and Live Report, Gallup

2. Millenials at work. Reshaping the workplace, PWC

3. Raport 2022. Programy Mentoringowe w Polsce, EMCC Poland