The great mentor match
Article Type: Abstracts From: Development and Learning in Organizations, Volume 23, Issue 4
Carvin B.N. T+D, January 2009, Vol. 63 No. 1, Start page: 46, No. of pages: 5
Purpose – Discusses how Xerox is using technology to match mentors and mentees while also making the process less costly in time and effort. Design/methodology/approach – Describes the system developed within Xerox by an employee caucus group, the Women’s Alliance, which is using web-based, electronic self-service software to enable mentees to search for prospective mentors, and vice versa. Reviews the value of mentoring for developing employees’ skills and confidence but underlines the difficulties of matching mentors and mentees to each other. Discusses why the solution developed at Xerox works well, providing evidence of its success. Findings– Argues that online self-matching cuts out a time-consuming part of administering the mentoring programme and enables organizers to concentrate promoting and managing the programme. Practical implications – Gives details of how the system works. Originality/value – Profiles a successful approach to organizing mentoring. ISSN: 1535-7740 Reference: 38AF375
Keywords: Employees development, Mentoring, United States of America, Xerox
