Workplace Mentoring: Past, Present, and Future Perspectives

Abstract

This chapter reviews the existing research on workplace mentoring from the perspective of both the protégé and the mentor. Factors related to the initiation, maturation, and decline of mentoring relationships are discussed, along with the major theoretical frameworks that have been used to study mentoring relationships and that show promise in pushing mentoring scholarship in new directions. Consistent with emerging research workplace mentoring, both the positive and potentially negative aspects of mentoring are highlighted in order to present a comprehensive perspective on this unique type of work relationship. The organizational context is also considered in terms of its influence on the initiation of workplace mentoring relationships, as well as the relational patterns that emerge in workplace mentoring relationships. Finally, methodological challenges associated with the study of mentoring are outlined and considered in terms of important avenues for future research on the topic.

An interdisciplinary meta-analysis of the potential antecedents, correlates, and consequences of protégé perceptions of mentoring.

“…Finally, experiential similarity includes similarity in terms of experience-based factors such as educational level, educational background, functional area, departmental affiliation, job tenure, and geographic location. Narrative reviews of the mentoring literature find that deep-level similarity is consistently related to prote ´ge ´reports of more instrumental and psychosocial support (Eby, 2012). In contrast, both surface-level similarity and experiential similarity tend to demonstrate weaker and more inconsistent effects with perceived mentoring support (Eby, 2012;B.…”

“…Narrative reviews of the mentoring literature find that deep-level similarity is consistently related to prote ´ge ´reports of more instrumental and psychosocial support (Eby, 2012). In contrast, both surface-level similarity and experiential similarity tend to demonstrate weaker and more inconsistent effects with perceived mentoring support (Eby, 2012;B. Sanchez & Colon, 2005).…”

Dyadic Relationships

“…In terms of exploring diversity, mentoring literature has primarily focused on understanding the effects of mentor-protégé surface-and deep-level similarities. The consensus seems to be that similarity on deep-level attributes, such as personality or interests, creates more effective relationships, whereas surface-level similarities are not particularly relevant (Eby 2012, Eby et al 2013. Mentoring scholars also suggest that mentors usually hail from majority groups, which poses difficulties for minorities in finding mentors, establishing trust-based relationships with them, and getting full support possible from the mentoring relationship (O'Brien et al 2010, Ragins 1997).…”

Impact of mentoring on socio‐emotional and mental health outcomes of youth with learning disabilities and attention‐deficit hyperactivity disorder

“…Theorists propose that mentoring influences these outcomes by providing positive interpersonal relationships for social support and modeling adaptive strategies for emotion regulation (Rhodes, Spencer, Keller, Liang, & Noam, 2006). Programs are found to be most effective when mentors are formally trained (Allen, Eby, & Lentz, 2006), mentoring is regular and frequent (Eby, 2012), and mentors and mentees are matched based on a shared interest (DuBois et al, 2011).…”