Mentoring that works – How Mentiway platform supports companies, foundations and universities

October 27th is Mentoring Day – a unique opportunity to look at how diverse forms this development method can take. At Mentiway, we have been supporting organizations in running effective mentoring programs for years. And while each of them is different, they share a common denominator: increased competence, exchange of experience and real impact on the development of people and companies.

Mentoring programs in numbers – scale and diversity.

The largest program we participated in gathered as many as 215 mentoring pairs (Business Women Leaders Foundation), but equally important are the smaller ones with a few or a dozen pairs each. In our history, these have been the majority: 59% of programs had up to 25 pairs, 26% had between 25 and 49, and 15% had more than 50 pairs. This diversity shows that mentoring can be implemented regardless of the size of the organization and available resources.

Duration, planning and formula of mentoring programs.

In mentoring, the importance of a well-planned program duration is paramount.The most common processes we support range from 6 to 9 months – such programs account for more than half of all implementations. 39% of projects last from 4 to 6 months, and the shortest, about 3 months, are 10% of all initiatives..

With this flexibility, mentoring programs can meet the needs of both quick pilot projects and long-term development efforts.

Who are mentoring programs created for?.

Mentoring at Mentiway is not just about companies and corporations – although they account for about 34% of all projects. Equally important are programs implemented by foundations and industry organizations (40%) and universities (26%).

Each of these sectors has its own priorities. Companies focus on leadership development and diversity policies, foundations pursue social missions (e.g., supporting women in the STEM fields), and universities help students and postdocs smoothly enter the workforce. Case studies from these areas can be found here:

• International mentoring at BORG Automotive: https://mentiway.com/en/international-mentoring-at-borg-automotive-case-study/
• Wroclaw University of Economics: https://mentiway.com/en/university-of-economics-in-wroclaw-case-study-mentiway-success/
• Women in Law Foundation and the new era of mentoring: https://mentiway.com/en/women-in-law-foundation-case-study-a-new-era-of-mentoring-with-mentiway/

First editions and long-term support

It is worth noting that Mentiway often accompanies organizations from the very beginning – as many as 24 programs we have implemented were the first editions of mentoring. In such situations, our role goes beyond providing the technology – we also support the organizers in defining goals, rules and in planning the entire initiative.

At the same time, the platform works well with existing programs to help save organizers time, monitor progress and facilitate onboarding of participants. For more tips, check out our guide to successfully implementing mentoring in your organization: https://mentiway.com/en/internal-mentoring-in-a-company-how-to-implement-a-mentoring-programme/

Why do organizations opt for mentoring programs?.

A cross-section of our experience clearly shows that mentoring works at every scale and sector. For companies, it’s a way to develop leaders, build a culture of openness and create career paths that realistically retain talent in the organization. For foundations – it’s a tool for social mission, giving participants the support they often don’t find in traditional development programs. For universities – a chance to combine theory with business practice and prepare students and doctoral students for the challenges of today’s job market. In each case, the Mentiway application facilitates the organization of the process -from matching pairs, to accessing educational materials, to monitoring the results.

Importantly, mentoring is not only about developing individuals, but also about spurring change in entire organizations. Regular meetings between mentor and mentee strengthen cooperation between departments, improve communication and build a culture of feedback. Increasingly, organizations are treating mentoring programs not as an “added benefit”, but as a strategic tool for change management and leadership.

FAQ – mentoring programs.

Why are mentoring programs so popular today?
Because they address real needs: developing talent, building employee engagement and creating a culture of collaboration.

Does a mentoring program always have to be large?
No – effective mentoring can be carried out in groups of a few people as well as in projects involving hundreds of participants.

What benefits do mentoring programs bring to organizations?
Better preparation of leaders, development of employee competencies, greater retention of talent and a positive impact on organizational culture.

How does Mentiway support organizers?
The platform automates administrative processes, facilitates pair matching and gives organizers insight into progress – so they can focus on the quality of the mentoring relationship.

Does technology and AI really support mentoring?
Yes – platforms like Mentiway help save organizers time and increase pair matching, but at the same time always put the human at the center. This combination of technology and relationships makes programs more effective and measurable.

Mentiway – mentoring programs made easy.

For Mentoring Day, we show that there is no single template for the perfect program. Mentoring programs can be short or long, small or large, for companies, foundations or universities – and we at Mentiway support all of these forms to make mentoring effective, measurable and accessible to everyone.