Assignment task:
Posts to others should be a substantive post of approximately 250 words. You should also include at least one reference. Please respond to the following classmate
Aerin Purefoy
There are many people who are first generation college graduates who would love to have someone to look up to, mentor and guide them through their professional journey. After graduation, many people do not know where to begin in their job search and often times end up in positions that are not related to their degree. Some individuals are able to find positions within their field and do not know how to apply the things that they have learned to their professional role. However, if a mentorship program was available through their place of employment, they would gain the on-the-job and real-life application training that they need to be successful. In a world that is so diverse, it is very important for businesses to empathize and understand the needs of their employees and offer programs that will help them reach the next level.
Mentorship Program
ACR Tech is a technology company that provides software development services for various companies. The technology industry includes a very diverse workforce that includes individuals from underrepresented backgrounds. Some of the employees are first generation college graduates and some come from other countries in order find employment. The mentorship programs at ACR Tech will partner the first-generation college graduate with a trained senior leveled employee that is in the same job position. The senior leveled employee will go through extensive training to learn how to be an effective mentor, how to identify and remove personal biases and inclusive leadership training. The mentorship program will be an extensive training that will partner the employee with a mentor for six months to one year. The mentee and mentor will set performance and career goals and work together to reach those goals. The mentor will need to help their mentee work through workplace challenges, personal, emotional and cultural challenges. The mentee and mentor will have monthly check-in meetings to ensure that the mentee is headed in the right direction.
Importance
"Research consistently shows a strong link between retention and opportunities for development. A well-structured mentoring program serves as a clear and actionable road map, guiding employees along a meaningful career trajectory" (Beavers, 2025). When employees feel included and have been well prepared for their role, they will reach career satisfaction. It is important for employees to reach career satisfaction in order to increase employee retention. Effective mentorship programs will help the employees feel supported, valued and perform at a higher level. Mentoring underrepresented employees also helps to close knowledge gaps, encourage an inclusive work culture and create empathetic leaders. It is also very important to equip all leaders with the tools needed to perform at high levels in order to meet the company's production goals and meet the customer demand.
Success Measuring
Mentorship programs are very effective and beneficial if successfully implemented and managed. In order to measure the effectiveness of the program ACR Tech will gather metrics, both quantitative and qualitative. The data will be gathered through closed and open-ended surveys. ACR Tech will also evaluate the employee retention and promotion rates of the mentored employees versus the employees that did not go through the mentorship program. The program should also measure the retention and promotion rates of the mentors. When the workforce begins to see mentees and mentors being promoted, it will drive them to become mentees and mentors. Based on the qualitative and quantitative metrics results, ACR Tech will make adjustments to the mentorship programs as needed.
Impact on Retention
"Employees with favorable perceptions of their organization's corporate citizenship tend to experience higher levels of self-efficacy, hope, and optimism about work, leading to higher levels of emotional attachment and identification with the company. Research also suggests that a robust culture of mentorship can protect employee loyalty and wellness even in difficult times" (Mentoring programs in the workplace, 2024). Underrepresented employees will most likely choose to stay with a company that offers mentorship programs which will in turn improve employee retention rates. The employees will also work towards acquiring higher leveled positions. The increased retention rates will help ACR Tech save money on attrition and recruitment costs. The saved funds can be utilized in other areas of the business.
Conclusion:
Mentoring first generation college graduates will promote inclusion in the workforce, break barriers, increase job satisfaction, reduce attrition and build future leaders. ACR Tech is committed to diversity and inclusion and aim to provide all employees with the resources that they need to be successful. ACR Tech is committed to meeting our employees where they are and building them up from there. Creating a well-structured mentor program, that is measurable will allow ACR Tech to create an equitable and diverse work culture. Need Assignment Help?
Resources:
Beavers, L. (2025, May 1). Pairing Imperatives: The essential elements for building a high-impact mentorship program. TD Magazine, 79(5).
Mentoring programs in the workplace. (2024). Corporate Citizen Magazine, 46(2), 34-42.