Within Global Mobility, there are many types of mentoring schemes with different purposes and desired outcomes. The type of mentoring you consider will depend on the aims of your organisation’s mobility programmes, and on the mentoring scheme itself.
Mentoring to support the business in achieving its Global Talent Mobility goals
Employees considering an assignment may find it useful to discuss the pros and cons with someone who has already trodden the path. This may mean pairing a potential assignee with someone who has been on assignment to the same location or who has the same career goals in mind.
You may find you have a lack of candidates or that certain demographics are not well represented within the international assignment population. For example, you may be struggling to find women with young children, assignees with older parents, or members of the LGBTQI+ community to accept assignments.
Allowing people to talk through the support on offer with someone who has experienced it for themselves will help them to see how an assignment could work for them in practical terms. This can support your organisation in achieving its DE&I goals.
Mentoring to provide practical and emotional support to assignees in location
Moving to another country can be an emotional and isolating experience for assignees and their families. Creating a mentoring scheme where you connect assignees in country who speak the same language or who come from the same home location can have a huge impact on how new assignees settle into their host location. You might offer to allow the assignee and the mentor to expense a meal out to encourage them to participate in the scheme.
Language exchange mentorships
A slightly different type of mentoring; assignees moving into a new location need to know the host language to get by. Yet the assignee’s home language may be one that their new colleagues would love to learn. Setting up a language exchange can be another great way to help assignees settle into the host location.
6 steps to setting up a mentoring programme for your international assignees
With so many tangible benefits to be had, a mentoring programme seems like a vital addition to any Global Mobility programme, but where to start?
1. Define the purpose of the mentoring programme
What are you hoping to achieve? For example, do you want to help assignees settle into their new surroundings more quickly? Or do you want to provide support as they navigate the challenges of working in a foreign country?
Conducting a needs assessment survey among potential mentees helps to gather insights on their expectations and the challenges they are facing.
2. Identify potential mentors
Look for employees who not only have experience living and working abroad and are willing to share their knowledge with others, but who possess cultural competence and emotional intelligence, as these are critical in understanding and guiding international assignees.
Encourage prospective mentors to participate in a brief training session that highlights the programme’s goals and cultural sensitivity best practices. Additionally, offering incentives such as recognition programmes or development opportunities can motivate experienced employees to join the programme.
3. Match mentors with mentees
Consider each assignee’s individual needs and objectives, and pair them with a mentor who can best help them achieve those.
Allow flexibility in the matching process. Encourage open communication and feedback during this period to identify any mismatches early. If a mismatch occurs, facilitate a seamless transition to a different mentor to maintain the programme’s momentum and effectiveness.
4. Set expectations
Before the mentoring relationship begins, it’s important to set expectations. Establish what each party hopes to gain from the experience and agree on how often they will meet or communicate.
This includes discussing confidentiality, boundaries, and the scope of mentoring topics. Create a mentoring agreement that outlines these expectations and provides a framework for the relationship. Encourage both parties to set personal goals and objectives for the mentoring period, fostering a sense of ownership and commitment.
5. Provide resources
To help the mentoring relationship get off to a good start, provide mentors and mentees with resources such as tips for living and working abroad, or contact information for support services.
Technology can also facilitate ongoing communication and collaboration. Tools like Microsoft Teams or Slack can help bridge time zone differences and keep the lines of communication open, making it easier for mentors and mentees to schedule regular check-ins and share resources.
6. Evaluate the programme
Finally, don’t forget to evaluate the programme on a regular basis. This will help you identify any areas that need improvement and ensure that the programme is meeting the needs of both mentors and mentees.
Conduct surveys after key milestones, such as six months into an assignment, to gather insights on the programme’s effectiveness. Questions might include how well the mentee feels supported or how relevant the mentor’s advice has been.
Tracking programme participation rates and the frequency of mentor-mentee interactions will also provide insight into how well the programme is performing. High levels of engagement can indicate programme relevance and satisfaction. Conversely, if participation wanes, it might signal the need for programme adjustments or revitalisation
Support your employees by setting up a mentoring scheme
A mentoring scheme can be a powerful, cost-effective way to support your relocating employees and their families, and to enhance your overall Global Mobility offering.
Not sure where to start? Start with AGS Relocation.
Using our on-the-ground experience, we help you identify the challenges assignees commonly face in your locations, guide you to set up a robust framework of mentoring support, and stack the odds in favour of assignment success.
Contact us today for a no-strings attached conversation about your global mobility needs.