Remote mentoring: Building a virtual connection

Remote work comes with its own set of challenges and rules, as many people have discovered over the past few years. For mentors, things can become tricky. It’s not just about giving technical advice or suggestions; it’s also an emotional process.

In remote settings, there’s a lack of direct contact and communication. But that’s not enough to make you completely dismiss mentoring in the workplace.

On the contrary, remote mentoring is not just feasible. It’s valuable, too.

Remote mentoring is essential for employee growth and success

Research shows that mentoring brings favorable behavioral, attitudinal and health-related, relational, motivational, and career outcomes. At the same time, a Gallup survey found that hybrid or remote work is here to stay. In fact, 45% of U.S. employees were working partly or fully remotely in 2021, and 91% of them are willing to continue working in the same way. With these factors in mind, “Virtual mentoring is rife with distinct advantages for the new environment of remote and hybrid work,” according to Harvard Business Review.

Based on research by TalentLMS and SHRM, “most people learn best through hands-on practice in an environment that resembles their actual job. Coaching and mentoring is the second-best choice, followed by video format.” But the bet is transitioning this to the remote work environment.

Thus, it is necessary to carefully examine the new norm of remote mentoring, why it is essential in the modern workplace, and how to successfully implement it in your L&D strategy.

How can remote mentoring be successful?

At first look, mentoring can seem daunting when dealing with remote workers or entirely virtual staff.

However, leadership can take action by planning and scheduling one-to-one check-ins using video apps to discuss how individuals are doing professionally. Similar to in-person mentoring, during these virtual sessions, the focus can be on employees’ goals and interests, professional development needs, things outside of work, the practice of interpersonal skills, and more.

Parallel to that, employers must provide mentors with ongoing training and development opportunities, so they’re fully prepared to support their mentees in a virtual setting.

Building a virtual mentorship program

Can employees be mentored virtually on a team and individual level?

The answer is yes.

All there has to be considered is guiding leadership (and mentors) in the right direction in how to set this up so that it brings successful results. Let’s dig deeper and examine some best practices for building a remote mentoring program.

• Establish solid trust and rapport: The first step is to carefully listen to your mentees’ needs. Don’t assume, but rather ask questions, and be attentive. Spend time chatting and sharing thoughts with mentees in a more relaxed way. This can give you valuable insights into what to include in your mentorship strategy.
• Set clear expectations and logistics: From deciding how often you should offer the program to which platforms you are going to use, it’s necessary to have a clear picture of what the program entails from the start. Remote working tools are your best bet. It’s important to invest in them from the very beginning but make sure they are helpful to both mentors and mentees.
• Discover the right coaching model for each mentee (and mentor): There is a variety of coaching models (GROW, OSKAR, etc.). So, you will need to narrow down your options depending on the needs of your mentees and mentors, but also on the goals your organization has set.

The benefits of remote mentoring

It’s worth taking a look at the benefits of remote mentoring for your business. There are quite a lot of advantages virtual mentoring can bring to both your employees and your business overall.

1. Employees feel valued

With remote mentoring, employees feel valued. Their development and growth are being encouraged as they have the opportunity to get advice and learn from the experience of higher-up executives. They can also have a sound board for their concerns and ambitions, get a better understanding of their strengths and weaknesses, and find out which skills they might need to further develop.

At the same time, employers have the chance to create a positive virtual and in-person workplace culture, improve employee engagement, foster diversity and inclusion, and, last but not least, increase employee retention.

2. There is room for flexibility and convenience

Traditionally, mentoring relationships are formed between two people who are at the same location, meeting up and exchanging information and knowledge. But with remote mentoring, mentees and mentors are not restricted by geographical locations as the same meetings can take place in a virtual environment. Mentors and mentees can connect no matter the distance or time zone.

As a result, organizations that wish to operate on a global scale have the opportunity to make this happen. And employees who work remotely are not left out of the overall L&D strategy of the business.

3. Better accessibility is offered

Remote mentoring is more accessible than ever. The improvements in technology and the best practices of virtual mentoring have made this happen in no time.

With just a device and good bandwidth, your employees can connect with mentors or mentees and start their mentoring program anytime, anywhere. This accessibility is particularly helpful for remote employees or those who work in hybrid environments.

4. There is a larger pool of mentors to choose from

In a virtual mentoring environment, more mentors are encouraged to participate in the program. This happens because mentors can stay connected and engage with more mentees as there is more time on their hands. For example, a mentor in a traditional environment might sacrifice more than one hour in transportation. In a remote environment, this time is one more available slot for a mentoring session.

Also, there are more chances that you will find the right mentor fit for your organization as you don’t have to restrict your options to the local pool of experts.

5. Diversity and inclusion are improved

This type of mentoring is particularly effective for supporting diversity, equality, and inclusion within a business. Through remote mentoring, participants can connect with other people all around the world, providing the opportunity to discover other cultures, views, and opinions. This creates room for exchanging knowledge, wisdom, and fresh perspectives, as well as builds a more diverse and inclusive workforce.

Cultivating a virtual connection

When it comes to mentoring, the efforts shouldn’t be one-sided, only focusing on the in-office employees. In the remote or hybrid workplace, it’s essential to understand the importance of fostering the growth of your entire team by making sure every employee is included regardless of their location.

Related: The importance of mentors in the workplace: A Q&A with Tina Mirfarsi

With careful consideration and planning, remote mentoring can bring successful results to your business. Start investing in your mentoring strategy and reap all the benefits it has to offer to your employees and your organization.

Christina Gialleli, Director of People Ops at Epignosis