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COVID-19 Didn't Kill Mentorship, It Made Us Rethink What Good Mentorship Looks Like
by Melissa Powell
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April 2, 2023
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Mentor and mentee

The COVID-19 pandemic has brought about a paradigm shift in our professional and personal lives, forcing us to adapt to new ways of working, learning, and socializing. The pandemic has also had a significant impact on mentorship, a vital aspect of career development and personal growth. Traditional forms of mentorship, such as in-person meetings and networking events, had become challenging or impossible due to social distancing measures and remote work arrangements. As a result, mentorship programs have had to evolve to meet the needs of mentees in the current context.

However, instead of killing mentorship, the pandemic has created an opportunity to rethink what good mentorship looks like. The pandemic has highlighted the importance of adaptability, flexibility, and empathy in mentor-mentee relationships. In this article, I explore these three factors in detail and discuss how they can shape the future of mentorship.

Adaptability

The pandemic has shown that mentorship programs need to be adaptable to accommodate the current context. One of the primary challenges faced by mentees during the pandemic was the uncertainty and rapid changes in the workplace. As such, mentorship programs needed to focus on building skills that are relevant and in demand in the current climate.

Providing mentees with access to a range of mentors with diverse backgrounds and expertise is essential for a more robust culture. McKinsey & Company found that ethnically and gender-diverse companies yield greater financial returns, in part because diversity helps employees develop a broader range of skills. Diversity within the mentor-mentee relationship should be a critical component of mentorship programs as it provides a learning opportunity that is impossible to replicate in homogeneous professional groups.

Another way to promote adaptability is to incorporate technology into mentorship programs. With remote work becoming more prevalent, mentors and mentees need to communicate and collaborate effectively using digital tools. Online mentoring platforms, chatbots, and video conferencing tools can be used to match mentors and mentees, provide real-time feedback and support, and foster connections between individuals who may not have otherwise met.

Flexibility

One-on-one mentorship relationships are not as feasible in a remote or hybrid work environment, as mentors may not always be physically present to provide guidance or feedback. In such cases, mentorship programs need to be designed to accommodate different communication styles and preferences.

Mentors and mentees should feel empowered to customize their experience based on their needs and goals. For example, mentees should have the flexibility to choose the type of mentoring they want, such as one-on-one, group, or peer mentoring. Mentors can also have a hand in their overall experience and should be able to make decisions about the frequency and duration of mentoring sessions, as well as the topics they want to focus on. 

Another way to promote flexibility is by incorporating asynchronous mentoring into mentorship programs. Asynchronous mentoring allows mentees to receive feedback and guidance at their own pace and convenience. This approach is particularly useful for mentees who work in different time zones or have competing priorities.

Empathy

The pandemic affected individuals in different ways, with some experiencing job loss or illness, and others struggling to balance work and personal responsibilities. As such, mentorship programs needed to provide emotional support in addition to imparting knowledge and skills. Yet, this is just as important in the post-COVID workplace as well.

One way to foster empathy is by creating a safe and inclusive environment where mentees feel comfortable sharing their challenges and concerns. Mentors can be trained to listen actively and provide emotional support, in addition to sharing their expertise. Mentors can also share their own experiences and struggles, demonstrating that they are human and vulnerable.

I spoke about this earlier, but fostering empathy also requires mentorship programs to be diverse and inclusive. Mentees from diverse backgrounds may face unique challenges in the workplace or may have different goals and aspirations. Mentors can be trained to be culturally sensitive and aware of unconscious biases, ensuring that they provide equitable and inclusive support to all mentees. Mentors can also help mentees build diverse networks and provide guidance on how to navigate workplace challenges related to diversity and inclusion.

The COVID-19 pandemic has not killed mentorship, but it has prompted us to rethink what good mentorship looks like. By embracing adaptability, flexibility, and empathy, mentorship can continue to provide meaningful support and guidance to mentees, promoting their personal and professional growth. As we navigate the ongoing challenges brought on by the pandemic, mentorship remains a critical tool for building resilience, promoting learning, and achieving success.

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About the author
Melissa Powell
Melissa Powell
Melissa Powell has nearly 20 years of experience coordinating, assessing, and improving senior care in New Jersey and New York City.
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