What is Mentoring?
Mentoring is the linking of an experienced staff member with a new employee in order to facilitate personal and professional growth and development.
Mentors can enhance a new employee’s career by providing advice and feedback as well as assisting with orientation and socialization. The mentor’s roles help the process of new employees learning the “ropes” and adapt themselves to a new environment. Mentors also provide a much needed role model for the new hire. The mentor is usually going to be the mentees first relationship built at your gym so they must be conscious of their actions. They must set good examples and thereby influence the new employees own performance, behavior and ambitions. Mentors help new employees develop confidence and competence, which ultimately will contribute to the individual’s success.
A mentor is someone who:
- Can serve as a resource for information.
- Is comfortable being honest with personal successes and failures.
- Demonstrates exceptional knowledge, skill, ability, and talent.
- Can be trusted.
- Is a role model.
- Maintains a positive attitude.
- Is a good listener.
- Is a good motivator.
- Is a dedicated teacher.
- Is respected and respectful.
- Can help meet the needs of a new employee.
- Is committed to personal growth.
- Will personally and professionally benefit from a relationship with a new employee.
A mentee is someone who:
- Can be trusted.
- Is committed to personal growth.
- Demonstrates the potential to develop outstanding knowledge and talent.
- Is willing to initiate efforts that enable both parties to grow from the experience.
- Is proactive and will actively seek knowledge from the mentor.
- Maintains a positive attitude.
Mentoring Program
Many studies have proven that companies with well-run mentoring programs have higher productivity and longer lengths of employment from their employees. This also provides the mentor an opportunity to develop their teaching, communication and performance evaluation skills if interested in moving up in the company. With the privilege of being selected to serve as a mentor for your new hires, there are a few responsibilities that should be fulfilled and documented. Mentors not only introduce your facilities and procedures to your new hires, but serve as a friend and immediate contact for help. Here are a few items your mentor could be responsible for:
- Setting up a time to work out together and try several classes or programs they are not familiar with.
- Introduce new hires to employees as well as members.
- Give all manuals and information they need for training.
- A detailed tour of the facility.
- Introduce any club specific programs.
- Show when and where to pick up paychecks.
- Employee parking.
In addition, make sure they have their contact info and are comfortable contacting you with questions or for help. You should spend some time educating the new hire about the knowledge for their respective departments (machines, front desk responsibilities, cleaning check lists, etc).
All of this information should be completed before they begin their training. The mentor should touch base with them during and after their training and offer help with anything they need.
Shawn Stewart is the Operations Manager at Gainesville Health and Fitness Center. Contact him at shawns@ghfc.com
