Mentor Program
A new employee’s onboarding is greatly enhanced by assigning a mentor, a fellow employee (other than the manager) who provides advice and guidance on the different aspects of working at the ÐÓ°ÉÊÓÆµ College of Agricultural and Life Sciences, UI Extension and the Idaho Agricultural Experiment Station. A mentor is also a “sounding board” who offers encouragement as the new employee acclimates to our culture and workplace.
A successful mentor is an employee who fully understands the CALS culture and environment (has been employed with CALS at least one year) and wants to be a mentor.
Additional criteria include:
- Time to be accessible and available to the employee
- Familiar with the employee’s role and work unit
- A solid performer
- Strong communication and interpersonal skills
- Exemplifies CALS values
- Patience and empathy
- Well regarded and trusted by others.
Individuals may volunteer to be considered as a mentor or recommend others to the CALS Employee Engagement Mentor Program.
The mentoring of new staff offers significant benefits to:
New Employee
- One-on-one assistance
- Jump-start on networking
- Single point-of-contact
- Knowledge of “how things really get done.”
- Smoother acclimation period
Mentor
- Recognition as a strong performer
- Expanded network
- Opportunity to motivate others
- Fresh perspective
- Enhanced leadership and mentoring skills
College
- Increased employee motivation, retention and morale
- Increased employee communication
- Enhanced employee development
- Shared quality work processes
- Increased employee productivity